Rector's Reflection: Ascension

This coming Thursday, May 29, the church will celebrate the Feast of the Ascension. This feast day remembers the story from scripture in the book of Acts where the risen Jesus gives a final farewell to his apostles and ascends miraculously to be in heaven at the right side of the Father's throne. The passage can be found in the first chapter of Acts. 

The Ascension of Jesus (Acts 1:9–12). Gustave Dore (1832 -1883)

So when they had come together, they asked him, "Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?" He replied, "It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. They said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven."

This is a fascinating account because it features the question sure to be on everyone's mind as Jesus prepared for departure. They wanted to know when Jesus would come back, as he had promised (Luke 17:24). It the perennial question among Christian that is ever present as we await the Second Coming of Jesus. When will Jesus come back? 

The answer that Jesus gives is a reassuring one to anyone who has ever had a sense of dread upon reading the religious protestor's sign "The End is Near!!!" Only the Father knows the day and the hour, and you can imagine God the Father is pretty good at keeping secrets. Also, if we do not know the hour, the point then becomes for us to ready ourselves as much as possible each and every day. 

Then comes the question... how do we ready ourselves? I love the last piece of this passage because apparently the angels needed to come down from heaven to keep the apostles from gawking up at the heavens indefinitely. There's a great metaphor waiting for us there as the apostles lock their gaze on Jesus, who had gone up so high he had become indistinguishable from the birds in a cloudy sky. The metaphor reminds us not to stand idly watching and waiting for Jesus, but to get to work with his Great Commission to baptize and bring all the nations into his fold. 

As we contemplate the story of the Ascension, in what ways might we be idly staring up at the sky concerning our faith. Are we being inactive or is our faith so small to us that it could be Jesus or a balloon loosed in the sky? How can we ready ourselves for his return through our worship, stewardship, and service? 

We will, with God's help.

Peace,

CJ+