Solemnity of the Ascension
June 2, 2019
Acts 1: 1-11Luke 24: 46-53
Heb 9: 24-28; 10: 19-23
Collect
Nativity, Washington, D.C.
St. Francis de Sales, Washington, D.C.
“The
ascension of Christ your Son is our exaltation, and, where the Head has gone
before in glory, the Body is called to follow in hope” (John 13: 34).
The
feast of the Ascension of the Lord used to complete the Easter season, but that
now extends to Pentecost, next Sunday.
From several references to the sending of the Holy Spirit in today’s
readings, you can tell there’s a link among Christ’s resurrection and ascension
and the sending of the Spirit upon his disciples.
by Gustave Dore' |
In
another sense, the ascension does complete our Easter feast. That is, there’s an intimate connection
between the resurrection and the ascension. Except for Jesus’ appearance to Mary Magdalene
outside the empty tomb on Easter morning, all of the appearances of Jesus
recorded in the gospels are appearances of the ascended Lord, even if St. Luke describes
some kind of physical ascent 40 days after Easter. What all the gospels and Acts and other New
Testament writings assure us of is that Jesus, risen from the dead, lives in
transformed bodily form in the heavenly presence of his Father.
What
does that mean for us? Why’s that important?
The
Collect states it clearly: the lifting
up or exaltation of Christ in his human body at the same time lifts up human
nature, exalts all of humanity. He’s
opened the way for the rest of us to follow.
Heaven’s no long off limits to us; the doors are open, and the welcome
mat’s laid out for all who belong to him.
Where the Head has gone—Christ, the head of God’s people—the Body hopes
to follow, all of us who are his. His
glory will become our glory in his Father’s house. The exaltation of his human body and soul is
our destiny too.
For
that purpose the risen and exalted Christ exercises a priestly role of
intercession, from his privileged place at the Father’s side, as the Letter to
the Hebrews brings out. Our Lord Jesus
isn’t lounging in a recliner with a remote in hand until it’s time for his
return. No, he’s still at work on our
behalf, continuing to offer himself in atonement for our sins, cleansing our
consciences, assisting us on our pilgrimage thru this life toward the eternal
life for which we hope.
Nor
are we to sit around in lounge chairs
while we await his return. “This Jesus
who has been taken up from you into heaven will return in the same way…” (Acts
1:11). “He will come again in glory to
judge the living and the dead” (Creed). Unlike
his humble 1st coming at Bethlehem, at his 2d coming he’ll come in regal
splendor and as a fearsome judge.
While
we await his return, he’s given us work to do—work not just for the apostles
but for every disciple: his passion and
resurrection, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins are to “be preached in
his name to all the nations” (Luke 24:46-47).
The earthly mission of Jesus hasn’t been completed; we are to carry it
on as his witnesses (24:48), “in Jerusalem, thruout Judea and Samaria, and to
the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
There
are still places where the Gospel has never been heard, besides places where
it’s been rejected. Not even a third of
the world’s people today, in this age of mass media and intercontinental
travel, is Christian, even in name—not to speak of those who say they’re
Christian but live otherwise.
So
you and I have our work to do, to be witnesses of Christ. Altho there are opportunities to go out as
missionaries on temporary basis, we don’t have to go to the Amazon or New
Guinea. Right here in Washington, among
our own families, friends, colleagues, and even strangers we may encounter, we
can witness to Jesus by offering a smile that speaks for our inner peace and
joyful hearts because Jesus Christ lives and redeems us; by offering a helping
hand or a listening ear; by living simply and not ostentatiously. And perhaps, if occasion arises, we may speak
of our faith and of the one whom our hearts love. St. Peter advises us in his First Letter,
“Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for
your hope, but do it with gentleness and reverence” (3:15-16).
But
how can we do that, give regular, steady witness to Christ? We’re sinful people. We have so many faults. We’re timid or shy or not eloquent or in poor
health. Were the apostles and 1st
disciples courageous? morally
perfect? Not hardly! Which is why Jesus promised them the Holy
Spirit. He told them not to go anywhere
or start anything until he’d sent “the promise of my Father upon you, until you
are clothed with power from on high” (Luke 24:49), until “you will be baptized
with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 1:5). The
gift of the Holy Spirit changed the apostles radically. We too have received that gift—for the
forgiveness of our sins, for the courage, the fortitude, and the wisdom to be
witnesses to the world that Jesus Christ is our Lord, the one who owns our
hearts, guides our words and actions, and is the one in whom we hope for
eternal life.
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