The Ascension
On Easter Sunday, Jesus rose from the dead. Forty days later, He ascended into heaven on Ascension Thursday. Many dioceses transfer this feast to Sunday, but today is the actual date of the Ascension.
One
The Ascension
Why did Jesus Ascend into Heaven? Why didn’t He just stay with us visibly? Jesus tells us exactly why He chose to leave, “Truly, it is better for you that I go away, because if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you (John 16:7).”
But how could it be better for us if Jesus leaves? Consider how the disciples had, for the most part, simply watched while Jesus preached, healed, forgave, suffered, and worked for the kingdom of God.
Even once Jesus has risen, the apostles remain passive, content to wait and see what Jesus will do next. They appear to expect Him to do all the work. In fact, their last question is, “Lord, will you now restore the kingdom of Israel?” (Acts 1:6).
But the apostles’ time of watching is over. It is time for them and for us to get to work! For St. Paul tells us we are supposed to be “coworkers with God” (I Corinthians 3:9).
Two
Why are you just standing there?
In Acts chapter one, upon seeing the Lord Ascend into Heaven, the Apostles are left standing stock still, probably with their mouths gaping wide open, staring. Immediately, Angels appear and say to them, “Why are you standing here looking into the sky?”
The Angels are giving the Apostles a kick in the pants (they didn’t wear pants back then, but you get my point) because they are not doing what Jesus told them to do. He told them to do two things: Commit themselves to a deep friendship with Him (that is what prayer is) and second, commit to being with others. Jesus commanded them, “Go, therefore, make disciples of all the nations.”
I think the Angels would say the same thing to us, “Why are you sitting there looking at your screens? Jesus told you to commit yourself to a deep friendship with him in prayer and to be a disciple maker, helping others into friendship with Jesus.” But we, like the Apostles, stand idle.
Let’s make this really simple. We are called to two things: friendship with Jesus and friendship with others.
Three
We seek to live a simple way of life, one of friendship with Jesus and friendship with others. Teresa of Avila said Mental prayer (meditation) …is nothing else than an intimate sharing between friends; it means taking time frequently to be alone with him who we know loves us.
So prayer is friendship with Jesus. And what does friendship take? It takes time…time talking, listening, and just being together. And friendship can’t be a box to check off, and it can’t be rushed. We can’t say, “Hey, I want a real friendship with you, so hurry up and let’s get this done.”
It is so easy to be swept up in the tyranny of the urgent or being constantly distracted with what has to get done that our friendship with Jesus suffers. So, I ask myself the question, when it’s all said and done, what do I want? Union with Jesus. He is the only thing that can satisfy the infinite longing of my heart.
Okay, then I need time that is not rushed with him in friendship. I need time to talk to him honestly and tell him what I think and feel. I need time to listen to him by reading what He said and did. I need time to think about it, to apply it to my life, and let Him convict me. I need time to form simple concrete resolutions to live what he said.
Bottom line, I just need time with Jesus in friendship, that is what I hunger and thirst for.
Four
Live a simple way of life: friendship with Jesus in prayer and friendship with others.
We all have family and friends who are far from God; they are not interested in Jesus or the Church. And it tears our hearts apart, and we don’t know what to do. I’m going to tell you the most important thing to do. Commit to spending time with them. People come to God through other people. Commit to finding a way to share life habitually, regularly, often with the people God has entrusted to you, and when you do, delight them.
People have all kinds of issues. Maybe at the core, however, is that they do not know their inherent goodness or value. People think their value comes from achievements or attributes. But social media continually tells them they don’t measure up. When people think they are worthless, then they treat themselves as if they are worthless, and they begin to treat others as if they are worthless. But God looks at every person in the world and says, “It is good that you exist, how wonderful you are. You make the world better just by being in it. I delight in you.”
By our time, our interest, our care and concern, by our words and our actions, we must tell people, “It is good that you exist, how wonderful you are.” This is the message we must bring! Our mission is to be Apostles of Delight and the revelation of their goodness.
Five
The world is dying of loneliness
On Christmas Day, 1969, then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who became Pope Benedict XVI, predicted our future when he said, “Men in a totally planned world will find themselves unspeakably lonely. If they have completely lost sight of God, they will feel the whole horror of their poverty.” Immediately following this prediction, Cardinal Ratzinger also predicted the hope for something entirely new. He said, “Then they will discover the little flock of believers as something wholly new. They will discover it as a hope that is meant for them, an answer for which they have always been searching in secret.”
Where will those who have lost sight of God find the little flock of believers? It probably won’t be in a Church or a retreat or a conference or Podcast or video about God, faith, and religion, because the people who need God usually don’t know they need Him, so they don’t go looking for Him on their own.
They will find the little flock of believers where they live and share life with others when we have done two things: First, when we have made the commitment to share life with a small group of people consistently, that is, habitually, where we live. Second, this is the place where we invite those who have lost sight of God to one degree or another.
And what will those people discover in us, people of hope and friendship and joy and deep faith and unconditional love. And they will discover it as a hope that is meant for them, an answer for which they have always been searching in secret.