Dear Friends,
Today is the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord. After preparing his disciples about his departure but assuring them not to leave them like orphans, Christ enters in his glory at the sight of his disciples. He goes back to heaven where he came from. He does this not just for the sake of going but, he goes to prepare a place for those who believe in him. In the meantime, he tells them that they will have the Advocate he will send from the Father to teach them the whole truth about Him, until His return.
The idea of Christ’s return has been a challenging one in the life of the early Christian communities. Time and again one sees the question raised in Saint Paul’s different Letters. When is he coming back? Right now or is he delayed? This impacted the lives of the first Christians who were waiting for his imminent return. Were they wrong to do so? Not really. Here is why.
Christ tells us to be ready, for we do not know neither the hour nor the day the Son of Man will come. For the day will be like a thief; meaning it will take us by surprise. Then, he insists, “Watch, so that this day may not surprise you.” To watch and to stay alert means that we are invited to live everyday as if it were our last day. Make the difference we are meant to be and to make in the world as we live as the salt of the earth and the light of the world. This is exactly the meaning of what we hear from today’s first reading. The disciples were there “standing and looking at the sky” overlooking the mission the Lord just entrusted to them. The reminder did not wait. They have to go on a journey, on a divine mission, the one of making disciples by the power of the Holy Spirit. Now is the time for you and I to join the team and to make the kingdom present through our words and deeds.
The feast of Ascension is therefore the celebration of the commissioning. Today, it is no longer to the Twelve only that the mission is given. It is to all of us here who listen to Him and who are nourished by his words and his Body. Nevertheless, today, it is painful to see the ways we respond to this call. As many as we are, it is no doubt that a great number are still choosing to stand out there and look to the sky whereto the Lord is ascending. We are still in amazement and we forget the mission we have received from Him. The question we are to respond today is “to what extend am I the one still standing there and look at the sky?” How do I pass from being a bystander to being a part of the building of the kingdom? When we look at our parish life, we will surely see that the field is there waiting for us to be involved in ministries. Christ wants and needs you to be his coworker in this field of evangelization. Have you thought about making that difference in our parish life by becoming a lector, eucharistic minister, hospitality minister, altar server…, our leading either a group study or a devotional group to bring people to Christ. This is the way we participate in the Church’s missionary activities, which are her attempt to respond to the mission Christ gave her to make disciples throughout the world. For this to be fulfill, it takes you and I to say yes to Christ and to stop standing idle and looking at the sky. Time has come for us to move to action, knowing that the Holy Spirit will always enable us to bear fruits for the kingdom.
Let us continue to pray for one another and for our parish family.
Fr. Emery