The Ascension of the Lord

 Lectionary: 58

...in accord with the exercise of his great might,
which he worked in Christ,
raising him from the dead
and seating him at his right hand in the heavens,
far above every principality, authority, power, and dominion,
and every name that is named
not only in this age but also in the one to come.
And he put all things beneath his feet
and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of the one who fills all things in every way.

With the Ascension of the Lord we celebrate the enormous authority that has been given to Jesus, the Nazarene, a descendant of Abraham and King David; and the Son of Mary. He is a man of flesh, blood, and bone like every human being you have ever loved, and like every human being you have ever feared or distrusted. 

But this Son of Adam and Eve has taken his seat at the right hand of God; and has been given all authority in heaven and on earth, for judgment and for salvation. Every knee shall bend and every tongue in heaven, on earth, and under the earth must confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the Glory of God the Father,  – even if some unfortunate souls wish it were not true. 

But disciples of Jesus might be tempted to remember this day with a bit of sadness, for our Lord and Master has been taken from our sight and has gone to heaven. We have his physical presence in the Blessed Sacrament, but he is not here to tell us which person to marry, which career to follow, which jobs to seek, or which political candidates to support. He left no careful instructions about which house to buy or what schools to attend. We can only believe and trust that we belong to the right Christian denomination, for there are many to choose from. Even the choice of where to begin the proclamation is left to the Church.  

But we do not find anywhere in the New Testament any trace of nostalgia. The early church expected him to come back soon, but they never supposed he would bring back the good old days when he walked on water or fed five thousand with a few fish and several loaves of bread. Those days were over and done. 

Two weeks ago we heard Jesus insist that we know how to follow him for he is “the way, the truth, and the life,” and anyone who has seen him has seen the Father. He also told us that if he did not go away, he could not send us the Holy Spirit. If we suffer any nostalgia for any times past, we should get over it, take up the crosses we’re given, and walk in His Way. The Prophet Isaiah has assured us, 

…your ears shall hear a word behind you:

“This is the way; walk in it,”

when you would turn to the right or the left. (Is 30:21) 

Because he has won enormous authority by his death on a cross, Jesus can authorize, ordain, and empower his disciples. We, his Church, are honored with that responsibility. to announce everything that has been revealed to us about God the Creator, his only begotten Son, and the Holy Spirit they share with us. 

It is because the Lord does not walk like a man on the earth, because he has gone to heaven, that we must find in our minds, bodies, and hearts the willingness and courage to live like his disciples in this passing world. As Woody Guthrey sang, 

This train don't carry no gamblers, this train; 

This train don't carry no gamblers; 

Liars, thieves, nor big shot ramblers; 

This train is bound for glory, this train.

Because we believe that Jesus is “the real deal,” we must also be the real deal. We don’t pretend to look like Christ; we must be Christ. The Sacrament which we eat becomes us. It is truly the body and blood of Christ; it is not an image, appearance, or symbol to just remind us of God. The church building may be a symbol of God, but the Church is the presence of God in our world. 

As Catholics we inherit the Gospel of Jesus, as well as the story of every martyr and saint who has lived and died for the Lord. We recite the same prayers they recited, receive the same Eucharist, and serve the same God. We represent the Holiness of God by our faithful worship of God -- a worship that seems senseless to many people -- and by our moral way of life, which also seems unprofitable at best, and perhaps utter nonsense. 

We must speak the truth; it is our duty and responsibility, our privilege and our pleasure. That truth is more than the infallible doctrines of Roman Catholic teaching; it is also, to the best of our ability, the truth of our experience of mercy and grace. We speak the truth about wealth and poverty, about authority and obedience, about male and female, husband and wife to a culture which idolizes women but despises wives, daughters, and mothers. 

Many people, especially those jealous of their power, find our way of life rude and intrusive. They tell us, “Everything is fine, everything is under control. Trust us; we know what we're doing. Just go ahead and shop, play, be entertained, and let us handle you and your concerns” They say it often and they say it loudly,. They say it so often that we begin to see none of it is true. 

The Church is fascinated by the truth; we’re not into this world's images, branding, first impressions, or customer satisfaction. 

As he ascends to the Right Hand of God the Father, Jesus authorizes us to demonstrate the generosity of God with our message of Good News; and then with our new understanding, what it means to be men and women, freed from this world's tyranny by our life in communion with God. Unlike people who do not know the Lord, our husbands and wives do not bully, threaten, manipulate, intrigue, play games, commit adultery, desert, or divorce. They suffer the "thousand natural shocks" of human life, but love each other more affectionately and with more devotion. It's wonderful; even miraculous; but it’s no surprise for us. 

Living the Gospel is in every respect breathtaking, and we know our unworthiness and our incompetence. Very often we hardly have any notion of who we are in this confusing world. The identity and mission He has given us are obscured by our sins and by the fascinating temptations all around us. We are sorely tempted to abandon both mission and identity in pursuit of an easier, safer, and less controverted way of life.

Next Sunday we will celebrate Pentecost, the gift of the Holy Spirit. We will be reminded that the Lord who has left us to sit at God’s right hand as ruler and judge has sent us an advocate; and then, 
…your ears shall hear a word behind you:
“This is the way; walk in it,”
when you would turn to the right or the left. (Is 30:21) 

And then, Blessed Prosperity!

He will give rain for the seed

you sow in the ground,

And the bread that the soil produces

will be rich and abundant.

On that day your cattle will graze

in broad meadows;

The oxen and the donkeys that till the ground

will eat silage tossed to them

with shovel and pitchfork.

Upon every high mountain and lofty hill

there will be streams of running water. Is 30:23-25