7 Easter (Sunday after the Ascension) May 24, 2009

"And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love." (1 Cor 13:13)

Ascension Day is both one of the great feasts of the Church Year and one of the great mysteries of our faith.

Its also one of the most neglected days of the Church Year because it always comes on a Thursday, 40 days after Easter, so in most small congregations - and most of our congregations in the Episcopal Church number less than 100 persons in attendance on a Sunday morning - Ascension Day services are seldom held.

The mystery of Ascension Day is strongly hinted at in the highly symbolic language in which the story is told. The risen Jesus, present in his glorified resurrection body, has "...presented himself alive to (the disciples) by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the Kingdom of God." (Acts 1:3)

That the disciples needed this time of reassurance and additional instruction is made crystal clear by their final question to Jesus: "Lord, will you at this time give the Kingdom back to Israel?" (Acts 1:6) Jesus had been speaking to them about the Kingdom of God; the disciples were still thinking about a restored earthly Kingdom of Israel. Jesus’ answer to them is meant to re-focus their thinking. "It is not for you to know the times or periods 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 witnessses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1:7-8)

The earthly Kingdom of Israel matters not. What matters is that, through repentance and forgiveness of sins in Jesus’ name, people all over the world will be empowered and enabled to live together in faith, hope, and love - to live in unity; the oneness in Christ which Jesus prays for in our Gospel for today.

Jesus won’t do it for us. In fact, Jesus can’t do it for us, because that would violate the freedom with which he and his Father endowed us in creating us in God’s own image. Jesus has completed his part of the work to establish the Kingdom of God here on earth. He now departs and sends to us the Holy Spirit to empower us as God’s chosen agents to complete the job.

The language Luke uses to describe Jesus’ departure paints a powerful picture for us: "... while 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 (again) in the same way you saw him go into heaven." (Acts 1:9-11)

The message of the Ascension for us is this: The human Jesus is no longer with us, yet he is present in us and with us in the Person of the Holy Spirit. We are now Jesus’ hands and feet, his eyes, his ears, his heart of love and compassion for the world he created and loves. We are to be witnesses of that love and compassion, that forgiveness he came to show us, by living them out in our own lives, day to day, wherever and in whatever circumstances we find ourselves in.

My prayer - and I believe Jesus’ desire - for us is that St Paul, were he to write to us today, would be able to use those same words he addressed to the Ephesians some two thousand years ago:

"I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the (people of God), and for this reason I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. ... ... with the eyes of your heart enlightened (may you) know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the (people of God), and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe. This power working in us is the same as the mighty strength which he used when he raised Christ from death and seated him at his right side in the heavenly world." (Eph 1:15-20)

God desires to pour out on us the power of the Holy Spirit, not just at Pentecost, but each and every day, that we might love in his power. This is the way he chooses to fulfill his Kingdom "on earth as it is in heaven". Are you willing to open your heart to receive his power today?

Then tell him so as you come to partake of the sacrament of his Body and Blood at his altar this morning.

"And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love." (1 Cor 13:13)