Ascension Day
Good Morning My Friends, and a very happy Feast Day to you all.
I love this old language for the collect for Ascension Day
Grant, we beseech thee, almighty God,
that like as we do believe thy only-begotten Son
our Lord Jesus Christ
to have ascended into the heavens;
so we may also in heart and mind thither ascend
and with him continually dwell,
who liveth and reigneth with thee,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Praying that in heart and mind we may ‘thither ascend’ and continually dwell with Christ. It encourages me to think of us reaching up to our full potential, of being bigger or greater than we are, of becoming even more ‘one’ with Christ. It takes me out of myself and away from my ego, and humbly plants my soul in the embrace of the Risen, Ascended and Glorified Christ.
The Gospels tell us that After the ascension the disciples
‘Worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy; 53and they were continually in the temple blessing God.
From Easter day onwards the disciples not only rejoiced in the presence of the risen Lord, but actually saw him in various places and at different times. The women saw him in the garden, the disciples on the Road to Emmaus found that he walked with them, and they recognised him in the breaking of the bread. Jesus had appeared in the room to the 10 disciples, and a week later to the 11 when Thomas was with them. Jesus shared a meal with them by the Sea of Galilee. He walked and talked with Peter and John, and finally he is with them on the mountain of the ascension.
In a sense the disciples were learning that he was with them wherever they went, and whatever they were doing. But what about everyone else?
Things are about to change.
Jesus enters the cloud, which represents the hidden glory and hidden presence of God, who is unseen, yet forever near. In returning to the Father Jesus leaves their sight, but not their presence.
Matthew’s Gospel this in its final words. ‘And remember I am with you always, to the end of time.’
The change that comes about is at the heart of our faith, and it allows us to explore that intimate relationship that even now we are able to have with Christ. He is not confined to time or space, but made real for us whatever we do and wherever we go,
In the play The Trial of Jesus by John Masefield the wife of Pilate is asked ‘Do you think he is dead?’ to which she replies ‘No lady, I don’t’
‘Then where is he?’
‘Let loose in all the world.’
The Feast of the Ascension is necessary as it bring to a conclusion the earthly ministry of Jesus, and opens the way for our experience of his constant and abiding presence.
So, our hearts and minds dwell with him wherever he goes.
Soon we wil be celebrating the Feast of Pentecost, the coming of the Holy Spirit which gives power to you and I to Build the Kingdom in this place. It will have extra significance for us this year as we celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Chaplaincy of the Holy Spirit Costa Blanca.
Between now and then (23rd) we will be alongside the disciples as they waited and prayed.
They knew that Jesus had promised something, The Holy Spirit, The Comforter, but at that moment they didn’t really know what to expect.
Sometimes what Jesus sends us, and what we expect are very different things, and there are times when we can’t see God at work, because we are looking for what we expect, and not being open to his grace. So, my Friends, during this coming week may I ask you to take seriously this time of waiting – with hearts and minds open to whatever God has in store for us both as individuals, and for us as a Chaplaincy. The future, by its very nature is a mystery, and our plans only serve to make him laugh. But whatever we think, and wherever we go we know that God is good, that he hears our prayers, and we are truly blessed by his gifts and his grace. I have it on good authority that he has a wonderful future in mind for this Chaplaincy, and that he is especially fond of you. Let us pray that we humble ourselves and do his will.
Bless you, Bless you, Bless you,
As ever,
Fr Marcus