The Feast of the Ascension of Our Lord & Easter 7
Among other the feats of amazement we know about Jesus and his family, this week, the 6th week after Easter, after the resurrection from the dead, Jesus ascends to heaven.
That’s right Jesus goes away a second time.
If there is one thing I can take away from the scripture this week …
there is no holding on to Jesus.
Friends, it can’t be done. Jesus is bigger, badder and so much more than our tiny minds can comprehend. The Ascension of Christ is clearly, God out of the box!
It moves me to reconsider, again, what is the new thing God is doing, because clearly there will always be a new thing. A bigger, badder, out of the box, thing. That’s right, outside my ideas and my standards and my always protective way of seeing life. So, I guess an ascension is just the thing to blow my mind.
It does give me pause though… because I like predictability. I do get it really, I read the words of the Gospel and I hear my cautious ways of life tossed out the window, sucked up to heaven, and my notion of predictability, ascended to heaven. Whoosh into clouds.
This means trusting in the words of the Gospel and trusting that God is among us, always.
This means depending on God first, not last.
This means believing God gives God’s people the power to act in God’s name. Yikes.
Some days are definitely better than others however, in this slow time I can see more clearly my needs for control and predictability and all the while realizing I have less ways to engage them. This is a frustrating thing, and much like the Ascension, nonetheless a
very good thing.
We know the disciples stayed in Jerusalem waiting for what to do next. They were not yet empowered to carry forth the good news to the end of the world. That was yet to come. I hope they prayed together. I believe they shared their fear and hope. Waiting together.
Our Christian life is equal parts waiting and action, that means for us as Christians equal parts waiting and action. The waiting prepares us.
For what you ask? Well that’s why we wait! To discern and to better know. Even if apart we are together in the love of God for God’s people, all God’s people.
I am encouraged by your faithfulness. Continue to do the good work of encouraging one another. It’s crucial. Believe that.
We have an extra chance to worship together this week on the Feast of the Ascension of our Lord. Thursday May 21 @ 6 pm
Join us on Zoom
Webinar ID: 940 9582 4719
Or Telephone:
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
+1 253 215 8782 US
+1 301 715 8592 US
