Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord

"Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" Or perhaps the disciples said it like this: "Jesus, now are you going to make Israel great again?" And perhaps they stood there "looking at the sky" because they were disappointed in our Brother's answer. Yes, we have always longed for the sort of savior who pledges to "restore the kingdom" according to our image. But will such a person, be they man or woman, left, right, or socialist, ever provide us with what we truly need? If the Ascension teaches us anything, it is that we have a very bad habit of looking in all the wrong places.

Acts 1:1-11; Psalms 47:2-9; Hebrews 9:24-10:23; Luke 24:46-53

Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord

Acts 1:1-11; Psalms 47:2-9; Ephesians 1:17-23; Matthew 28:16-20

"And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age." God with us. Always. Not on a throne in some cloud realm, but sitting beside us wherever we happen to be. Not swooping down from above to make everything better, but whispering reminders in our ears of the bountiful grace set before us. Not locked behind mighty fortress walls where only the pure may enter, but wandering the dirty and broken highways of our hearts begging us to accept their love. Yes, God with us. Always.

Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord

Acts 1:1-11; Luke 24:46-53

"Why are you standing there looking at the sky?" Are you trying to figure this one out, as if God just handed you a puzzle to solve? Or are you gazing in awe and wonder, now that life has been revealed to be far more glorious than you ever imagined? Are we so intent on turning mystery into something logical and reasonable, that we fail to enjoy the sheer beauty of the irrational?

Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord

Acts 1:1-11; Ephesians 1:17-23; Mark 16:15-20

It is all about power today. On the face of it, proof of Jesus' power. Only a true king could be seated "at the right hand of God." But more importantly, these words serve to justify the power claims of churches, clerics, and believers alike. They are simply using the authority given them by the Lord of All, so that the wrong people cannot crash the party. And as the right people exercise their divine authority and utilize their holy power, they oh so conveniently forget that other little command our Brother gave us: "Love one another." Who needs love when you can have power instead?