Word to the Wise
Sunday, May 16, 2010 - The Ascension of the Lord
[Acts 1:1-11; Ephesians 1:17-23 or Hebrews 9:24-28, 10:19-23; Luke 24:46-53]Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking at the sky? This Jesus who has been take up from you into heaven will return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven.
The brave men and women who make those trips to the space station or the moon know as part of their training that "up" and "down" etc. becomes quite meaningless in a gravity-free environment! We have seen examples of this in the film clips that come from the space station. (Perhaps we remember "2001 - A Space Odyssey"?) We also know the terrible feeling that can be a part of an illness or condition that makes us dizzy and we lose our "orientation". In short, on planet Earth, we live in an "up and down" and "above and below" and North-East-South-West world! This is why the scripture and our imagination make the Lord's definitive departure from the Earth seem like getting on an elevator that disappears into the sky! The Gospels make it clear that Jesus knew he would part company with the disciples so that his continued presence would begin with the "descent" of the Holy Spirit. The first and gospel scriptures for this day are by the same author and we read simply parallel versions of Jesus' last instructions to the disciples. The method of departure is suited to the natural human orientation that thinks of heaven as "up there!" The question of the angels remains relevant. We don't need to concern ourselves with the mechanics of the Lord's Ascension by staring up into the sky. We need to make ourselves open to his Holy Spirit so that we can boldly proclaim the gospel message. That is what the feast of the Ascension is about! AMEN
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