RBWords

     Every playwright or author is faced with the question of beginnings and endings.  How are characters introduced and how to they move in and out of the story.  This is true even when one is writing history!  The gospels are not history in the modern sense of the word.  They are a form of preaching/story-story telling that combines features from history and drama.  This takes nothing from the truth that they are trying to communicate to us. As a matter of faith, we believe that the gospels are inspired by the Holy Spirit!

 

     Bearing this in mind, the Acts of the Apostles, which is really Volume Two of Luke's gospel, provides us with one version of how Jesus ended his time on earth after his resurrection. Luke also gives us an abridged version of the same story at the end of Volume One [The Gospel of Luke.] We call this incident the "ascension of the Lord."  The evangelist Matthew ends his gospel in the way we see quoted above.  The Gospel of Mark [16:19-20] provides an ending similar to the one in the Gospel of Luke.  As far as I can determine, the Gospel of John does not concern itself with this question.  [My good Jesuit scripture consultant may correct me here!]

 

     Perhaps we need to pay more attention to what comes next than to how the gospel preaching can move Jesus off the stage so the Holy Spirit can come.  That is the "what next!"  is about!  In Luke's story, the disciples will return to Jerusalem and hide away in fear till the Holy Spirit comes!  Then the gospel spreads from there to the world.  We have a part in this story because by virtue of our baptism, we come on stage and tell the story again and again all over the world.  It may be inspiring to stand staring up in the heavens, but I hope we will pay attention to the angels who ask us why, and get moving!   AMEN