RBWords

     Every good story has to have an ending, but the gospels are somewhat vague or silent about how Jesus left the disciples after his post-resurrection appearances.  The Gospel of Matthew records the last meeting in Galilee but says nothing about the "ascension."  the Gospel of Mark (in today's gospel scripture) says that "the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them, was taken up into heaven and took his seat at the right hand of God."  The evangelist Luke gives us two accounts - one in his gospel and one in the Acts of the Apostles (quoted above from the first scripture for today).  The Gospel of John says nothing about it. The English trasnslation uses the term "taken up" to describe what happened.  This, of course, reflects the understanding of the physical world of the time, and to some extent our own orientation in space.  Heaven is UP somewhere and hell is DOWN somewhere!

     What the celebration of "the Ascension of the Lord" does is to mark the end of Jesus' ministry on earth and the beginning of the process by which the disciples overcame their initial fears through the coming of the Holy Spirit and began to preach about the resurrection of the Lord.  Human imagination may supply the way in which Jesus was "taken up," but the angels in the account in Acts (quoted above) tell the disciples to stop gawking at the sky and get to work.  I think that's good advice.  The celebration of the Ascension of the Lord is a good way to begin preparing for Pentecost.  The celestial mechanics can remain a mystery.  AMEN