Sunday, May 17, 2015

A Word from Your Pastor - May 17 Ascension

Dear Parishioners:

The Ascension of Jesus, which we celebrate today (formerly celebrated on Ascension Thursday), is a great Mystery of the Lord.  It tells us something about God’s plans for our human nature.  Not only does death lose its power through the Resurrection, but, by the action of the Holy Spirit, the Risen Humanity that is given to us through Jesus is taken into the very Heart of Reality, the Life of the Holy Trinity.  Forever, by God’s sheer gift, we are to have a “place” in God in the fullness of Life.  It is beyond our understanding.  That is the nature of a Mystery.

While it might seem that this deep truth could move us to keep our “heads in the clouds,” on the contrary, it invites us to become more deeply involved in the things of earth, because it reveals them to have infinite value.  Through the Ascension, the Spirit took the “stuff” of this world into God.  The transformation of mortality into immortality, earthly flesh into Heavenly glory, is what the Ascension accomplishes.  We are invited to participate in the very transformation of the cosmos by our commitment to follow the path Jesus Christ mapped out for us:  “Men of Galilee, why gaze in wonder at the heavens? This Jesus whom you saw ascending into heaven will return as you saw him go.”  (Acts 1:11)  Our earthly journey is destined to lead to glory for us and for the world.


Next weekend, Pentecost Sunday, we come to the conclusion of the Easter Season.  The 50 Days of Easter serve to deepen our awareness of the power of the Holy Spirit.  As we prepare for Pentecost, we join the whole Church in prayer: “Come, Holy Spirit.”  May our hearts be open to discover what God wants to accomplish among us as we continue the earthly portion of our journey.  The Spirit reveals that God has amazing things in store for us.  What do you see unfolding around us?  How are you responding to the Spirit’s call in your heart?

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