Ascension of the Lord unfolds the nature of Christ’s mission: the visible mission of
Christ ended and the invisible mission of the Spirit now begins in and through the
church. We are in a stage of awaiting Christ’s return, a time for each one to discover
oneself, life’s destiny and the meaning of creation in relation to Christ. In the Holy Spirit
Christians are given a power to confront uncertainties of life, hope when in the dark,
reminding ourselves the words of Jesus in his ascension: ‘I am with you always, to the
end of time’, follow my way and teach the world the way of love and service, be a living
gospel and you are never alone in the world to carry the cross!
Ascension of Christ reveals the spiritual dimension of life. We too will come to a point
of departure, a going away to be with God, encountering death as commending
oneself to the Father who is awaiting us! Going away is painful but important stages in
life…young people go way from home to college or to find jobs; parents feel the pain
but it is flourishing of life for young people who leave home; they will create something
new. Departure from this life is a flourishing, fulfilling a mission in this life and
continuing to be active in the lives of loved ones from a spiritual existence. In death
one is freed from chaos of material existence and attains a freedom to love
continuously.
Ascension of Christ means, we are called to see Christ in others because we have
become the good news for the world. Walk with Christ, bring his love to places
darkened by selfishness and hatred; heal the brokenness of human hearts; inspire lives
by your generosity and kindness! There was a monk and the great dream of his life was
to go and bow down at the Holy Sepulcher [tomb where Jesus was buried] in
Jerusalem. For many years he collected alms for the expenses of his journey and he
was already very old. He collected 30 pounds, just what needed for the journey. Hardly
had he got out of the monastery he saw a man in rags, pale, sad, bent towards the
ground, picking herbs. Seeing the monk, he asked, where are you going father? To the
holy Sepulcher of the Lord, my brother, to bow down before the holy place, the monk
said. How much money you got, the poor man asked and continued: I have a wife and
children and they are hungry. Give the money to me, you can bow down before me and
then go back to your monastery. The monk gave the poor man his money [his life’s
dream just vanished], fell on his knees and bowed before him and went back to his
monastery. That night in a dream he recognized the poor man, it was Christ! To see
Christ in others is to offer everyone the best in you!
Theologian Herbert McCabe: ‘the whole of our faith is the belief that God loves us [birth
of Jesus, his death and resurrection, ascension, pentecost etc.]; I mean there isn’t
anything else. Anything else we say we believe is just a way of saying that God loves
us. Any proposition of faith is only an expression of or a way of saying that God loves
us’. God is inviting, embracing and empowering love. This love is our mandate to live
and this love is the power in us to transform the world till the end of times!