Today is the feast of the Ascension and we celebrate Jesusascending into heaven.
On this day, nearly 2000 years ago, the historical Jesus,the resurrected Jesus, leaves this earth.
We just read that Jesus was with his apostles when he ascended.
Imagine what it must have been like to be there.
Imagine what must have gone through their minds when they witnessed this event.
We know that some of the apostles had their doubts when they arrive at the mountain.
We just read in Matthew’s Gospel:
When they saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted.
They had their doubts before they even arrived.
One would think that watching Jesus being lifted up would erase those doubts.
Soon after, though, they probably had the following feelings and emotions.
They must have been sad knowing that Jesus was gone and they probably weren’t going to see him again.
They must have gone into mourning, as we all do at the loss of a loved one.
Perhaps they were angry.
Perhaps they felt that Jesus had abandoned them and left them to fend for themselves in the world.
And now they were all alone.
These are certainly understandable feelings and emotions that they must have experienced.
But we know the ‘rest of the story’.
We know that on Pentecost Sunday, the apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit.
Those fears and feelings of anger and abandonmentcertainly went away.
We know that the Church grew and that Jesus became present in the sacramental life of the Church.
We know that Jesus is with us always and that he never abandoned us.
So why do we celebrate the Ascension?
The answer lies in the following words from today'sPreface that Father Joe will pray in a few short minutes:
"Christ... ascended not to distance himself from our lowly state, but that we his members might be confident of following where he, our Head and Founder, has gone before”.
If Jesus had not ascended into heaven we would have nohope or confidence in heaven for ourselves.
The ascension itself gives us that confidence in the reality of heaven for each of us.
My friends, how wonderful is that?
I’d like to share a story that I recently read that seems fitting for this beautiful feast.
Years ago, a Catholic missionary was preaching in the open square of a village in North India.
As he finished, a Muslim gentleman approached him and said:
"You must admit we have one thing you do not have, and it is better than anything you have."
The missionary smiled and said, "I would be pleased to hear what it is."
The Muslim went on, "You know, that when we go toMecca we find at least a coffin. But when you Christians go to Jerusalem, your Mecca, you find nothing but anempty tomb."
The Missionary replied, "Ah ha! But that's just it, and it makes all the difference. Mohammad, the founder of Islam, is dead, and he is in his coffin. But our Leader hasrisen from the dead and has returned to heaven."
As followers of Christ, we don't just believe in aphilosophy we believe in a person, a Savior.
Each Sunday when we recite our creed we say:
I believe in Jesus Christ who suffered, died, rose from the dead and ascended into heaven.
In doing so, Jesus took our own human nature with himinto heaven.
And that my friends, is what gives us the confidence that following Jesus will lead us to heaven.
This past week, Pope Francis went on a historicalpilgrimage to the Holy Land.
To see the ground that Jesus himself walked on.
I have never had the good fortune to go to Israel.
I read about an ancient tradition that has preserved amonument on the Mount of Olives.
On the monument it is written that Jesus left his footprintsin the rocks as he ascended into heaven.
That's the point.
Jesus has gone into heaven, not to abandon us, but to be our hope and to give us confidence.
Jesus has led the way for each and every human being.
Jesus has left us the trail of his footprints so that we can follow him to the joys of eternal life.
In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians we just read:
“May the eyes of your hearts be enlightened,
that you may know what is the hope that belongs to his call,
what are the riches of glory
in his inheritance among the holy ones…”
When we come forward to receive our Lord in Holy Communion, let’s pray that God will enlighten the eyes of our hearts so that we can better understand the feast of the Ascension and God’s plan for us.
May we remember that God himself wants us to spend eternity with him.
May we follow Jesus footsteps as we journey towards His heavenly kingdom.
God bless!
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