While Ascension Day is a Day of Holy Obligation, it is one of the most neglected feast days of the Christian church. This is sad enough in itself, but in ignoring this festival, the opportunity is lost for reflecting on what the Ascension means.  Maybe we tend to ignore Ascension Day because it falls on a weekday.  Is this the reason it doesn’t get the attention it deserves? This is a pity because it is full of significance in the historical life of Jesus when on Earth – and his continuing ministry for us in heaven. As a weekday event it reminds us that Christianity isn’t just something for Sunday – it’s an experience for every day.  As Christians, we are to celebrate Our Lord every day, every second of our being.  If we gloss over its truth we rob ourselves of a most important doctrine, for without the Ascension, the work of Christ would be incomplete.  Because we do not place as much emphasis on the Ascension, we miss its tremendous truth.

St. Augustine, the great fifth century theologian, called the Ascension the most important Christian festival of the year, more important than Christmas, more important than Pentecost, even more important than Easter. For the Ascension reminds us just how high Jesus was raised, and what that means:

‘This is that festival which confirms the grace of all the festivals together, without which the profitableness of every festival would have perished. For unless the Saviour had ascended into heaven, his Nativity would have come to nothing…and his Passion would have borne no fruit for us, and his most holy Resurrection would have been useless.’

What Saint Augustine says here resonates with the passage in Ephesians 4:10, where Saint Paul says that ‘He who descended is he who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things’ – i.e.; that by ascending into Heaven, and taking our human nature up with Him into the heavenly places, He completed the process of redemption by reclaiming His place as rightful sovereign of the universe, so that He might be present to us in a different way. If He had not so returned, the process would not have been completed, and as Jesus said in John 16:7, ‘it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you’.

The gospel writer Luke is renowned as a careful historian. When he recorded the birth of Jesus he rooted the event in its historical setting within the Roman Empire. He continues that same preciseness at the end of our Lord’s earthly ministry by recalling the place of the Ascension – at Bethany. He dates the event – 40 days after the resurrection on Easter Day. He emphases the presence of eyewitnesses – the Ascension took place he writes “before their very eyes” (Acts 1:9). Yes, the Ascension was a real event of history.

Some people are puzzled as to why Jesus waited around on Earth 40 days after his resurrection, but that period is no accident, and Jesus had things to do.  Jesus had endured the Devil’s temptation for 40 days in the wilderness at the beginning of his public ministry, but now the tables were turned. In the period after Jesus’ resurrection, He triumphantly paraded his victory over the Satan. During this time, the conqueror of death displayed his supremacy before his faithful followers so that they might share in the joy of his victory. But there was another reason. Those 40 days of his appearing after the resurrection were of immense value to the believers for they established the reality of his lordship. A single sighting of the risen Christ may have been open to question, but his continuous encounters with the disciples would remove the doubts of the most skeptical among them and assure them of his power and authority.

The resurrection of Jesus marked the ending of a chapter in his earthly life. Things could never be the same again and it was essential that there should be a clear-cut event to bring the chapter to a close. It’s true that Jesus was making a series of appearances to his followers, but they couldn’t go on forever.  It would have been odd if Jesus’ post-resurrection appearances had grown fewer until finally they just stopped – that would only cause confusion and even loss of faith. No, there had to be a single, miraculous occurrence, separating the time when the Jesus of Earth would become the Christ of heaven. The Ascension was the only fitting conclusion to the life of Jesus on Earth.

Luke tells us of the disciples with their eyes straining to catch the last glimpse of the cloud bearing up their Lord. But then they were quickly brought back to earth. It would seem that with their eyes heavenward they didn’t notice the two heavenly beings that slipped quietly alongside them until they spoke: “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking unto heaven?,” as if to remind the disciples of the work that they had been given to do.  The angels, for angels they were, had to tell the disciples to get to business.

And so it is with us.  Ascension Day reminds us of the Mystery of Faith: “Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.”  Christ will come again.  And as we await the “coming again” of Christ, we, like the disciples, have a job to do, business to attend to.  Although we live in the time between Jesus’ Ascension and his coming again, we have something to do now.   In Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus says, “Go to the people of all nations and make them my disciples. Baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,  and teach them to do everything I have told you. I will be with you always, even until the end of the world.”

Where do we start?   Jesus has the answer for that, too.  In John 13 Jesus says to us, “ But I am giving you a new command. You must love each other, just as I have loved you.  If you love each other, everyone will know that you are my disciples.”  We are to continue to change the world in the work that Jesus has given us to do by helping others to see Jesus through and in us, by showing that love that he demonstrated, by bringing that love to everyone.

Jesus told us to love everyone.  Love.  Everyone.  Period.   Not just those whose politics are the same as ours.  Not only those whose religion is the same as ours, not only those whose lifestyles are the same as ours.

Love.  Everyone.  Period.

We would all of us do well to pray:

“Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy.

Love.  Everyone.  Period.

Come Lord Jesus.

Amen.

We all know the twenty-third Psalm, the Psalm of David. I imagine most of us can recite it almost word for word. But, have you ever thought about what it really means, what it is really saying? It seems with our fast paced, frantic world, people are feeling increasingly stressed, depressed, or lost. And while there are drugs, and therapy to help us deal with any issues we may face, there is also a very powerful tool, a special gift that our heavenly Father has given us – Psalm 23. Let’s take it line by line, and explore how just by reciting, and praying, on each part, it will provide us with a way to cope with the stresses of this world.

Psalm 23 (KJV)

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.”

What is the purpose of a shepherd? To guide his flock of sheep, to gather any little ones who wander astray. He also must make sure they are well fed, and cared for, to insure they live a long life, so their purpose is assured (the gift of their wool). Isn’t this exactly what God does? He provides us with all of our needs, even if we don’t realize at times what exactly we need. Even if we ask Him for nothing, He still provides. We can be assured that will shall never want. He is our Shepherd!

“He maketh me to lie down in green pastures”

I tend to go throughout my day as if it’s a race. I have a mental to-do list in my head, and on top of that I also care for my ailing husband, babysit my granddaughter once a week, and most days run errands, such as go to the store. So you can imagine, I get pretty tired and worn down. Though my best friend cautions me to rest, I don’t always listen. But just as a shepherd knows that his flock must rest at times, so too does our heavenly Father. I’ve noticed that sometimes it takes a major illness, or injury, to get us to stop, to get that much needed rest. And there should be no shame in slowing down at times, and allowing our body, and mind, to recuperate.

“he leadeth me beside the still waters.”

If you know anything about sheep, they are timid creatures. And just like all God’s creatures, they get thirsty. But, they are afraid of fast moving streams. So the shepherd will lead them to a calm pool of water. He doesn’t make fun of the sheep for being afraid, he doesn’t push them in to a place where they are not comfortable. Our Shepherd does the same for us. If we are afraid, He makes a way to calm our fears. He leads us in to the calm pool, and away from the rapids of life.

“He restoreth my soul”

I had a chaotic childhood. My parents divorced when I was little, my mother committed suicide, and now I care for my ailing husband. It has taken me many years to learn to trust people, and to trust myself. When a shepherd takes his flock out for the day, when they pause to rest, I imagine the sheep wander close to the shepherd, maybe for a snack, but I also believe for just a simple ear scratch, or to be petted. This makes the sheep feel loved and cherished, it makes them happy. We cannot be happy all the time, because life has a way of knocking us down. Our soul can feel crushed in the midst of all life’s troubles. But just like the sheep who come to the shepherd for love and care, so too can we go to our Father. He will help restore what has been broken in us.

“he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.”

Imagine a flock of sheep, on a farm, beside a busy street. What would happen if there were no shepherd? Sheep tend to wander off, if left on their own. Well aren’t we the same? How many times have you made a decision, that on looking back, you realized that was not the best decision at the time. But we have a Shepherd, just like the sheep, who will lead us down the right path.

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me”

This one line provides so much comfort, if you will only hear the message. Talking to many people who suffer from depression, or other mental illness, they almost always describe their illness as a black hole, a dark place. And don’t we always fear the dark, the night, at times? I imagine sheep are the same way. But think of the shepherd’s light, which guide the sheep at night, as God’s love and protection, leading us out of the darkness. When you feel darkness, gloom, the bad stuff, all around you, recite this simple prayer. And know, you are never alone in that darkness, because He is always near.

“thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.”

I love the pictures of baby sheep (lambs)! They are so cute, but also so helpless. When we see pictures of shepherds, usually they carry a staff. Have you ever wonder why it is curved at the top? When the sheep, or lamb, has wondered off, possibly fallen down a hill, the curved end of a shepherd’s staff allows him to grasp the lamb who is out of arm’s reach. And bring it to safety. Our Father carries a rod and staff, so to speak. The rod is to protect us against harm, the staff is used to rescue us when we stray.

“Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies”

How does the shepherd know where the best grasses are, to graze for his flock? What would happen if he wasn’t as vigilant, and they became poisoned by something? We are not always as careful as we should be, in where we go, what we eat, who we meet, etc. As parents, we always, always try to guard our children from the dangers of life. This isn’t always easy. But, because we have a constant Shepherd who goes before us, preparing a way which is safe from our enemies, we, and our children, can continue to come to no harm.

“thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.”

At the end of the day, I imagine as the shepherd brought his herd inside the barn, he checked each one for any cuts or scrapes. My granddaughter will be the first to tell you if she has a boo-boo. She then demands I kiss it first, as if that had some magical healing properties. Then the offending cut is anointed with medicine, and bandaged. Just as I imagine the shepherd does for any hurt ones in his flock. Like the sheep, and my granddaughter, we all need medicine when we are sick. But we also need the anointing grace of our loving God. Only then are we healed, and our cup of blessings will overflow.

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life”

I’m a worry-wart! I can take a mole hill, and make it a huge mountain. Does what I picture in my mind, actually happen? Most days the answer is NO. But it doesn’t stop me from worrying. We all carry pictures in our head of what we think may happen. For some reason, we always picture the worst. But in this humble verse, we are reminded that God’s goodness and mercy is always with us. It does not leave ya all, so when you feel yourself picturing the worst that could happen, remember you are promised His love and mercy, for “all the days of your life”.

“and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.”

I love this simple declaration by David. He doesn’t say maybe I will, or I hope I will. He declares, “I will!” He gets it, he knows who his shepherd is. Just as the sheep put their absolute trust in the shepherd, so does David put his trust in the Lord. As we should do also, because like sheep in the field, we would be lost without our Shepherd.

Psalm 23:

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.”

 

 

 

 

After the resurrection Jesus appears to his disciples, but Thomas was not there. When he does join his fellow disciples, they tell him that they have seen Jesus, yet Thomas has reservations about what they have told him. “Unless I see the nail holes and put my hands into his wounds I will not believe.” Jesus did not reappear to the disciples for another week; this time Thomas is with them. The week between Jesus’ appearances brands Thomas as a doubter and a skeptic. This wasn’t altogether fair to Thomas since Peter and John did not believe Jesus had been resurrected, and had to see the empty tomb for themselves. Perhaps Thomas just wanted to see if Jesus was true to his word, or maybe he wanted to prove his friends wrong. So he waited in the darkness of his own disbelief.

Maybe we have Thomas all wrong, maybe we should label him as Thomas the Bold, or Thomas the Brave, because earlier in John’s gospel Thomas is the only one to speak up and agree that Jesus should return to Bethany to mourn the death of his friend Lazarus. The other disciples were afraid that doing so would result in the death of them all. Thomas stands with Jesus and says: “Let us go with him so that we may die with him.” Are these the words of a doubter? These are the words of a believer and follower of Christ. Whenever Jesus speaks of his coming death,  his disciples try to talk him out of it, and one time Jesus rebukes Peter and calls him “not the rock upon whom the church was built, but his adversary. “Get behind me Satan” Jesus says to Peter. In any event. Thomas’ willingness to die for Jesus casts his doubts in a different light.

So Thomas chose to sit in a room full of believers with a head full of doubt. Maybe we should be just a little bit more like Thomas from time to time. Perhaps if we just believed in what the Lord wants us to believe, teach what the Lord wants us to teach, and go where the Lord wants us to go as Thomas did, our faith would grow stronger. Jesus was not upset that Thomas had doubts about the resurrection, Jesus simply allowed Thomas to do what was necessary to prove to Thomas that he was the Christ and that he had come back from the dead. Jesus did not love Thomas less because he had doubts, Jesus simply took away those doubts that were filling Thomas’ head. Jesus will not condemn you for having doubts either. Just open your hearts and allow Jesus to take away those doubts and fears, He will if you just give him the chance to just like Thomas did.

Most merciful Lord, take away our doubts as you did Thomas’ doubts, guide us and lead us with our sins forgiven so that we may stand with you as Thomas did. Keep us under your loving grace, and show us the path you want us to follow. We believe in you, we love you, and we praise you for your mercy and patience with us. In Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen.

 

When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who was also a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus; then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. So Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn in the rock. He then rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb and went away. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb. The next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate and said, “Sir, we remember what that impostor said while he was still alive, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ Therefore command the tomb to be made secure until the third day; otherwise his disciples may go and steal him away, and tell the people, ‘He has been raised from the dead,’ and the last deception would be worse than the first.” Pilate said to them, “You have a guard of soldiers; go, make it as secure as you can.” So they went with the guard and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone. (Matthew 27:  57-66_

I went back to the cemetery the day after Daddy was buried and just sat on the ground beside his grave, trying to absorb the enormity of what had happened.  He was gone.  This man who had been so strong, so faith filled, so always there to make things better, whose piercing blue eyes communicated for than his voice ever did.  He was gone.  The man who held the reins in our family, our rock, our hero.  Could this have really happened?  How could this man die?  We thought he was invincible.  What now?

How much more so did the Disciples feel, those men and women whose lives had been totally centered around Jesus?  How could this have happened?  In spite of raising the dead, in spite of healing lepers and changing water into wine and feeding thousands of people with a couple of fish, in spite of the belief that he was the Messiah, that he was believed to be the son of God, that he was supposed to be invincible, he was gone…

Emptiness.

Confusion.

Fear.

Emptiness.

And this is where we are today.  All of us have experienced “Holy Saturdays” in our lives.

Holy Saturday is the in between time. The tragedy of the crucifixion is past but the glories of the resurrection are not yet here. We are neither here nor there. We are stuck in the middle. What was is no more and what will be is not yet clear or known. It feels as if there is nowhere to go and nothing to do.

Holy Saturday comes to us in many ways but it always seems to involve death; the death of Jesus, the death of a loved one, the death of a relationship, the death of hopes and dreams. In the church calendar Holy Saturday is only one dreaded day a year. Not so in life. Those of you us who have suffered the death of a loved one know that you do not move from Good Friday to Easter Sunday in just one day. Holy Saturday can last months, years, even a lifetime. Holy Saturday calls us to the tomb. Where else is there to go?

That’s where Mary Magdalene and the other Mary are today. Joseph of Arimathea took Jesus’ body wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, laid it in the tomb, rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb, and went away. He left. Some will do that in the Holy Saturday of life. They will close up the tomb and walk away as if there is nothing there, no possibilities for anything new. The two women, however, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary, are sitting opposite the tomb. They are silent. There is not much to say on Holy Saturday. What can be said? There are no answers.

Emptiness.

Confusion.

Fear.

Emptiness.

Holy Saturday is a day of silence and stillness, waiting and wondering, remembering and hoping. Perhaps that is what faithfulness looks like on Holy Saturday. There is not much to do except be present to what is, to sit beside the tomb.

“Media vita in morte sumus ; quem quaerimus adjutorem, nisi te Domine, qui pro peccatis nostris juste irasceris? Sancte Deus, sancte fortis, sancte et misericors Salvator, amarae morti ne tradas nos.”

“In the midst of life we are in death: of whom may we seek for succour, but of thee, O Lord, who for our sins art justly displeased? Yet, O Lord God most holy, O Lord most mighty, O holy and most merciful Saviour, deliver us not into the bitter pains of eternal death.”

Holy Saturday is a difficult day. We so much want joy to replace sorrow. That’s not what Jesus does. Instead, sorrow is transformed into joy, the tomb becomes a womb, and death gives birth to new life. Christ’s triumph is not apart from death but within death. Christ is trampling down death by death and giving life to those in the tombs.

The two women of Holy Saturday will become the first people Jesus greets on Easter Sunday. So trust the silence and the waiting. Be still. Remember, wonder, hope. Pray. It is Holy Saturday and your Lord who loves you is at work.