Sunday, May 29, 2022

SOLEMNITY OF THE ASCENSION OF THE LORD, May 29, 2022

(Acts 1,1-11; Ephesians 1,17-23; Luke 24:46-53)

The Solemnity of the Ascension was always celebrated on the Thursday of the sixth week of Easter. But in the 1960s Rome allowed for a change of day. Instead of Thursday, it could be held the following Sunday. Of course, the pope knew that St. Luke specifies the fortieth day. But he was probably thinking of the workers who couldn't make it to Mass during the week. He wanted them to participate in this great feast.

Along with the Resurrection and Pentecost, the Ascension reveals God's plan for human salvation. It recognizes how the Risen One has ascended to the highest place in heaven as the second reading says. There with his glorified body he has established a physical place as our ultimate destination. There, too, Christ asks the Father to send the Spirit to enable us to reach our goal. Fortified with the Spirit we can bear witness to Jesus in this often hostile world. Both the reading from the Acts of the Apostles and the gospel attest to this mission.

In the first reading the disciples continue to gaze upwards after Jesus’ ascension. The scene represents one of at least four ways to live the Christian life. In this way we continue looking at the sky, that is, doing nothing more than waiting for the return of the Lord. We don't care about mission he left us. We are happy to join in the mass on Sunday and in the gossip on Monday. As if we were wearing raincoats to protect our spirit, we do not allow the gospel to penetrate our daily lives.

Another way to live faith is to do the opposite. Instead of being idle, we are overly ambitious. We want to see quick changes. We may focus on remodeling the church sanctuary. Or maybe we want to start a food bank for the poor. It all sounds good, but if we don't orient ourselves with prayer, our efforts may be in vain. Prayer not only asks for the Lord's help but also discerns his will. For this reason the disciples in the reading do not go out preaching immediately. No, they pray first so that they receive the Holy Spirit.

The third way to live the faith is not anticipated in the readings. However, it is prominent in today's world. For those who follow this way the disciples do not look at Jesus ascending to heaven. To them the Ascension has become just a myth to explain the whereabouts of the body of Jesus. They also do not believe in the resurrection from the dead and in the Holy Spirit. There are many today who call themselves "Catholic" but do not accept the tenets of the faith. They claim religion as a storeroom of customs to mark the stages of life.  They come to church to celebrate one’s birth, childhood, coming of age, marriage and death.

Saint Luke wants the fourth way for Theophilus, and the angels recommend it for the disciples. Hopefully, it is also what drives us forward! In this way to live Christian life we prepare ourselves with prayer for the mission of proclaiming the gospel. We also retreat to determine what the needs are and what we can do. Then we out our plan in action. Recently the Knights of Columbus have given a striking example. With the invasion of the Ukraine, the knights joined with the rest of the world to pray for peace with justice. They then collected resources to establish “Mercy Centers” on the Polish-Ukrainian border. There they have welcomed the refugees from the war. They provide them not only shelter from hostility but also food and clothing to survive.

We have described four ways to live the Christian life. There are others as there are many roads in a city. But all do not take us to the same place. We want to take those who place us next to Jesus. In one way or another these paths pass through prayer and mission. If our ultimate destination is where Jesus is, our path is prayer and mission.