Fr. Chris - The Ascension - Homily

"The Ascension Of Humanity "
The story of Christ’s ‘Ascension’ into heaven is one of the most remarkable and superlative narratives in the New Testament Gospels. It is the glorious, dramatic climax of Christ’s life and ministry on earth, though clearly not its conclusion.
 
Mark tells us Jesus commissioned the apostles to proclaim his gospel to all creation. Then he “was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.”
 
Luke gives us another perspective, telling us that while Jesus was blessing his disciples, “he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven.”   
 
However, Matthew’s gospel only tells us the eleven apostles went to the mountain in Galilee which Christ had directed them to. Meeting him there, Jesus commissions them to spread his good news, and then the gospel ends with no mention of Christ ascending. But perhaps it is understood, since Jesus mysteriously appears and leaves in Matthew’s and Luke’s gospels several times after his resurrection.
 
Meanwhile, John’s gospel has no mention of the Ascension, but rather closes with Christ’s last appearance to and final dialogue with Peter before John’s final words.
 
So, we might ask, did Christ truly lift up into the air, disappear in a cloud and then take his place on a throne next to God’s right hand?
 
Theologians, scholars, and bible historians will tell us it should be helpful to know that what we are reading is essentially symbolic, a means by which people of Christ’s time explained the mystery of Jesus’ coming and going in spirit. For e.g., heaven throughout the bible is often associated with a place above the clouds, so it makes sense writers of the time would use this imagery to explain what happened. Also, Jesus sitting at God’s right hand is more a figure of speech to explain his new role as Priest, Prophet and King, reminiscent of rulers of Roman times. There is even archival evidence that the Ascension story seems to have been added at the end of Mark’s gospel many years after the original manuscript appeared, perhaps a kind of compilation of the references from Matthew and Luke as a means of unifying the three synoptic gospels for catechizing of new Christians.    
 
But the bottom-line is whatever and however Christ returned to God, his Father, is a tremendous, unfathomable mystery, far beyond the comprehension of his apostles and followers, and, frankly, far beyond our understanding as well.
 
What is important is not to be distracted by this mysterious event from what truly matters: that the Ascension is really about the ascension of us, a raising up of our profile as Christ’s ambassadors of his message of love, the great, final commission.  
 
This is what the gospel writers wanted us to pay attention to, to respond to: Christ’s call to preach his gospel. This is probably why the mysterious event of Christ’s ascension was not as important to the writers of Matthew and John, because it was the call to evangelization which is what our role as Christians is all about. In effect, the four gospels have not even been finished. They now wait for the final chapter to be written when Christ returns to bless all of his worthy disciples.
 
As Christians, we might ask ourselves: what does this commissioning look like?
 
In his journals, Fr. Henri Nouwen records his attendance at a celebration of Christ’s Ascension at Jean Vanier’s ‘L’Arche’ community in Trosly, France. Because the Ascension is a public holiday, hundreds of people came to play and pray, make purchases of religious items, and to hear director’s speeches. But the theme was not about the mysterious Ascension, but about how we can respond to Christ’s call.
 
They focused on six critical, fundamental habits we would be wise to adopt:
1) Show charitable respect for every unique, individual human being.
2) Create spaces where people can grow and mature together in peace and love.
3) Always encourage and remain in positive, constructive dialogue with each other.
4) Keep involved in adapting and harmonizing mutual expectations.
5) Enjoy the differences between us.
6) Always focus attention on those who are suffering most, physically and mentally.  
 
Next Sunday we celebrate Pentecost, when Christ sent the Holy Spirit to prepare us and empower us for our role in evangelization. Next week we will look closer at how these gifts of the Holy Spirit can be used in our work as Christians.
                    
– Rev Fr Christopher Tracey, Saint Joseph Parish, Saugeen Shores, Ontario