A Message from our Rector for the Seventh Sunday of Easter

The Sunday after the Ascension

May 20, 2012

Acts 1:15-17, 21-26     Psalm 1      I John 5:9-13      John 17;6-19

 Forty Days after the Resurrection, Jesus Ascended into Heaven. This we celebrated on May 17. I would like to reflect here on that event, rather than on the specific lessons for this coming Sunday. It is important to look at the Ascension from the perspective of both Heaven and Earth.

From the Heavenly perspective, this is Jesus entering Heaven. He has existed with God for all time, but some years earlier was born of the Virgin Mary to take on flesh and dwell among us. He has, on the Cross, atoned for our sins. (The word atoned comes from at and one—to say that while sin had separated us from God, Jesus, dealing with sin on the cross, has made it possible to be at one with God!). For forty days Jesus appeared to various disciples and others, risen from the dead. He rose in the same body into which He had been incarnate: born. He ate and drank in their midst; they saw and touched Him. At the Ascension, it is in the body that He ascends, to be seated at the right hand of God. Salvation is now complete. Jesus, fully divine as the Son of God, but equally fully human as Jesus of Nazareth, born of Mary, is in Heaven. Humanity, in Jesus, is now in the full and complete presence of God. In the book of Hebrews, Jesus is called the pioneer of our faith—that means the trail blazer who creates the path for others to follow. The path is complete, the road to heaven is in place. We can now follow.

From the Earthly perspective, it means that Jesus is no longer with us, at least in the flesh. He is very much with us in Spirit. We, His people, the community of faith, the Church, are now the physical presence of God in the world. God is in us and we are hear. It is with our eyes and ears that the needs of the people are heard and seen. It is with our hands that God reaches out to help and comfort. It is with our voices that God's word is audibly proclaimed. We have a great responsibility and a great privilege to be the incarnate (the “in the flesh”) presence of God in the world. Jesus left us with a great commission and a great commandment. The great commandment is that we love one another as He has loved us. We have the love of God in us, it is our role to deliver that love to the world—to bring food and water, education, health care, farming techniques, etc. where they are needed—to bring God's love in real and concrete ways, in Mission. The great commission is that we proclaim the Good News and make disciples of all nations, baptizing and teaching. At the Ascension Jesus bid us wait for power to come from on high—for the Holy Spirit, whose coming we celebrate next Sunday: Pentecost.

Grace and Peace be with you.

The Reverend Canon Dwight L. Brown, Rector