Saturday, May 23, 2020

The Hope To Which We Have Been Called



Homily for the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord – Readings – Acts 1:1-11; Ephesians 1:17-23; Matthew 28:16-20. Theme: The Hope To Which We Have Been Called

Today we celebrate the Ascension of the Risen Lord Jesus into Heaven, to the place from which he first came to us. Many people often wonder why we put such a big emphasis on the Ascension, even making it a holyday of obligation in those places where it is not celebrated on a Sunday. And that’s a good question. Why does the Ascension rank right up there with Christmas and Easter as holydays of obligation?  Well, the reason it receives such an important place in both our liturgy and our profession of faith is because the Ascension completes what Christmas began and fulfills what Easter accomplished.  Let’s look at that a bit closer.

What did Christmas begin? It began the Incarnation, that is, the unbelievable reality of the almighty eternal glorious God becoming a vulnerable limited human being named Jesus. God the Son became human so that he could save, that is heal, our sin-wounded human nature from the inside out, by actually becoming one of us. By uniting his divinity with our humanity Jesus elevated being human from the status of living as creatures of God to the honor of our actually becoming children of God by adoption. So, the important thing to remember when pondering the Ascension in the light of Christmas is that it completes the process of transforming and healing human nature that began in Bethlehem. Human nature, once ravaged by sin, is now sanctified by Christ and made worthy to stand before the Presence of God in Heaven!

So then, how can we say that the Ascension fulfills what Easter accomplished? Because the Resurrection was the marvelous sign and proof that God the Father had accepted the sacrifice of the God-Man Jesus of Nazareth on behalf of the human race. His rescue and restore mission was accomplished! Human nature was healed of our spiritual wounds. The power of sin to drive a wedge between us and God was conquered.  Death, the ultimate penalty of sin, was destroyed and no longer had the last word over human beings. It was transformed from a deep dark dungeon of despair into a hopeful doorway to eternal life. And so, the Ascension takes up from where the Resurrection left off.  It leads us human beings into the glory Heaven. It shows us that the whole person, the entirety of our human nature – body as well as soul - will experience glory once we ourselves have passed through death and trampled it under our feet in Christ. This is why we can call the Ascension the fulfilment of Easter.

You see, I think that many Christians have a misunderstanding when it comes to the Ascension. They think that once Jesus rose up from the dead and returned to Heaven he left his humanity behind and is now worshipped and adored solely as God. But this isn’t the case at all! Such a way of thinking actually strips the Ascension of its purpose and meaning for us. The Risen and Glorified Lord Jesus is at the right hand of the Father, living and reigning with him, as a Man as well as being God.  And that’s what is so awesome and marvelous about the Ascension.  It elevates us humans far above what we were originally created to be by allowing one of us, Jesus of Nazareth, to actually enter into the direct Presence of God and reign there, side by side with the Lord in Heaven. When the Resurrection of the Dead takes place at the end of time, we will be lifted up, body and soul, to live and reign with Christ forever in Heaven. This is the hope to which we have been called that St. Paul mentions in the second reading today.

So, all this is why we can say that the Ascension ranks right up there with both Christmas and Easter as one of our major celebrations and holy days.  But this event in the life of Christ is not just something we remember and look forward to experiencing. In the mean-time we have work to do! Like the disciples, who at the Ascension received from Christ the Great Commission to go out to all the world and proclaim the Good News, we too are sent out to invite others to come to know and trust in Christ as Lord and Savior. We want everyone to know the great hope to which we have all been called!  This means that we each are willing to share with others what a difference a personal relationship with Jesus makes in our lives. That we are willing to let them see by our changed attitude and Christ-like behavior that the Lord is continually healing and transforming us from the inside out. And to let them know that he is willing and eager to do the same for them!

Of course, we cannot accomplish this by simply relying upon our own abilities and energy.  But stay tuned…because the way that Christ equips us to carry out this mission will be the focus of our liturgy next Sunday, when we celebrate the Great Arrival of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost.  In the meantime, let’s thank Christ for the Ascension and for what it means for us as part of his rescue mission to restore us to intimacy with God and elevate our humanity. And let’s ask Him to grant us the grace to open our hearts during the coming week to the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, so that we can be his witnesses among those with whom we live, work and socialize, and invite them, by our words and example to live for God in Christ and experience a new way of thinking, a new way of acting, and a new way of loving.

P.S. Be sure to join with us in our parish-wide Pentecost Novena to the Holy Spirit that is happening right now (May 22-May 30) via Flocknote!  Pentecost is Sunday May 31. Pray with us for a new outpouring of the Promise of the Father, the Holy Spirit, upon each one of us and our parish community! If you are not yet on our Flocknote roster send your name and email address to: dcndave@outlook.com.




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