What does the Ascension mean to me?
“On the third day he rose from the dead. He ascended into Heaven, where he is seated at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty. He shall come again to judge the living and the dead.” (Apostle's Creed)
I was taught as a child to believe the things we say when we pray the Creed. Having a creed has been a comfort to me all through the years. When things were difficult or confusing, it was nice to have something solid. I could say “This I believe!” Then I could get back to work.
It says in the Gospel for the Feast of the Ascension that our work continuues the mission of Jesus. We tell the world about “repentence for the forgiveness of sins”. When we are sorry for our sins, and make determination to change (with God's help), then God forgives our sins and really does help us. And in that back-and-forth we are transformed and made into new creatures, people destined to live with Him fully in his kingdom.
We believe that like Jesus, our life will not end with the death of our body. The Creed goes on to say, “I believe in the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting.” The two come together in Jesus—our life now, filled with challenges, learning, community and opportunities to share the Good News—our our life to come after we are finished here. We already enjoy and experience that life-to-come here in this “valley of tears” by the gifts and fruits of faith, given to us through the holy Spirit. There's a lot to this life we receive in Baptism. Jesus himself accepted Baptism so that the holy Spirit could come and bring the fullness of life. Not because Jesus, the Son of God, was lacking anything when he walked among us, but because it is our work to give example that others can follow. Jesus was baptized. We are baptized. Baptism makes us one body, a fitting vessel for the Bread of Life, broken and shared with all the world.
If this Bread has truly been given, then our work is to “take hold of it, and eat, and never die!” It is food for this life, AND for the life that is coming. Like the prophet, we eat so that we may have strength for our journey. When we reach the end, we will enter fully into the life of Heaven.
No wonder the apostles left the place of the Ascension and went back rejoicing. For us that place is first the church and the Eucharist we bless, break and share. When we leave after Mass is ended, we rejoice because we know who we are, and we know where we belong.
No comments:
Post a Comment