A SERMON FROM ST. JAMES EPISCOPAL CHURCH,
Greenville, South Carolina
Feast of the Ascension, Year A
What Ascension Day Tells UsMark covers it in one verse, but that verse is found in one of the many, various endings of Mark, which were added on after the original ending and from which were heard a few moments ago. Mark's original ending has the women running away from the empty tomb in terror and amazement, and not saying anything to anyone out of fear. Luke has Jesus leading his disciples out to Bethany, and while lifting up his hands and blessing them, he withdraws from them and is carried up into heaven. Again, the ascension occupies just one verse. Only in the Acts of the Apostles do we get a brief narrative about the ascension event, and this is no doubt significant. For the ascension marks a transition in the life of Jesus, and in the lives of those whom he left behind, who will, in ten short days, become the foundation of a new entity and experience of "God with us" as the church, the body of Christ on earth. The ascension brings about the consummation of Jesus' work in this world and amongst his followers, both before and after the resurrection. And the ascension marks the move from a community of faith based on Jesus' earthly and resurrected presence to a community soon to be based on the presence of the life giving Spirit of the Holy One. The ascension also introduces the beginning of his glorification, alluded to very briefly at the transfiguration event. Only Peter, James (our patronal saint), and John witnessed that moment of glorification; here at the ascension, many more see him taken up into the cloud. And as at the resurrection, we have men dressed in white, inquiring about their reaction to what they have just seen. The reaction of the witnesses to the ascension is interesting. In Luke, they returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and spent their days in the temple blessing God. In Mark, they leave to begin proclaiming the good news everywhere. In Acts, they return to the upper room in Jerusalem, where they were staying, and begin the process of finding a replacement for Judas Iscariot. But unlike following the crucifixion, there is no shock or sadness at this departure, no mourning or grieving taking place over this separation. These are changed persons, and they now possess an abiding sense of Christ's presence, even though he is absent from their sight. For forty days we have been celebrating Easter joy, walking with the risen Lord and experiencing the nearness of his presence in scripture and sacrament. While most likely none of us has Easter decorations still up around the house, perhaps we have continued to celebrate Easter by planting new flowers, spreading mulch, painting the house or cleaning the garage. The creativity and generative mood that comes with spring expresses the new life of which Easter reminds us. But we can't stay there forever. I don't know who actually said it first, but the saying remains true: Disney World is a great place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there. We cannot stay in Easter forever, at least not in this life. But the end of Easter isn't the end of our joy in the life of the Crucified and Risen One. The ascension reminds us that while Easter may be coming to an end, a new way to live with Christ's presence is coming. The liturgy will soon remind us again of the spirit of the Holy One that enflamed the hearts and minds of the disciples on Pentecost. God still makes that same spirit available to us. For now, however, we wait. Christ has ascended to God, and is no longer bound by this world or its time. What a good reminder to us; there is more to life than this world. The ascension shows us that, indeed, there is something far more wonderful and mind-boggling to come. And Christ who has gone on before us will guide us on that journey, as well. However, another thing stands true: Until we ascend to the Father ourselves, we must see that there is more life in this moment than any other, for all we have in this life is this moment, and through word and sacrament it becomes a sacred moment. In a real way, the ascension is now; just as the glorified Christ is present now. It is a sacred mystery that we embrace; sacred and holy things that we handle. And if we could understand it fully, it would absorb us into it wholly. That is what eternity is for, to be absorbed by Christ into God's presence. We can only imagine what that must be like, and our imagination falls far short of its reality. The distance provided by our mortality serves us well for now. Soon enough we shall see Christ as he is, glorified as he was so long ago and yet again this day, as always.
The Rev'd Timothy M. Dombek Copyright © 2002 Timothy M. Dombek All Rights Reserved.
|