“Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven?” Acts 1:1a
Happy Ascensiontide. Today (I’m writing on Thursday, May 14), is the Feast of the Ascension, one of the Principal Feast of the Church Year (right up there with Christmas Day, The Epiphany, Easter Day, Pentecost, Trinity Sunday, and All Saints’ Day). Always on a Thursday, Ascension Day is celebrated 40 days after Easter Day. It celebrates that Jesus ascended into heaven in physical form. THAT is an important point for physical forms–bodies.
The Ascension story appears in two places in Scripture: in Luke’s Gospel as the last word of the final chapter, and in the Acts of the Apostles where it serves as the opening act–chapter 1. In the Acts of Apostles, the details of Jesus’ Ascension, are developed a bit more than in the Gospel of Luke–in Acts there is more action in the story. Luke records Jesus’ final words to the disciples as occurring over a meal of broiled fish in Jerusalem; after which, they walk to Bethany where Jesus blesses them and is “taken up into heaven.” In Acts, however, Jesus’ last words to the disciples seem to happen immediately before his ascension. He promises his disciples that they will receive the power of the Holy Spirit and that they will be His witnesses to the ends of the earth. Then, “when he had said this,” Jesus ascends–he is “lifted up” and a cloud took him out of their sight.”
The big difference between Luke’s Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles, however, is what happens next. After Jesus disappears into the clouds, the Book of Acts describes the apostles as standing, one imagines them awe struck–their mouths gaping, looking toward the sky. Two mysterious white-clad men appear to break their wondering gazes, bringing them back to earth,
“Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven?”
How often does our faith have us focusing on the clouds, staring at some remote far away heaven we cannot see, but only imagine. How often does a hope that heaven has no business with the earth, with the world, that it draws us away from seeking heaven–God’s Kingdom, and serving heaven here on earth?
The Kingdom of Heaven, where Christ is, is not remote, it is not “out there,” but, indeed, it is here. It may be shrouded in clouds, but it is here where the Holy Spirit moves and renews the earth and human lives. It is here where Christ’s resurrected body, the Church, lives and moves and has its being. It is here where that same Spirit working in us as the body of Christ calls us to witness to Christ’s Gospel; to serve heaven’s righteousness; to seek reconciliation, justice and peace for all people; and to love as Christ loved, on earth as it is in heaven.
Faith in a resurrected Lord who has ascended into heaven and sent the Holy Spirit to us is not intended to be an escape clause from this earth, nor an invitation to hold no love or concern for this world and all who live upon it. To the contrary, Jesus’ ascension reveals that we are called to serve and care for this world and our brothers and sisters; because in Christ they ARE the stuff of heaven. We are called and empowered by the Holy Spirit to be witnesses to this very point, seeking and serving the kingdom of heaven at all times and in all places.
As the body of Christ, empowered by the Holy Spirit, let us ascend into heaven even to the ends of the earth.
Lord beyond our mortal sight, Al-le-lu-ia!
raise our hearts to reach thy height, Al-le-lu-ia!
there thy face unclouded see, Al-le-lu-ia!
find our heaven of heavens in thee, Al-le-lu-ia!
Hymnal 214 v.4
