Ascension Sunday, 2024

On Thursday was the Feast of the Ascension, 40 days after Easter we celebrate Christ’s ascending into heaven, a return to the Glory from which he came. 

Today we recall that Christ’s paschal journey has come to its conclusion; that during Holy Week Jesus travelled to Jerusalem.  Thursday he celebrated the Passover with his disciples, issued the Command to Love one another and instituted the Sacrament of the Eucharist.  Good Friday, he carried his cross and was killed on Golgotha.  Saturday, Jesus descended to the dead and we remained in Vigil.  Then miraculously Easter Sunday, our Saviour was resurrected from the dead in triumph.  Still his ministry on earth was not finished for the 40 days after Easter, Jesus spent his time appearing to the disciples, affirming their faith and instructing his them in person for the last time.  

Today we celebrate Christ’s ascension, the time when Christ returned to the Father.

 20God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come. 22And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, 23which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

 

Christ is seated at the right hand of God, and we remain here to put into action all that Christ demonstrated and taught.  We remain to be witnesses of Christ.  Witnesses who will continue to tell those here, and those yet to come, who Christ is, what he has done and what we have seen.  We are Christ’s witnesses in this world, not only in word, but in deed.

There is an old saying oft attributed to St. Francis of Assisi “preach the gospel in all things and if necessary use words.”  Christ is not physically present anymore, but his words and deeds remain and we are called to witness to them in word and in deed. 

Christ has called the church to be his body, and the early church embraced that teaching with that well know teaching from St. Paul about how the members of the church are Christ’s body, at once interdependent and uniquely skilled. 

“For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ…. Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many…. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.”

 

We are now the ones who are to wash the feet of sinners.  We are now the ones to bless and care for the vulnerable.  We are now the ones who are to welcome the other and give hospitality to all.  We are the hands, the feet, the eyes, the body of Christ in the world acting in Christ’s name and living out Christ’s example.  Christ has ascended and resumed the mantle of divinity, so now when the community around us looks to see where Christ is, they look at us. It is our words and our actions that give that first impression, that bear first witness, that may be their first encounter with Christ.

 

 8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

 

You will be my witnesses, in Woodhaven, in Winnipeg and everywhere you go.  Our lives bear witness to Christ, regardless of our whether we want to or not.  Anyone who sees us and knows we are Christian will judge Christ based on us.

It is a terrifying prospect, that you, I, may be the only time a person encounters Christ and that their understanding of who Christ is, what Christians believe, how the faithful act could be based off your very worst day.  Not very fair, I’ll admit. But we are witnesses.  We are the body.  We are as Christ to all whom we meet, as is beautifully stated in a poem attributed to St. Theresa of Avila.

 

Christ has no body but yours,

No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which He looks
Compassion on this world,
Yours are the feet with which He walks to do good,
Yours are the hands, with which He blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,
Yours are the eyes, you are His body.
Christ has no body now but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
compassion on this world.
Christ has no body now on earth but yours.

— St. Teresa of Ávila (attributed)

It is for this reason that we need to continue the ministry spoken of in Ephesians this day,

A ministry of witnessing to what Christ has done through his life, and indeed during his ascention.

“50Then (Christ) led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. 51While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven.”

 

Christ’s last act in Luke was that of blessing. In that blessing he gave to his beloved disciples I have not doubt he poured out all the love, teaching, hope and faith he had for those gathered before them and indeed for all those who have come since. 

We, the body of Christ; his hands, his feet, his eyes, need to continue in prayer and in blessing, towards each other and towards the community around us.  This is more then the ‘thoughts and prayers’ bantered around on the news, more than the ‘bless you’ given after a sneeze.

This is a blessing that reflects what we know of in Christ’s baptism…the Holy Spirit’s kiss of blessing after the Father’s own words of witness to Christ’s belovedness. 

Christ left this earthly sphere with words and a spirit of blessing for his disciples and we are called to witness to that by blessing and being a blessing to the world around us.

Christ has no body now but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
compassion on this world.
Christ has no body now on earth but yours.

 

A heavy responsibility, but one that is shared by every member of this diocese. To be that body of Christ, the feet and hands and eyes of Christ, to do as Christ would do.

  • Bringing health and healing to those who are wounded.
  • Driving out evil, by advocating and fighting for justice.
  • Feeding those in need of food, both physically and spiritually.
  • Being a calming presence the storms of chaos in the lives of those around us.
  • Listening to the vulnerable and those in pain.
  • Giving power back to the powerless, asking if they want to be helped.
  • Realizing the ministry and witness of the blind, the deaf and those with different abilities.
  • Recognizing and empowering those whom our culture ignores.
  • Cultivating a culture of gratitude and thanksgiving.
  • Overturning the status quo to ensure that righteousness prevails.
  • Spending time in prayer communally and individually then going out to be Christ, communally and individually.

 

There is a lot to do in this broken world, and it can be overwhelming.  However, we are one body and within that one body are many, many people.  Each with their own gifts, skills, blessing and abilities; each with a ministry to call their own.

Each member of the body of Christ has a unique ability and calling, a unique way to be Christ in this world so that we can live out Christ’s ministry until Christ comes again.

We read that as Christ was blessing them, in the midst of blessing them, he withdrew.

Christ’s action is not finished, we are called to continue that blessing which Christ left us with.  We are called and blessed to be the body of Christ in the world. 

This is truly a mighty and powerful blessing for us to live into.

So, knowing that we need all the power a good blessing can give us.

I will conclude with the mighty and powerful blessing attributed to St. Patrick

I bless you today in

the strong Name of the Trinity,

by invocation of the same,

the Three in One and One in Three.

 

Christ be with you, Christ within you,
Christ behind you, Christ before you,
Christ beside you, Christ to win you,
Christ to comfort and restore you.
Christ beneath you, Christ above you,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,

Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

 

I bless you in the strong Name of the Trinity,

by invocation of the same,

the Three in One and One in Three.

By Whom all nature hath creation,

eternal Father, Spirit, Word:

praise to the Lord of my salvation,

salvation is of Christ the Lord. Amen.