“ASCENSION 2024”
Saint Mark 16: 14-20
The Feast of The Ascension of our Lord: 9 May Anno Domini 2024
Fr Jay Watson, SSP
You believe and trust that Jesus walked on the Sea of Tiberias. But you do not expect a 16-minute sermon on the physics and mechanics of the miracle. Likewise, you believe The Son Ascended to the right-hand of majesty 40 days after He rose victorious from the dead and forever conquered death, the grave, and the old ancient foe—but do not expect details which God does not give. But the import, the cosmic meaning, the “for-you-ness” of this historical event you do desire, and need!
In years past, maybe on too many occasions I have attempted to illustrate a bit of the reality of the event by having a parishioner close his eyes (in Bible class) as I have “ascended” on to a chair in back of said parishioner putting my hands mere inches from his head. Yeah, not really that great of a visual representation; but some truth is there.
No one wants to be alone, or lonely. Merely “alive,” biologically slogging on day-by-day, traveling to the tomb on a friendless voyage is tragic, nihilistic, and doomed. You need God to be with you. You need Christ to be present with you in all the ways in which He desires, and is! Is means Is.
The reason the Sacrament of Holy Baptism gave you new life, forgiveness, and incorporation not just into The Church but into Christ/God Himself, is because Jesus Ascended to that font (or one just like it). He was literally there to wash you and forgive you. The reason The Sacrament of The Altar strengthens and preserves you (It does) unto life-everlasting, is because Jesus is literally at this Communion rail. He serves, He distributes what He says He does. Of course, again, IS means IS. And it is because He is Ascended to this Altar—This Throne of Majesty. If you thought it was only I who forgave you your trespasses in the corporate absolution (A Sacrament as well) at the beginning of this Mass, you need to be reminded that it was Christ speaking through my vocal cords your full and free remission and loosing.
A couple more feeble human analogies follow. There was an earthly Dad who “ascended” to the door of his young son’s hospital room. The Dad had found that when he would go in for a while, and then leave, the child would cry and become very agitated at the realization that the father was “leaving.” So, to be with his son, but not seen by his son, the Dad would many times stay in the hall, yes, fifteen feet away, and peer through the gap between the door and the doorframe. He was there, he saw, he prayed, but could not viewed by the suffering child. These are the same parents, maybe you have been one of them, who attend most of their children’s public events—baseball and football games, concerts, graduations, etc., and, because they are in larger crowds (back of the auditorium/nose-bleed seat), or the lights are either dimmed in the audience, or are too bright on the stages, can not be visibly seen by the sons and daughters. But they are there, and their children know they are there. Yes, again, not a very precise analogy but these are truths that still resonate.
We need to let go our desires to both see Jesus the way His Mother, His friend Peter, His first evangelist, the Magdalene “saw” Him, and rejoice that He still sees us the exact same way as He has always seen His lambs. We do not have Him walking in the garden with us the way He did with Adam and Eve; We do not see Him as Peter, James, and John, did on the Mount of Transfiguration or in that other garden—Gethsemane. But He sees you the SAME way. I am not saying that visibility is unimportant, ask any blind person who lost his sight later in life, but rather, that God’s closeness to comfort and bring true Peace, is not bound by the laws of physical band-wave length of light. Jesus is Light. His true Light in His Word brings true Life. And where He is “for you,” you have your heart repaired and nourished by His immaculate Heart of Mercy.
You know all of this. You do believe it all. And yet, you still need help and aid to truly understand it, to trust it, and Him. Your feelings are real, the despair and sadness and pain you experience are real. Emotions, and sinful emotions are genuine.
All I have is Jesus—your God and Lord. All I can give you is Christ crucified for you. If he suffered, bled, and died for you, you will not doubt that He is with you always—to the end of the age.
And while the theological concept and truth of God’s omnipresence is accepted, as a doctrine and nothing more it does not always give you what you think you need—an actual physical embrace, an actual touching of your tears with a gentle pierced hand wiping and drying your tears and anguish.
Trust God. Trust God. + Trust God.
The Apostle, who perhaps more than all men, maybe more than you, had a difficult and painful life, knew about the invisible true Presence of His Lord, and that it only masked the actual true Presence of The Savior speaks to you: “but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope: and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by The Holy Ghost which is given unto us” [Ro. 5. 3-5]. But it is never, ever, experienced alone.
The Ascended One is with you in His Word, and with you in His Sacramental Word.
After the Verba, The Pax Domini, and The Agnus Dei, ascend yourselves once again and be brought up here, on high, and be seated also with your Brother, Jesus, at the right-hand of not just majesty, but Peace.
In The Name of The Father and of + The Son and of The Holy Ghost
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