Reading: Acts 1.1-12 The earth and sky. Heaven and earth
The story of the Ascension of Christ echoes that of the birth of Jesus. At Christmas, the sky that reaches the earth. God comes to live on high ground from below. This God of love embodied in people.
At Ascension, it is the earth that rises a little closer to heaven. Jesus, our brother, human among humans, that is risen again, who has conquered death, returns to the sky, drawing our gaze upward. At Easter, at the foot of the Cross, we were in sorrow, looking down, disillusioned and now Jesus exhorts us to look up at the sky.
Christ is the image of the tree. It is deeply rooted in the earth, this earth created by God and he goes to heaven. It encourages us to be real humans, with feet on the ground, aware of our weaknesses and our limitations, but with the head in the stars, ready to follow the call of the master.
But unlike the tree, we must not stand still, ineradicable. We must not stay in the woods! The disciples who were amazed by this show, who allowed themselves to wear, too, to follow Christ, the angels come to remind them they are from below the earth. The Son has promised that it is low they receive the Spirit from above. That this work will continue on the earth, by themselves, with help from heaven.
God in whom we believe, is near. It falls to us. It is not to be majestic, seated on a throne somewhere, light years ahead of our concerns, our doubts and our fears.
It is he who brings heaven to earth. He is living heaven on earth. And he has given us a mediator in the person of Jesus Christ.
Christ is the bridge between Heaven, God and the earth, us. He is the one who came and who is returning to the Father, having given his education, after United announced an imminent, after healing the sick, having been the light in the darkness of death.
Jesus is the only face of God that we could contemplate, it is the only body of God that some have been touched.
Today, the Master goes to heaven to join him who sent him. It also gives a promise to the disciples. No, they will not stay alone, helpless, left to themselves. The Spirit will take from them, will be crowds of witnesses praising God to the ends of the world! The disciples will also find ways to continue this work to continue evangelization; to ensure that heaven and earth are no longer separated. The God of the top continues to inhabit the earth from below.
The story of the Ascension is short. It seems very thin compared to accounts of the Passion and Resurrection. While occupying the first several chapters of the Gospels, Ascension has only a few lines and especially a few words: Jesus ascended to heaven, while everyone watched, and then a cloud hid their eyes.
This story has mostly a function of link between Easter, the resurrection, and Pentecost, the Spirit transforms the crowds. The cloud (or cloud) hid in the master eyes of the spectators, like a veil over their questions, our questions. When comes the end, the Kingdom? What now? How to proceed?
Now it is our men and women of the land, we turn to proclaim the omnipotence of God, to tell the world that Jesus Christ was resurrected and reign, sitting to the right of his Father in heaven.
Heaven and earth. The earth and sky. With God all things are upset. He was believed unattainable becomes visible. The sky has just put his feet on the ground.
Land can finger the sky. There is neither high nor low God is everywhere! This
morning, remind us that through Jesus Christ, the God of heaven dwelt among humanity. Through Jesus Christ, the earth has seen approaching the sky. Through Jesus Christ we can walk down to earth and head up into the stars.
Remember also that we are those whom God has chosen for the feet, hands and lips of Jesus, even today. And that of Heaven, where he reigns, he gives us the strength to continue the work that has been his own: to live heaven on earth. By our words, through our actions, by our presence, we will then, with the forces given by the Lord in this feat that science still fails to perform: to enter heaven in the earth!
Amen.
Image source: personal photo (c) in February 2008.
