“And teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:20).
In this passage from
Matthew, Jesus tells the Eleven he will remain with them for the rest of time. By
doing so, he discloses his continued presence in the Church following his Ascension
into heaven.
Within the Hebrew
Scriptures/Old Testament, there are two stories of important spiritual leaders
ascending into Heaven. In the Book of Genesis, after his
son Methuselah was born, God “took” Enoch which was interpreted by Sirach
as meaning he ascended into Heaven. According to the Second Book of Kings, after
Elijah commissioned Elisha as his successor, he ascended to Heaven in a
whirlwind. Both stories have a person physically transferred
from Earth to Heaven without any mention of death as part of the process.
These accounts also happen after Enoch and Elijah have someone to assume their
role in the unfolding of God’s plan. Both Ascension Stories make clear how
death places no limits on God’s power to bring individuals to Heaven or remain
present on Earth.
Although Matthew’s Gospel
has no description of the Ascension of Jesus, his story of the Commissioning of
the Eleven is the last time the Disciples encounter the Risen Christ and
begins the next phase in the revealing of God’s plan. The Death and Resurrection
of Jesus completed his work on earth by redeeming the sins of Humanity and making
known the reality of Eternal Life. By ascending into Heaven, Jesus returns to
his proper place in glory beside the Father. Yet, only a few
people witnessed these events. God’s plan is for all humans
to learn about their salvation. For this reason, the Church is given
the Mission to make disciples and baptize them. Throughout this next stage in
the unfolding of God’s plan, Jesus remains present on earth through the Church
and the Holy Spirit guiding it.
Ascension is
the time when we become aware of how things can remain present even
when circumstances change dramatically. A tree can endure a harsh winter;
lose an important branch to disease or a lightning strike and survive a hot
summer with little rain and yet the following spring is a sign of
life in the forest. Similarly, Jesus remains present in our
world through the Church despite the attacks against it, divisions which weaken
it and the indifference of many of its members. The Sacraments he instituted remind the
Church that its bond with him remains unbroken even after
his return to heaven. The Sacred Writings about him do
not supply it with stories of a past event but guidance about living out
his teachings in today’s world. The mission it has received from him is not a
human enterprise designed to make the world a better place but the fulfillment
of the divine plan. The Church has become the sign Christ is present on earth when
new members are welcomed into it through the Sacrament of Baptism and provided
with guidance about how Christ’s teachings are to be obeyed.
One way to develop a greater sense of seeing Christ’s presence in our
world is through Aspirative Prayer. These are short devotions which connect
what we are doing at that moment with him. For example, each time we get into
the car, we can ask Christ to give us a safe journey. Whenever we stop for a
coffee and doughnut at Tim Horton’s, we can express thanks for a few moments of
quiet during a busy day. Every morning we see a beautiful sunrise; we can stop
and wonder at God’s creation. These experiences remind us of how he
is present in our daily lives in the little things that most people overlook. Through
Aspirative Prayer, we can remain constantly aware of how he guides and protects
us. By our example, these devotions also enable us to fulfill our mission to
lead others to Christ. Let us use Aspirative Prayer to make God’s
presence better known to our world.
May 21, 2023
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