We are still ascending!

Back in my seminary days, I still remember that I was so attached to the senior brothers. I still remember when Avarachan and Shibu left our seminary, I cried like a baby, so helpless. I felt certain emptiness that they are no more in my life. I am sure we all feel that helplessness and emptiness when someone dies or when we are separated from our loved ones. Ascension is one such feeling that the disciples are to experience the loss of the physical presence of Jesus.

From our standpoint this feeling of loss is so strong. Confusion and bitterness takes over us we are hopeless and helpless with the given situation. Why has he to die so young? Why did he give us the pleasant shock by coming to us after the resurrection? When we are so happy and confident that he is with us, he is gone. Why?

From the standpoint of God: By the sin of Adam, we have lost our titles as children of God. The restoration process has begun by Jesus. Human beings are no more to be termed as weak and sinful. Resurrection is the reward of God’s ransom in and through Jesus. The people of the Resurrection are in truth strong and holy filled with Holy Spirit. Ascension is what we do with the gift of Resurrection. Once again God gives us the responsibility of not just the Eden garden, rather the whole world. St. Augustine said, ‘By celebrating this feast, we ascend with our Lord and have our hearts above. "For the Resurrection of the Lord is our hope, and His Ascension our glorification."

We learn that the journey of Jesus did not stop in resurrection. He began from God and ended in God. We began from God and lost our way to turn back. Resurrection is the only sign board that could show us the way to the Father. Ascension is the way to the Father. Where does the Spirit lead me during the feast of the Ascension of Jesus?

Ascension and the last commissioning of Jesus call for a collective force to unite and proclaim the love of God. Jesus united people of differences of opinions and social status and called them friends and Apostles. Our unity is based on the Trinity. All the Sacraments have a bonding element in them, uniting people to God and one another. We need to walk together as resurrected people fixing our eyes on Jesus who is our Light. Every attempt that we make towards unity in terms of peace, love and harmony should be done in place of Jesus. I stand in his place. He has ascended and I am still ascending. Let us pray for our own ascensions. Go therefore, to love… Amen.