Jesus is Lifted up into Heaven

The Acts of the Apostles gives us this marvelous description of the Ascension of Jesus Christ.  As again they are concerned with a timeline of things, Jesus reminds them that they have a ministry to complete.  Their job is to baptize and proclaim good news to the ends of the earth.  Their story is our story also.

The figures clothed in white could easily ask us the question posed to the disciples.  "Why are you standing here looking up into the sky?"  Jesus going into the heavens is a cause of great joy and affirmation for us.  Now in his proper place, Jesus continues to be our advocate and intercessor.  In sending the Holy Spirit into our lives, and into our Church, we now have the unique role of being caretakers of the mission of Jesus Christ.

Lumen Gentium and Called and Gifted, re-assert the challenge for us to seek a life of holiness in our Church and world today.  In doing so we are taking seriously the role of the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist, in our daily relationships and responsibilities.  Each of us has a vocation of sharing Good News wherever we happen to be.  We receive an adult faith and take responsibility for what we have seen and heard.  So like the Apostles we are witnesses of Jesus in the world.

It is powerful at Mass, during the Eucharistic Prayer, in that we invoke God to send his Spirit upon the gifts of bread and wine for our own good, and that of the whole Church.  At the end of Mass we send people home to proclaim the Gospel of the Lord.  Empowered and strengthened by heavenly gifts we bring what we have received into the world.  Then enlightened by the mysteries we celebrate we bring Christ into our homes, neighborhoods, our social and cultural endeavors, informing our political and economic concerns. 

It remains for us to go down from our mountain experience of Jesus the Christ, to be part of making that place of light, happiness, and peace.  We take on the responsibility now of bringing forth the Kingdom of God.