The Ascension of Jesus and the Beginning of a Mission
Had a great Mass today with Father H. I always love to hear his teachings and his perspectives on things. Sometimes, it’s tough to swallow, but I like that. He doesn’t sugar coat things, and it’s not always feel-good. Today is the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord, a celebration of the moment when Christ was taken up into Heaven. Father H, to most of our surprise, said that this wasn’t about Jesus. Yes, he ascended but the importance and meaning of this event wasn’t a Jesus moment. It was an US moment. You and I. It signaled the beginning of our mission. He was finished teaching us what we needed to know, it was now our responsibility to carry that information on.
How are you doing, as a Christian? Would you say that you are doing enough to spread the Word of God? Are you teaching the saving grace of Jesus? How about personally? Are the actions that you put forth, to your friends…family…enemies…strangers a direct example of the way Christ taught us to live? I know I fall short. It would be easy for me to say, “Well, I am new at this, I haven’t had a chance.” We’ve had roughly 2000 years! Our mission begins the minute we decide to dedicate our lives to Christ.
I kind of like what happens right after Christ ascended to heaven. Acts 1:10-11 says that “while they were watching him going up to heaven, behold, two men stood near them in white vestments. And they said: “Men of Galilee, why do you stand here looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, shall return in just the same way that you have seen him going up to heaven.” I can just imagine everyone staring up into the sky and these two guys walk from the back of the crowd to the front staring up with them, looking down and saying, “Whatcha lookin at? He’ll come back, go forth and do what he meant for you to do.”
When I came home, I started stumbling around the internet (stumbleupon.com) and happened to come across this video that I thought fit today’s message. It’s pretty awesome. Will you be a trader?
If you would like to know more about the saving grace of Jesus Christ…come visit our local parish or any of the others in the Diocese of Wichita. Not from the area? Visit masstimes.org to find a church and their Mass times near you! If you have specific questions, feel free to comment below. If I don’t know the answer…I’ll pass it on to someone who can!
All Saints Catholic Church ~ The Diocese of Wichita
