The Feast of the Ascension of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, also known as Ascension Thursday, Holy Thursday, or Ascension Day, commemorates the bodily Ascension of Jesus into heaven. It is one of the ecumenical feasts of Christian churches, ranking with the feasts of the Passion, of Easter, and Pentecost. Ascension Day is traditionally celebrated on a Thursday, the fortieth day of Easter.
Acts 1:11a They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven?”
The scene of the Ascension makes me laugh: a group of men standing around, staring upward. Gaping. Waiting. Two angels, presumably, ask the obvious question. “Why are you standing there doing nothing? You’ve got some work to do.”
I paraphrase, but we get the point. We have walked through Lent, Holy Week, and Easter. We have reflected, prepared, prayed, mourned, and celebrated with Jesus. Jesus has ascended.
Now what?
We can stand around, waiting for Jesus to do all the work. Hungry people in the world? Jesus can feed them. Lonely souls lost and alone? Jesus can befriend them. Victims of injustice? Jesus can free them.
Well, yes. Jesus does do these things. Through us.
Christ calls us to be witnesses, disciples, and laborers in the field. We can stand around, or we can accept the call to be witnesses to love in the world. As witnesses, we do things. No sitting around, waiting for someone else. No limiting ourselves to easy things that don’t cost us.
