Ascension May 17^th 2015:

Extinguishing the Paschal Candle today might feel like a goodbye; goodbye to the flame that’s been front and centre at all our gatherings since the Easter Dawn service. It symbolises goodbye from the risen Jesus who’s now leaving us disciples after staying for a mere forty days.

But we’ve extinguished this sign of his resurrection life after hearing the promise of this morning’s readings. And the promise is amazing. As Jesus leaves his earthly life behind, returning to be with the Father, he leaves with a promise of the Holy Spirit coming to us who remain on earth.

That’s the promise we heard him give in the Book of Acts 1.⁸… you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you.

When the Holy Spirit comes upon us, Jesus, though not physically present, is with us closer than ever; stronger than ever.

The promise of today’s Gospel passage is that the Good News is for all creation, and that signs of healing, protection and power will confirm the message of the bearers of this Good News. … Power?

The letter to the Ephesians says this power is … far above all rule and authority and power and dominion (1.²¹) and that this power is for the Church is. Later in this letter, the connection is made more explicit. You might remember it as the aria from Handel’s Messiah—‘Thou art gone up on high’. When he ascended on high he made captivity itself a captive; he gave gifts to his people. (4.⁸) It then goes on to list those gifts of the Spirit—gifts to be apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers.

The one flame is extinguished and the many are lit.

Yesterday at out quiet day, we explored one of the gifts the Spirit has left with the Church—the healing ministry. Through story and teaching, Fr John Beiers reminded us how the power of Christ is present in us—the Church—to confront the sorrows and evils of this world. The Church has always been doing this. Some of Fr John’s stories were of lovely surprises for healer and healed. I didn’t share a story which I remembered yesterday—but it illustrates one thing that I think is important—it doesn’t depend on us or how much faith we have. Rod’s story.

The message of power at the feast of the Ascension is big. It is for all creation. We can, if we choose, take authority to confront wrongs and injustices: to name them and oppose them, and to do so without fear or favour. The Pope this morning is reported as deepening the Church’s connection with Palestinians—much to the irritation of the present world order.

In our part of the world, I wonder if we might hope to see the Church commit to becoming a neon sign of healing and protection for those poor Rohingya refugees set adrift by their crews and now for months being pushed out to sea by a succession of countries that won’t save them—and our own singularly silent on the matter.

The message of power at the feast of the Ascension is big. It is for all creation. Will the Church become the voice by which the Good News actually is proclaimed for all creation as Jesus commanded? Should this be left to green political parties when it’s actually us who received the orders in the first place—in today’s Gospel?

We here need to pray together about what Jesus calls us to do. We may feel utterly inadequate to confront the evils of our time, but our faith isn’t based on our feelings. (Remember Rod’s healing story)

We are witnesses to Christ’s love for those who hunger and thirst, for the homeless, the dispossessed, the sick, the poor. We are witnesses to God’s love for creation through our own love for it.

We don’t confront their sufferings in our own power. We do nothing unless we do it in the power of the Spirit. And the Spirit is promised to us today. Will we receive it? What’s to lose?

Look at Jesus’ earliest disciples—their transformation from fearful hiding to world-changing courage.

These poor, battered disciples—their hopes had been dashed by the crucifixion, then restored by the resurrection. Now, with the Ascension, Jesus is again taken from their sight. But in a very short time, we will see them changed. A frightened huddle of outlaws one minute; the next, they burst out of hiding. Filled with that promised gift of spiritual power, they will go out, reckless and passionate, with a transforming message about Jesus. And just as he said they would, they’ll press on, healing and preaching to the ends of the earth.

Paradoxically, it’s with Jesus’ Ascension—his departure—that his blessing of reconciliation can really begin to spread. No longer confined to where he happened to be, now, in the Spirit’s power, his disciples will carry this blessing to the ends of the earth.

 

Commitment prayer: Ascended Jesus, we are now the bearers of your blessing. You want everyone and all creation to receive the blessing of your reconciling love? We know this blessing, and we’re ready to share it. We pray that you may make us bold as we do. Amen