FEAST OF THE ASCENSION
‘He was lifted up’
The Feast of the Ascension is one of the
ecumenical feasts of the Christian Churches. It
dates back to the fourth century at least. Before
then it was probably celebrated in conjunction
with the Easter or Pentecost ceremonies. It
marks the return of Jesus to the home of the
Father, the approach of the Age of the Spirit and
the imminent birth of the Church. Through the
ministry of the Church, guided by the Spirit,
the redemptive work of the Lord will continue.
He may be gone from our sight, but he has not
abandoned us. God never leaves us! That work
is to be undertaken by all of us who have been
christened in the waters of Baptism. I will bear
witness to Him in the ‘theatre of the ordinary’,
mindful of the fact that I might be the only
gospel that others will read. After attending a
convention directed by the renowned evangelist
preacher Billy Graham a woman wrote to him:
‘Dear Sir, I feel that God is calling me to preach
the gospel, but the trouble is that I have twelve
children. What should I do?’ The evangelist
replied: ‘Dear Madam, I am delighted to hear
that God is calling you to preach the gospel.
I am even more delighted to hear that He has
already provided you with a congregation in
your own home’. This Feast then invites us to
look backwards, forwards and upwards and,
crucially, to look around.