May 17, 2012
Ascension of the Lord
Jesus was taken up into heaven. Where are the heavens? The sky and clouds above! Where is heaven? Pope Benedict says: "Heaven is not a place in the cosmos but a place in God." Where and when did Jesus say "goodbye" and the disciples realize he was no longer present in his earthly or spiritual body? In Mark, the Ascension occurs on Easter evening in the upper room. In Matthew, it happens later in Galilee on a mountain. In Luke's Gospel, the Ascension takes place on Easter Sunday evening in Bethany but in Luke's Acts, 40 days later on Mt. Olivet. In John, the hour of glory, the death, resurrection, appearances of Jesus, the return to the Father and sending of the Holy Spirit, is one movement and very difficult to localize. It is apparent in Sacred Scripture that we are not talking about precise chronological time and geography but holy time and space -- the mystery of the return of Jesus to the Father "in heaven" and the coming/presence of Jesus into the Church/Sacraments and into our hearts. Jesus says the Kingdom of Heaven is near. Heaven is not in the heavens but a place in God! Where he has gone we hope to follow -- assured of His abiding presence in our lives today. Ascension of the Lord is a celebration of hope.
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6th Sunday of Easter
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7th Sunday of Easter
