From
The Rectory
On
Thursday 26th May, we’ll celebrate the Ascension of Christ. You are
very welcome to join us for our joint benefice service of Holy Communion at St
Giles’, Dallington at 7:30pm.
In
case you need a little reminder, the Ascension marks the end of Jesus’
resurrection appearances. Forty days after Easter, the risen Lord Jesus
ascended to heaven and was enthroned at the right hand of God the Father in
glory. Ten days later, at Pentecost, he would send the Holy Spirit to empower
the church for mission.
The
Ascension doesn’t enjoy the profile of Christmas or Easter. The marketing
industry has perhaps missed a trick by failing (as yet) to commercialise it. Perhaps
it doesn’t really make a lot of sense to discuss the relative importance of different
parts of the saving work of Christ: Jesus could hardly die if he hadn’t been
born, his death is essential to his resurrection. The saving work of Christ all
belongs together and each part is necessary. But St Augustine of Hippo spoke
very powerfully about the importance of the ascension. As we might be tempted
to neglect this festival which is always celebrated on a Thursday rather than a
Sunday and not surrounded by a lengthy period off school or work, it is worth
thinking about what Augustine claims: Ascension Day is "that festival which confirms
the grace of all the festivals together, without which the profitableness of
every festival would have perished. For unless the Saviour had ascended into
heaven, his nativity would have come to nothing ... and his passion would have
borne no fruit for us, and his most holy resurrection would have been
useless." No ascension, no Christmas, no Easter, no Christian faith,
Augustine is saying.
Why
might the ascension matter to us? What can we say about it in the space
remaining?
To
some it has seemed rather absurd and primitive to think of Jesus going up into
heaven like a human rocket. I guess we don’t think of heaven as literally up in
the sky somewhere. But as with the resurrection, the physical bodily nature of
the ascension reminds us of the Christian hope. Our bodies matter, as Jesus’
does. Jesus’ incarnation was not temporary but permanent. He continues to have
a divine and a human nature. Matter matters. We are looking not to an eternity
of disembodied souls, but to the resurrection of the body, as the creed says. On
Easter Sunday morning the tomb was empty. The risen Jesus was no mere thought,
idea or principle. He wasn’t a ghost or a spirit. And likewise our final destiny
is the New Creation, or, better, a renewed creation. And so Jesus the God-Man’s
human body ascending to heaven reminds us about the importance of our bodies
and this creation. There is hope for my skin and bones and for this world.
And
the Bible also makes a point about what Jesus does when he gets to heaven. He
sits down. We might even say he puts his feet up. His saving work is done and
God is putting all his enemies under his feet. The ascension demonstrates the
victory of Christ. The Father welcomes his triumphant Son back to glory and
enthrones him as ruler and judge of the world. Jesus has done his job
faithfully and fully. His mission was accomplished.
And
though the world often seems in disarray and terribly broken, our Jesus is on
the throne of history. The ascension assures us that love wins. Jesus is our friend
in high places who ever lives to intercede for us. The ascension urges us to
believe the Christmas prophecy has been, and is being fulfilled: “For to us a child is
born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful
Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the greatness of his
government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it
with justice and
righteousness from
that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.”
A very merry
ascension to you!
The Revd Marc Lloyd
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment