2

ASCENSION

“And I –
once I am lifted up from the earth –
will draw all to myself.”

Jesus’ life can be described
as a life of perpetual motion,
an eternal dance,
in Mary, in Bethlehem, in Nazareth,
in the desert, in the synagogues,
in the streets, in the valleys,
in the mountains,
and finally in making that last trip to Jerusalem,
to the temple, to the upper room,
to the garden, to the cross.

“And I - once I am lifted up from the earth –
will draw all to myself.”

But his being lifted up to die on the cross
was not the end of the motion or “commotion” called “Christ.”

We believe in the resurrection of the body.

Appearances to women,
to the apostles, to Thomas, to 500, Emmaus, Galilee,
and now in this moment of ascension to the heavens.

“And I - once I am lifted up from the earth –
will draw all to myself.”

And the motion continues,
the going to prepare a mansion for us,
the going into the innermost sanctuary of heaven
to pray for us, the eternal journey to the Father.

“And I - once I am lifted up from the earth –
will draw all to myself.”
And yet Jesus is still with us all days
even to the end of the world.

Mystery. Paradox.
Here and not here.

Are we now his motion,
his presence, his witnesses, his servants,
his Body, his Light, giving people hope,
lifting people up,
helping this generation in their journey to the Father,
to the mansion, the innermost sanctuary of heaven,
to pray with Jesus for the next generation?

“And I - once I am lifted up from the earth –
will draw all to myself.”