Message for the Ascension from Fr. Michael Sisco
Confraternity of Penitents
Fulfilling Our Mission: A Reflection on Acts1 :10-11
“While they were gazing up into the heavens, two men dressed in white stood beside them. ‘Men of Galilee,’ they said, ‘why do you stand here looking up at the skies? This Jesus who has been taken from you will return, just as you saw him go up into the heavens.’”
This message from the angels that God sends to the apostles is often interpreted as a word of comfort and encouragement. And it is. But one thing I think that many of us can overlook about this passage is that it is also a warning. Because if we are not careful, we can fall into two common traps, and both of these traps have to do with a failure to complete our mission.
Jesus came to us on a mission. His was a mission of Redemption. His was a mission to institute the sacraments and a priesthood that would make those sacraments available. His mission was to complete the teaching that was begun in the Law of Moses. And his mission opened a door for the Holy Spirit to enter our lives. And this is why we see Jesus ascend into heaven today. With the fulfillment of his mission, Jesus takes his place before the Father so the Holy Spirit can begin his mission, to change the world.
And that’s where our mission comes in.
Through the sacraments we have been given the Holy Spirit, and our mission is to allow the Holy Spirit to change us so we can change the world around us. That is what we pray every time we say the Lord’s prayer. “Thy Kingdom come.” Thy Kingdom come where? Here!
How do we know thy Kingdom has come? When Thy will is done on earth as it is in heaven, because God’s will is responded to immediately in heaven. Our mission is to build God’s kingdom on earth with the gifts that have been given to us by the Holy Spirit.
OK, so what are the two traps I mentioned are evident in this Scripture passage?
The first trap is what the apostles are doing, gazing up at the heavens? Now sometimes we need to do this. We pray, we meditate, we dream about what heaven will be like. There’s nothing wrong with that. In fact, this can encourage us to stay the course. But that is precisely what it should be doing, encouraging us to persevere. But sometimes that’s all people want to do, gaze up at the heavens. They want to spend all their time in prayer, and just focus on their personal relationship with Jesus, but never extend themselves to their neighbor. We cannot become so heavenly minded that we’re no earthly good. If we do that we don’t build the kingdom. Our spirituality becomes selfish. God does not give gifts in a vacuum. Gifts from God are meant to be shared.
The second trap comes from people who don’t believe the angel’s statement to the apostles, that Jesus was going to be coming back someday. They’re lazy about their prayer. They NEVER gaze up to heaven. They never consider eternal consequences, because they convince themselves they’ll have plenty of time for that God stuff later. They have the “good thief approach” to spirituality. “I’ll live the way I want, and make my confession on my deathbed, and then God will forgive me right?” Maybe, if your repentance is sincere. But remember nobody makes a fool of God. And do you really want to gamble that you’ll be able to make your confession before you die? What if you die unexpectedly?
Once while visiting a church, I saw a plaque in the sacristy. The plaque said, “Priest of God, celebrate this Mass as if it were your first Mass, as if it were your last Mass, as if it were your only Mass.” I think that’s good advice for all of us.
Children of God, live this day as it were your first day, as if it were your last day, as if it were your only day, because we will all ascend as Jesus did, to give an account to the Father of what we did to fulfill our mission.
And blessed be God forever.
Father Michael Anthony Sisco, Visitor
Confraternity of Penitents