Ascension...I Go Before You

~~~ Acts 1: 1-11 ~~~ Psalm 47 ~~~ Eph.1: 17-23 ~~~ Mark 16: 15-20 ~~~

Today we celebrate Ascension 'Thursday' Sunday. This feast was a holy day of obligation until it was changed to the Sunday before Pentecost so that more of the faithful could come to appreciate this feast. For many working people coming to Mass on a Thursday proved to be a hardship, that is no longer an issue.

So what is the Ascension about?

The Ascension is about God making good on his promise.

God promised to send the One would save us.

God promised to send the One who would show us the Way.

God promised to send the One was the Truth.

God promised to send the One who would be the Life.

God never makes empty promises. God always honors his promises.

God made a covenant with his chosen people...us, we were called by name.

God promised to prepare a place for us.

In fact he has prepared a place in heaven with many rooms.

After Jesus Ascended into heaven he opened wide the gates so that in time we too could follow him into heaven.

Jesus says, 'I go before you always'...popular lyrics in one of our hymns today.

"Be Not afraid, I go before you always..."

God sent Jesus to be one of us. He is our model in all things.

The Ascension is God drawing back to himself his beloved Son, whom he gave to us.

Jesus is our Savior...our teacher...the light of our world.

He came to show up the way to heaven.

God is love in all ways in all manners.

There is no greater love.

Those gathered to witness the Ascension were blessed with this vision that now becomes part of their legacy of faith for us who have come and will come afterward.

Our faith is built upon the faith of all those who have gone before us.

We therefore will be the ones for whom those who come after us will build their faith upon too. We become part of the family of believers.

Live like you Believe!

Someone is counting on your faith!