Maturity
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Suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? - Acts 1:11
The feast of the Ascension is always on a Thursday, on the 40th day of Easter, or 39. days after Easter Sunday, but we also read about it the following Sunday, as we will this week.
I guess I’ll just say it right out - the Ascension is kind of a strange Holy Day. The Book of Acts tells the story. After many post-resurrection experiences with the risen Christ, he gathers his followers together one last time. Clearly the disciples think they’re finally going to get the roadmap for what is coming next. “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” I can almost hear the eagerness in their voices. The crucifixion was a terrible episode, yes, but here he is again and now things are going to get back on track - right?
But Jesus tells them it’s not for them to know the times or periods that God has set. But they’ll receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon them. And then in a rather hasty, boarding gate farewell kind of way, he says, “You’ll be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth! B-bye!” And then he is “lifted up,” and a cloud takes him out of their sight. And they’re all just left there, staring up into the sky.
Then two men dressed in white - angels of some sort - suddenly show up. They ask the disciples, “What are you just standing there looking up into the clouds for? Get moving! Jesus will be back!
It seems to me that the ascension story describes, in its weird way, a really important moment in the faith lives of all of us as disciples. It’s that moment when we go from being the ones who follow what we’re told is right, to the ones who make our own choices. It’s the moment when our faith moves from being a clear step by step instruction sheet to a vague map we can’t really see well enough to fully decipher. The ascension is a real growing up moment.
Peruvian theologian, Gustavo Gutiérrez, named the feast of the Ascension the “Feast of Christian Maturity.” It is a feast that not only marks that awkward moment of being left to do things on your own, whether or not you feel like you have the tools for it. It’s also a feast that reminds us that we are called not to just stand there looking up into the clouds like lost children. WE are called to be Jesus’ witnesses in our communities and world - doing the work Jesus showed those early disciples how to do. We’re called to be the body of Christ. The church. That takes not just sitting still but doing something.
And just like you don’t just suddenly become a full adult on your 18th birthday, you don’t mature as Christians as soon as Ascension Day rolls around, either. You’ve got to listen, learn, follow, weigh, study, pray and serve. Hopefully we continue to mature every day - no matter how old we get!
