Ascension
What Goes Up, Must Come Back!
Today, May 18, 2007, is Ascension Day, the 40th day after Easter. It is a day not much noted among many Protestant Christian. It has been a bit of time since Easter, and the excitement of Easter, if not the Easter message of God's eternal life-giving love, has evened out a bit. What does the Ascension mean? In the Acts 1 story, the disciples are given final instructions to go and wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit. They have asked Jesus when the Kingdom will come. He tells them it is not for them to know, but they will be empowered to proclaim the Gospel to the world as witnesses in Jerusalem and to the ends of the earth. But, for the moment, they must wait for the power of the Spirit to come upon them.
This waiting is offset by the fact that, as Jesus ascends, the men are standing and gazing into the heavens. Why would'nt they be, that is a sight you don't see every day. Some "men", who appear to be angelic figures, tell them to stop gazing into heaven, for Jesus will come back. Until he does, Jesus has given them something to do. The implication is that they are to quit hanging around and do what Jesus told them! As I said, for the time being that something was wait. The season of Easter to Pentecost has the 10 days in it from Ascension Thursday to Pentecost Sunday called in some churches "Ascensiontide". It is shorter but is similar to Advent, a period of waiting. When Pentecost comes the church will be empowered by the Holy Spirit in the Acts story. Until then what Jesus commands is to wait.
That is hard for me and probably for a lot of American Christians. There seem to be two tendencies in American Christian spirituality, one is to totally stand and gaze at the heavens, and the other is some for of activism that distrusts any waiting as spiritual escapism. The spiritual formation movement can fall into quietism, which is not its goal. Quietism is a highly individualistic form of spirituality that makes the disciple feel good through various prayer and meditation disciplines, but makes the spiritual experience of peace and union with God the goal of faith. It often does not translate into living the gospel. None of the monastic, or Protestant Christians, who lead this movement advocate that, they say it is tendency to be guarded against. Other forms of this are more evangelical, obsession with heaven to the exclusion of discipleship on earth is a form. It often does not translate into the nitty gritty of following Jesus. The resurrection of Jesus gives us eternal life, but also makes possible discipleship, loving God and neighbor, on earth. It is a very active life. Withdrawal from presence in the world is not the goal of Christ for us.
Activism has both conservative and liberal forms, usually in the political arena. It may express itself in service ministries to the poor and needy. It may be politically involved. It often has a suspicion of meditation and prayer as taking energy away from the desperate need for Christian activity. It follows Jesus, but denies the fuel necessary, prayer and meditation, to avoid despair and burn out. A lot of these kind of Christians leave ministry maybe the faith, because they believe in change and don't see it quick enough.
Ascension to Pentecost remind us that there is, as I have said before, a flow to Christian life. We are called and commanded at times to wait and receive power. We are called at other times to out in the power of God to witness in word and deed in the church and the political arena and the world at large. This flow can be done at the same time in our lives. Right now I feel in a growing active spiritual phase, but other areas of my life are still and waiting. Sometimes in our lives we are in a more active and others in a more waiting period. The trick is to know that "this same Jesus" who ascended into heaven, will come again. It does not all rest on our effort and accomplishment. It takes the quiet to give that perspective in our action as witnesses.
So, where are you, as a Christian. Do you need more time for prayer and meditation? You may tell me you don't have that time, but most of us are busy. Can we not find time when commuting from place to place to pray and reflect, even though we should not zone out when driving! I have found that one way helpful in expanding my prayer. It can be done it is a matter of habit formation. On the other hand, what areas of your Christian life are calling you to action? That, too, is an important question. Jesus has ascended, we are called to periods of waiting and action. Where are you on this "grid".
Peace in the Risen Lord,
Jim
What Goes Up, Must Come Back!
Today, May 18, 2007, is Ascension Day, the 40th day after Easter. It is a day not much noted among many Protestant Christian. It has been a bit of time since Easter, and the excitement of Easter, if not the Easter message of God's eternal life-giving love, has evened out a bit. What does the Ascension mean? In the Acts 1 story, the disciples are given final instructions to go and wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit. They have asked Jesus when the Kingdom will come. He tells them it is not for them to know, but they will be empowered to proclaim the Gospel to the world as witnesses in Jerusalem and to the ends of the earth. But, for the moment, they must wait for the power of the Spirit to come upon them.
This waiting is offset by the fact that, as Jesus ascends, the men are standing and gazing into the heavens. Why would'nt they be, that is a sight you don't see every day. Some "men", who appear to be angelic figures, tell them to stop gazing into heaven, for Jesus will come back. Until he does, Jesus has given them something to do. The implication is that they are to quit hanging around and do what Jesus told them! As I said, for the time being that something was wait. The season of Easter to Pentecost has the 10 days in it from Ascension Thursday to Pentecost Sunday called in some churches "Ascensiontide". It is shorter but is similar to Advent, a period of waiting. When Pentecost comes the church will be empowered by the Holy Spirit in the Acts story. Until then what Jesus commands is to wait.
That is hard for me and probably for a lot of American Christians. There seem to be two tendencies in American Christian spirituality, one is to totally stand and gaze at the heavens, and the other is some for of activism that distrusts any waiting as spiritual escapism. The spiritual formation movement can fall into quietism, which is not its goal. Quietism is a highly individualistic form of spirituality that makes the disciple feel good through various prayer and meditation disciplines, but makes the spiritual experience of peace and union with God the goal of faith. It often does not translate into living the gospel. None of the monastic, or Protestant Christians, who lead this movement advocate that, they say it is tendency to be guarded against. Other forms of this are more evangelical, obsession with heaven to the exclusion of discipleship on earth is a form. It often does not translate into the nitty gritty of following Jesus. The resurrection of Jesus gives us eternal life, but also makes possible discipleship, loving God and neighbor, on earth. It is a very active life. Withdrawal from presence in the world is not the goal of Christ for us.
Activism has both conservative and liberal forms, usually in the political arena. It may express itself in service ministries to the poor and needy. It may be politically involved. It often has a suspicion of meditation and prayer as taking energy away from the desperate need for Christian activity. It follows Jesus, but denies the fuel necessary, prayer and meditation, to avoid despair and burn out. A lot of these kind of Christians leave ministry maybe the faith, because they believe in change and don't see it quick enough.
Ascension to Pentecost remind us that there is, as I have said before, a flow to Christian life. We are called and commanded at times to wait and receive power. We are called at other times to out in the power of God to witness in word and deed in the church and the political arena and the world at large. This flow can be done at the same time in our lives. Right now I feel in a growing active spiritual phase, but other areas of my life are still and waiting. Sometimes in our lives we are in a more active and others in a more waiting period. The trick is to know that "this same Jesus" who ascended into heaven, will come again. It does not all rest on our effort and accomplishment. It takes the quiet to give that perspective in our action as witnesses.
So, where are you, as a Christian. Do you need more time for prayer and meditation? You may tell me you don't have that time, but most of us are busy. Can we not find time when commuting from place to place to pray and reflect, even though we should not zone out when driving! I have found that one way helpful in expanding my prayer. It can be done it is a matter of habit formation. On the other hand, what areas of your Christian life are calling you to action? That, too, is an important question. Jesus has ascended, we are called to periods of waiting and action. Where are you on this "grid".
Peace in the Risen Lord,
Jim
posted by Theoblogger at
10:47 AM
