Towards the Ascension

John 16:20 Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy.

The story is told of a mum who would take her son to nursery school, kiss him goodbye and would always say to him "Darling, I’m leaving you in good hands, OK?" She will do this every day she took her son to school.

When the son was of age and mum was quite old and now experiencing dementia, the son took his dear mum to a care home. As he said goodbye, he remembered the words of his mum when he was quite young; he then kissed her and said, "Mum I’m leaving you in good hands." His mum who could hardly remember things now because of dementia, held on to his son’s hands and tears started streaming down her eyes; she remembered her own very words years ago.

Charles Wesley  contemplating the Ascension points us to the importance of a changed heart in order to see and experience Jesus’s power, rising above every human limitations and lockdown, “Hail the day that sees him rise, Alleluia!, to his throne beyond the skies, Alleluia, Christ, the Lamb for sinners given, Alleluia!, enters now the highest heaven, Alleluia!.”

Leonardo da Vinci had started to work on a large canvas in his studio. For a while he worked at it – choosing the subject, planning the perspective, sketching the outline, applying the colours, with his own inimitable genius. Then suddenly he stopped working on it. Summoning one of his talented students, the master invited him to complete the work. The horrified student protested that he was both unworthy and unable to complete the great painting, which his master had begun. But da Vinci silenced him. “Will not what I have done inspire you to do your best?”

Jesus our Master began to spread the Good News two thousand years ago, by what he said and did, but supremely, by what he suffered. He illustrated his message and he has left us to finish the picture. Will his life not inspire us to finish the picture? This is the message of the Ascension.

Almighty God,

as we prepare to worship today,

we ask that you will stretch our imaginations

to sense the majesty and mystery of your ascension.

Help us perceive how Jesus' presence in heaven

can give us confidence in our praying

and hope for the future.

Through Jesus, our Lord. Amen.