Ascension

The Solemnity of the Ascension 2020 – Cycle A Acts 1:1-11; Psalm 47; Ephesians 1:17-23; Matthew 28:16-20

Anthropologists, poets and mythology have taught us that boys need to be made into men and only men can initiate boys into manhood.  This has happened for millennia through the passing on of tribal stories and survival techniques which benefit an entire tribe culminating often in scarring rituals to mark the transition from boyhood to manhood.  And this same transition is true for Christians.  Like a boy, a person must be made into a Christian.  The celebration of the Sacraments alone does not make a Christian.  Sacraments are expressions of and deepen the encounter with Jesus within the life, values and beliefs lived by a committed Christian.

This past Sunday I spoke to you about living in the in-between of the departures and arrivals of our lives.  One of the great in-betweens we live in as Christians is this period between Jesus’ Ascension into heaven and his Second Coming.

The Acts of the Apostles relate that after Jesus was taken up beyond their sight, the disciples were suddenly faced with two messengers asking, “Galileans! Why are you standing there looking up at the sky?”  It’s almost as if the messengers were saying, “Stop wasting time lollygagging around and get to work!” 

But what are we to be about during this in-between time?

Jesus’ instructions in today’s Gospel are clear and direct.  There are four tasks for every Christian: go, make, baptize and teach.  The Catholic Church has been good at going, baptizing and teaching but what about making? What does it mean to “make disciples”?

I expect it is similar to what it means in making – transitioning – a boy into a man.  It is first about having a particular world view and a corresponding life style which is unique to the group.  It means taking responsibility not only for yourself but for the larger community whose survival depends on the participation of every member.  It is the realization that you are part of a great tradition larger then yourself and that tradition needs to be passed on to the next generation.  Transitioning from a boy to a man entails knowing and living out the teachings and values of the ancient stories.  This making is a life-long endeavour.

In like manner making a disciple, a word which means “learner,” is introducing a person to the Jesus you have come to know and is a part of your life.  I am reminded of Andrew, who after following Jesus went to get his brother, Simon Peter and brought and introduced him to Jesus [John 1:40-42].  It’s all one on one service.

As an ancient Latin dictum teaches: “You cannot give what you do not have” [‘Nemo dat quod non habet’]. Which means that as men can only initiate boys into manhood only a committed disciple of Jesus can make a disciple of Jesus.  Without that commitment to Jesus, how can you walk the spiritual journey with another person who is hungry to discover, absorb, and develop a relationship with Jesus Christ?

Consider, are you and I Catholic or disciples of Jesus Christ?  The two are not in opposition to each other but do they coincide in each of our lives?

Are we hungry for Jesus’ word? Thus do we read and reflect regularly on sacred scripture?

Do we pattern our life after the life of Jesus as shown us in the Gospels? How do we respond to the stranger, the hungry and thirsty, the sick and imprisoned? In this lock down mode, to the lonely, the frustrated and the impatient?

Do we avail ourselves of the Sacraments of Reconciliation and each Sunday gather for the Eucharist so as to continue examining and reexamining our life against the example of Jesus and be nourished by his Body and Blood?

Parents and family members, do you pass this Christian life-style of prayer, service and worship to your children by your example because, and only because, you value, like Andrew, your own relationship with Jesus Christ?

For too long our Catholic experience has been that faith was primarily about learning.  And so we created Religious Education Programs, emphasis on ‘education,’ and they were only for young people.  In our society school is primarily for children and teens.  We were given ready-made answers but never taught to question and reflect.  But facts and answers are not a way of life, are they?  And what happened when you and I became an adult?  How often did all of that ‘learning’ stop? Have you ever asked yourself, why?

Being a disciple is a life-long endeavour.

It’s interesting to note that the Gospels record that Jesus only taught and told his parables to adults while he played with and blessed the children.

How did the forming of a relationship with Jesus, the making of a disciple, ever get turned into an education program? Why and how did Andrew’s bringing and introducing his brother to Jesus get totally turned upside down from this commitment to a relationship of a reflective adult to a children’s only experience?

You see for centuries the surrounding culture supported the Christian Church.  In fact the Church and society were considered one.  We called it Christendom, which often was not very Christ-like.  Thus we got away with not making disciples because the culture propped up our faith structure.  And then at some time in the past we changed the order of Jesus’ instructions to go, baptize, teach and then we presumed we had made a disciple. Now Christendom is long dead and the secular culture does not support religious faith of any kind, nor does it have to!  This is our message, our story, and way of life, not that of our contemporary culture.  In fact, the contemporary culture we live in is the “whom” we have been told we are to go.

If it were only your responsibility to form and make a disciple for Christ, could you?  Does our way of life, service to others and prayer life attract people?  Jesus has trusted us, in this in-between time, to continue his work of announcing the good news of the reign of God.

The Ascension of Jesus then is a departure but also a presence.  The presence of Jesus embodied in you and me empowered and supported by the Holy Spirit. We need to stop looking up at the heavens and get to work.

Are each of us up to the work of making disciples…the survival of the community depends on it.

[Ideas have been taken from Fr. James Mallon, Divine Renovation]

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PLEASE NOTE: Homilies presented here are also being videotaped and put up on the Saint Mary, Oneonta website: http://www.SMCCOneonta.org.