Fr Robert Hendrickson

Dear Friends in Christ,

Someone once described the Ascension as the ending worthy of the beginning. The beginning of the Gospel encounter with Jesus, at least his earthly ministry, begins with the Incarnation. Divinity comes to humanity. Divinity comes to the dwelling place prepared for him—among sheep and oxen and shepherds. The Ascension is not quite the reverse but it is a mirrored reflection.

His time with us showed the promised life to come. He healed those who couldn’t walk or see. He cast out evil spirits that held people captive. He raised to new life those who had fallen. He turned hardened hearts, soothed battered souls, and redeemed broken lives. He walked among the realities of our days until he met the cross-shaped reality of our capriciousness.

Then he comes back. He comes back to eat with his disciples. He comes back to tell them more of the promise to come. Standing before him he was the promise made manifest.

The people of Israel wanted a conqueror, a political and military leader who would throw off their occupiers. He simply gave them all that he could be. He lifted their hopes for Heaven and gave them a vision of a new Earth.

In our day, we long for political victories to rid us of the evils that are holding us captive. Our hardened hearts and battered souls and broken lives all need something more though. In his farewell discourse, as he prepares to leave them, he prays that we all might be one. He prays that we might love one another as he and the Father love one another.

That will be the true victory. He gives us a glimpse of the heavenly kingdom and then teaches us to pray that it may be on earth, here and now, as it is in heaven. To fortify us for that work he gives us our daily bread and forgives us our sins that we might learn to forgive. When that work is done, when we’ve learned to love and forgive such that this world is filled with his love, he promises that we will find the Kingdom opened for us.

His love is the promise made manifest. May we live his promise. May we work for the life, dignity, and humanity of each and every child of God. May our love offer the world a glimpse of the way, the truth, and the life—of the promise made and the promise kept—that calls us to be one in love.

That will be the ending worthy of the beginning.

Yours in Christ,

Fr Robert