Ascending to the Father

Luke 24.44-53



44 Then he told them, 'This is what I meant when I said, while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses, in the Prophets and in the Psalms, was destined to be fulfilled.' 45 He then opened their minds to understand the scriptures, 46 and he said to them, 'So it is written that the Christ would suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 47 and that, in his name, repentance for the forgiveness of sins would be preached to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses to this. 49 'And now I am sending upon you what the Father has promised. Stay in the city, then, until you are clothed with the power from on high. 50 Then he took them out as far as the outskirts of Bethany, and raising his hands he blessed them. 51 Now as he blessed them, he withdrew from them and was carried up to heaven. 52 They worshipped him and then went back to Jerusalem full of joy; 53 and they were continually in the Temple praising God.



Homily from Dulverton Chapel



The 14 Stations of the Cross are familiar to us all. Less familiar, but complimentary, are the 14 Stations of the Resurrection. In some churches, during Eastertide, Stations of the Cross are removed and replaced with Stations of the Resurrection.



In the sequence of gospel events commemorated by these Resurrection Stations we arrive today at the 12th - The Risen Lord Ascends to the Father. On Sunday the 13th marks 'Waiting for the Holy Spirit in Prayer' whilst a week on Sunday, the 50th day of Easter, we reach the 14th and final Station - The Risen Lord Sends the Promised Spirit to the Disciples.



Our Lord's incarnate life has a beginning and an ending in time. It begins with the Annunciation and it ends with the Ascension. Both events are historical moments when the gap between earth and heaven is closed and the joy of heaven comes to earth.



Today we live in an age of materialism when it so easy to forget the benefits to be derived from looking upwards from earth to heaven. Many today suffer from spiritual short sightedness or even total spiritual blindness and live deprived lives devoid of the insights and inspiration derived from the prayer peep-hole into heaven. Looking heavenwards does not mean forgetting earth but rather is a resource for viewing earth in a new light.



Today, as Jesus ascends to the Father, he carries our humanity to the heart of God. In this context the value and potential of every human life is transformed. We are glorified with him.

No wonder those first disciples went back to Jerusalem 'full of joy'.

Risen Lord, you went ahead to prepare a place for us. The rightful place for the children of God is at the right hand of the Father. Our place there has been purchased by you. Let our eyes be fixed where there is eternal joy. A taste of paradise can change everything. As we look forward to the fullness of Easter that is yet to come, we commit ourselves to making the Resurrection present for every person and for humanity itself.