13 May 2018
Seventh Sunday of Easter
In most dioceses of the United States the feast of the Ascension has been moved to Sunday. Usually set sometime within graduations, weddings, and opening the cabin (if you are from Wisconsin or Minnesota), the feast of the Ascension usually gets short shrift. And of course, the idea of the Ascension can be, at times, a bit confusing. Jesus left us so he can come back? Wouldn’t it been easier on the mileage to save a trip and get the job down at once? The Ascension stands as one of the important episodes in the complete narrative of God’s creation and His association with the human race. The invitation to participate in the fullness of God’s love and the desire that this Good News be spread by those to whom this this gift has been given has always been an important part of salvation history, particularly after the coming of Christ. Perhaps one of the more important aspects of the Ascension is the realization of the obligation, duty, and yes, the privilege of working with Christ to bring people to this great gift.
Successful companies have a identified a means for promoting their companies: Provide a clear goal and provide the means and the animation for the employees to achieve this goal. Christ gave us both, in the identification of our goal as union with God, as St. Ignatius clearly states in the First Principle and Foundation, and the means (as Ignatius so clearly defended) was through the church which will celebrate at Pentecost. The Ascension was not so much a departure but rather the call to partnership with Christ in helping humanity move towards its fullest potential—Union with God.