Witnesses Who Look Up — Homily for Ascension Thursday

Happy Ascension Thursday! Today we look back on the past 6 weeks of Easter, rejoicing in the Resurrection of Our Lord, conquering sin and death, and look forward to Pentecost Sunday in 10 days where the Holy Spirit descends upon the apostles. But right now we look up as we celebrate Jesus being taken up to heaven who is continually at work for us. Although Jesus ascended into heaven, this does not mean He has left us. In fact, He is ever more so present to us.  

Imagine an 18 year old leaving home for the first time to go to college or moving out to someplace new, leaving behind family and friends and starting a new adventure. Although there is a physical absence of family and friends from back home at school, yet he knows they are still there. He also knows that if he’s going through a tough time or needs advice or support, he can always reach out to them and they will be there for him. It is the love in the relationship that makes that possible – the presence of the other even in the midst of absence. That is what the disciples of Jesus was coming to learn as Jesus ascended into heaven, that Jesus remains with them even as He returns to His Father. 

“You are witnesses” Jesus tells them as He prepares to return to the Father. Witnesses of all that He has done. Witnesses of His suffering and death. Witnesses of His resurrection. Witnesses of His love.  Not only this but Jesus tells them that He will send the promise of the Father to them – this we will come to see later as the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. “You are witnesses,” some of the final words Luke tells us Jesus says on earth. To be a witness means to have walked him and known him, and to share this with others. Jesus reminds them of who they are and in doing so, invites them to a deeper relationship with Him, even after He has gone to the Father for He will send the promise of the Father to them. In ascending and sending the spirit, Jesus remains with them. In the seeming absence of Christ in the world, He is present. And how we do know this? We are told the disciples returned to Jerusalem with great joy, praising God.  

“You are witnesses.” We are called to be witnesses, brothers and sisters. Witnesses to the love of God in our lives and in our world. Witnesses to the joy of the Resurrection, the joy of everlasting life. Witness to the joy that Jesus has won for us. We are called to remind those around us that Jesus has not left us. He is here! Like the disciples, we are here today, returning to the place of faith, the place of worship, praising God.  

Jesus has not left us, He’s right there in the tabernacle and in our hearts. In fact, in a few moments He will be made very present to us again on the altar. This Jesus who has ascended to heaven is present to us here and will never part from us. So, brothers and sisters, let us always rejoice in the presence of God in our lives and in doing so, bearing witness to Him who has called us.  

Shepherd of Life

“Jesus said:
“My sheep hear my voice;
I know them, and they follow me.
I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish.
No one can take them out of my hand.”

John 10:27-28

On the Fourth Sunday of Easter, the Church celebrates “Good Shepherd Sunday” because the Gospel we hear is about the Good Shepherd who has laid down His life for His sheep. This Good Shepherd who has been promised to the the people of Israel by the words of the Prophets is God Himself who has taken on human flesh to lead to paradise Himself, His people, His sheep. But, do the sheep hear His voice?

Jesus is the Good Shepherd who is Life itself. He laid down His life so that His sheep might come to have eternal life. Think about that for a second. They very Author of Life laid down His own life so that we might have His life! To someone without faith, this sounds stupid and absurd because it seemingly defies logic and reason, but to a sheep who has opened its ears to listen and its heart to receive, this is the most amazing truth ever because the sheep, something so seemingly insignificant is regarded by God as worthy of His own life. Brothers and sisters, that is how God regards us. Even in our weaknesses and sinfulness, we are loved by Him so much that warrants His giving over of His own life.

So, brothers and sisters, the Shepherd of Life, the Good Shepherd calls out to us today. Are our ears open? Are our hearts open? Do we help other sheep, perhaps even lost sheep open their ears and hearts? It is not enough that we hear the voice of the Good Shepherd. We must lead others to hear that voice too. There are so many voices out in the world that disguises to be a voice of the Good Shepherd — the voices of false pleasures, false goods, false truths, and false beauties. We must learn to discern well the voice of Our Good Shepherd who leads us only to life and never death. This path to life will include pain and suffering and the voice of the world will tell us that it is the path of death because of its trials. But we must listen closely and hear the true voice who says to us,

“Yes, there is suffering and pain. But I am with you. I have come to you to give you life, and I will be with you all the way and will lead you to the hand of my Father. Let your hearts not be troubled for I have already conquered sin and death. I am the Good Shepherd and you are my sheep and for you I have laid down my life. Let me raise you up with me for you have been raised to new life, a life that never ends, a life that is with me and my Father. Come to me.”

Seeing the Father

“Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with you for so long a time
and you still do not know me, Philip?
Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.
How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?’”

John 14:9

In response to Thomas’ question Jesus says, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” But Philip goes a step further and asks Jesus to show him the Father. Jesus does not give a straight answer but instead seems to be a little bit upset or frustrated, saying, “… and you still do not know me, Philip?” Way to go Philip! But of course Jesus does not stop there. He goes on to do what He always do — teach, explain, and accompany.

Jesus teaches the Apostles the relationship He has with the Father, and by extension their relationship with the Father. They can only have a relationship with the Father if they have one with the Lord for “no one comes to the Father except through me.” Although it seems as if Philip has not been an attentive follower of Jesus, but maybe that isn’t the entire story (I am not saying this just because I share the same name as the Apostle!). Why was it that Philip asked to see the Father? Perhaps he realized that to know the Father is essential and is necessary, and so in his immature zeal Philip asks Jesus to show them the Father. Jesus tells the apostles that whoever has seen Him has seen the Father, and that the Father is in Him and He in the Father. All that the Lord has done and said is from the Father, and so truly, whoever has seen and heard the Son, has seen and heard the Father too.

Our relationship with the Son and the Father is crucial, brothers and sisters. Only in having a personal relationship with the Father by being baptized in the Christ do we have salvation and have adoption as sons and daughters of God. Not only this but because of our relationship with the Father and the Son, God will do great things through us, not just the works Jesus has done but also “greater ones” than those. In seeing the Father and knowing Him by having a personal relationship with Him, we will truly be able to live freely for we will have known the way, the truth, and the life — Jesus Christ who walks with us, strengthens us, and saves us.