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Not only is today (this weekend) the feast of the Ascension, but it is also Mother’s Day. So, before I begin the homily, I’d like to wish all moms here a very happy Mother’s Day. Thanks to you who have brought forth and nurtured new life with generous hearts, for which we are eternally grateful. Thank you for your patience, guidance, and sacrifice in fulfilling your calling as moms. So much of what you do is quiet and unnoticed by anyone except God. I hope you all enjoy a wonderful and well-deserved Mother’s Day.
Every year, when the feast of the Ascension rolls around, it reminds me of another event that will take place in a couple months at Incarnate Word. That moment is the first day of school, when families drop off their children and many of our younger students, perhaps because of nerves, or separation anxiety or just a love of sleeping in, will wail and grind their teeth as they are dropped off for the first day of classes. In their mind, this is the worst day of their entire existence. They will kick and scream, they will try to bargain with their parents and God not to go to school, and when all else fails, they will go limp and refuse to move, requiring some motivation from teachers and carpool drivers alike. This experience can be pretty tough for parents too. Seeing a child upset isn’t a great way to start the day but as long as they stick to the program and drop off their kids and go, things get better. Usually, within a week or so, these things get sorted out, and some of our most ardent protesters from the first day will be the ones who jump out of their cars, ready to go each morning. They soon learn that school is ok and that mom and dad were not trying to ruin their life by making them leave home and enter a classroom.
Like our young students, the Apostles weren’t happy about Jesus going away again.
-they had lost him once when he was crucified and died on the cross
-they were enjoying having him around after the resurrection as he appeared to them at different times and ate with them and taught them. Life seemed perfect and why mess with it?!
-They were still afraid and hiding from the Jewish authorities, uncertain of their fate if they told people they were followers of Christ.
-Jesus knows that he needs to leave them for their own good. He can’t hang around until they think they are ready because they will never feel like they are. The band-aid needs to be ripped off!
-When he leaves, it will make it possible for the Holy Spirit to transform them and allow the Church to grow.
-It will also enable Christ to be present to all of them always without the restriction of time and space. HE CAN BE EVERYWHERE!
-Finally, leaving the apostles and taking his place with his Father in heaven will allow Christ to glorify our human body.
-His ascension is a preview of what we will enjoy if we remain faithful during our time on earth. We will be empowered to move beyond the limits of this world and forever enjoy the company of God and his holy ones.
At the time, the apostles cannot appreciate this. They are focused on the here and now. They cannot see the bigger picture. In a few days, after they receive the gift of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, God’s wisdom will be revealed to them and they will be unstoppable.
-But none of this would have happened if Jesus hadn’t first left them at the Ascension and rejoined his heavenly father.
-Which sounds a lot like the wonderful people, especially our moms, who have formed us throughout our lives!
-How often have our moms made us do something we didn’t understand or like or want to do?
-How many times did we resent or second guess the “tough love” of our moms, thinking in our minds that they were out to get us?
-How often did we hear those words “trust me” or “you’ll be fine” and, despite our skepticism, things worked out?
-How many of us were sure our moms were crazy, old-fashioned, uncool sticks-in-the-mud, only to realize later that they actually were pretty wise and knew what they were doing?
-And just as Jesus makes the Apostles do something difficult and unpleasant, namely live without his physical presence, so they can enjoy something even better in the days to come, so too, we recognize that our moms have done the same for us. Putting up with our rebellions, tantrums, tears, and hurtful words so that down the road, we might be able to receive even better things than we could have chosen for ourselves.
Jesus also gives us the Catholic Church to protect, guide, and nurture our souls. In much the same way, the church exhorts us to live in a way that can be difficult and challenging. The Catholic Church wants what is best for us from the perspective of eternity and sometimes we resent that because our heads get stuck in the here and now, the stuff right in front of us.
Oftentimes, what we thought was foolishness and old-fashioned about our Faith, ends up being profoundly wise and beneficial as we mature and grow up and have our own families. The church’s teaching on marriage, the family, human life and dignity, sexuality and countless other things look all the way down the road to the glory of the ascension where Jesus has prepared a place for us to live with him forever. That reunion is the goal and purpose of everything our Church teaches.
So today, in a special way, we want to say a profound “thank you” for all those special people in our lives who saw beyond our immediate comfort to a greater good. We ask God for the grace of humility and trust, so we will continue to believe in the plan he has for our lives and our world, especially when we find ourselves in situations like the Ascension, where God says, “trust me, this is difficult now but something even greater will come because of it”! Last of all, we ask the Lord to increase our faith and help us to live in such a way that we can be reunited one day with him in heaven!
