Clergy Notes — The Ascension of our Lord, May 16, 2021

Christ has gone up on high, Alleluia!

The ascended Christ has taken his place at the Father’s right hand in the glory of heaven, bearing in his risen body our humanity, and the marks of his passion, the sign of his enduring self-giving love for us and for all creation. There Christ’s reign is fully present, the kingdom has come; here we look forward to that kingdom in joyful hope, praying daily – as he taught us – for its coming on earth, today, as it already is in heaven.

After the Ascension, the apostles and Mary, the mother of Jesus, waited in Jerusalem for Christ’s promised gift of the Spirit. So we with the whole Church pray in these days between Ascension and Pentecost for a fresh out-pouring of Holy Spirit, to refresh, restore and renew not only ourselves and the Church, but all creation.

As we take in the daily news, we see how desperately in need is our world, of healing, of peace and reconciliation, of a rebuilding of the sense of the family of humankind. Pandemic, wars, greed, “-isms” of one sort or another, abuse of the environment, beset us on every side. Today is Jerusalem Sunday in the Anglican Church of Canada: how fervently should we pray for the peace of Jerusalem, yet again a bloody battleground.

Pray this week then for openness to Holy Spirit, amongst those who take counsel for the nations of the earth, in the communities in whose lives we share, in the Church, and in ourselves. Moulded more closely to the likeness of Christ, may we have grace to reflect his light and his love to those amongst whom we live.

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful! Alleluia!

Fr. Kevin