+ Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Ascension of Jesus into
heaven. This was a glorious day for Jesus – this was another in a
long string of somewhat confusing days for the disciples, now newly appointed
Apostles.
For Jesus, this meant the end
of his earthly sojourn – he had done completely and entirely what his Father
had asked him to do here in our world – and now he was going home. It would be
a new experience for him as Son of Man, but “old-home-week” as Son of God. He
must have been very excited!
The brand-new Apostles were
still scratching their heads wondering what it all could really mean. “He was just standing here talking to us – then he
went up into the air and disappeared. Where
did he go?” Even Jesus’ words assuring them that soon they would understand
everything, did not make them feel and better. They would do as he said – go back to Jerusalem – back to the Upper
Room (where they ate the Last Supper with him) and wait for this “promised gift of a Spirit, a Paraclete, an
Advocate, a Teacher of Truth!”
For us, this is an example of
how good things come to those who wait patiently for things to work out
according to God’s will and plan. If we truly believe that even the details are
in God’s hands – then we should be happy to wait – happy to go about our
ordinary business until it is time for some extraordinary things to happen.
When the Spirit visits – when
the Spirit comes – when the Spirit moves us in large ways – we know about it!
It is unmistakable. But he is also there in the small ways – in the blessed
details of our daily lives. In the ordinariness…in the monotony…in the routine!
For the next nine days (novem diem) we are invited, along with
the Apostles to enter into a novena (novem diem) in anticipation for the arrival of the Holy Spirit in
a powerful way. It might be a good idea to say some prayers asking God to
prepare our minds and hearts for this outpouring.
A novena time is an emptying
time – a time of cleaning house, spiritually – a time of repentance, sorrow and
conversion – a time of interior poverty, humility and obedience – so that all
of the benefits of the object of the novena can be had in their fullness –
producing a great abundance of gifts and graces.
And so we pray – Come, Holy Spirit – come now – and teach us
how to pray these next nine days – so that we can receive your Light, your Love
and your Healing – everything that you have to shower upon us – as never
before! Amen.
And, it would not be
presumptuous, nor out of line for us to begin praying for the same outpouring
of the Spirit, as fell on the Apostles and the 120 gathered with them – with
the accompanying Gifts of the Gift: among which is the use of a new spiritual
language to talk to God and he to us – where we do not understand what we are
saying, nor what he is saying to us, with our ears, but with hour minds,
hearts, and souls, we do “get the message” and we are equipped to do as God
wills, for the good of others and our own good! Amen.
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