Then He led them out as far as Bethany, raised His hands and blessed them. As He blessed them, He parted from them and was taken up to heaven (Luke 24:50).
They could never have imagined a moment so dark, so void of light. Though he had foretold his demise, the pain cut deeply like a dagger thrust into their hearts. They believed he was sent by God to bring peace to the world. But in the end, he died a criminal’s death impaled on a cross, until his last breath of life was expelled as a warm mist.
Three days of hopelessness and despair followed. It was as if everything they had seen and believed was no more than a fantasy. Then on the third day, just as he had prophesized a miracle occurred. He rose from the grave conquering death and the cross. Jesus appeared to his followers at the tomb and again to his disciples as they walked along the road to Emmaus. But as quickly as he appeared he vanished, leaving them stunned and bewildered.
He returned on many other occasions in the subsequent 40 days. He reinforced Thomas’ doubts and granted Peter the gift of forgiveness on the seashore near Tiberias. But each time he showed himself, he soon departed. The ebb and flow of emotions by his followers must have been unfathomable. Joy upon his return, followed by fear and confusion when he vanished. As was the case in the very beginning, God’s ways are not always understood by man. The journeys the disciples would soon embark upon would be revealed to them in his time.
On the fortieth day after Jesus’ resurrection, in a house on the outskirts of Jerusalem, a man stood at an opened window. He was tall with the broad muscled shoulders and tanned face of a man who had spent his life laboring under the sun. His smoke-colored hair was thick, curling over his ears, and a black beard, twisted and gnarled, fell to his chest.
As was his habit he had been the first to awaken. It had been ingrained in him since he was a child learning his trade as a fisherman. That was a time and place that seemed so long ago now. In the room behind him he could hear muffled groans, and he turned to see the others begin to stir from their slumber. He watched the men gather their belongings preparing for whatever lay ahead.
Minutes later the eleven men assembled out onto the street where the Messiah was waiting. He was clad in a simple ashen robe with a crimson sash tied at his waist. He greeted his devoted followers, then led them down a narrow alley making their way out of the city toward Bethany. As they reached the base of the mountain known as Mount of Olivet, the grade grew steep and rocky, and they moved in single file behind their Master. They were approaching the top when Jesus stopped and turned toward them.
Their eyes were filled with anticipation. One of them asked, “Lord. Are you at this time going to restore the kingdom of Jerusalem?”
Jesus squinted into the morning sunlight. “It is not for you to know the time or season that the Father has established.” He replied, his dark mahogany eyes suddenly filled with sadness. “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you.”
With that, he stepped toward the crest and raised his palms into the air. A cold gust of wind suddenly swirled around them, and they covered their eyes from the blistering dust and pebbles.
At that moment, Jesus was lifted from the ground, his body drawn upward by a divine force into the white billowy clouds. Some of the disciples fell to their knees while others gasped, watching in disbelief as his face grew distant until he could be seen no more. When he was gone, the only sound that remained was the whisper of the breeze as it caressed the mountaintop.
The sun was high above the horizon now, and the clouds gleamed in the light like fine silver thread. Between them lay an azure sky as brilliant as the bluest sapphire, reminding Peter of the rich blue of the ocean and of the time when Jesus first beckoned him to follow. For a moment, his eyes moistened as he considered the challenges that lay before him. Was he worthy of leading this noble group of men, and would he be given the strength to endure? Then, sensing the inquisitive eyes of the others, he looked up at them.
One of the disciples asked. “What will become of us now?”
Peter studied their faces. Their eyes were filled with expectation, and for a moment words eluded him, and he felt a slight tinge of uncertainty. But as if a door was suddenly opened allowing light into a darkened room, he spoke.
“We will do what the Master taught us.” He paused. “We will carry his message across the world.”
And with that, the eleven made their way down the hill back to Jerusalem, each of them carrying a resolve in their hearts and the knowledge the Lord would always be with them.
Watching the Son of Man being lifted into the heavens must have triggered a flood of emotions beyond compare. They knew in their hearts he was fulfilling his prophecy, taking his spot at the right hand of the Father. But like any human witnessing such an epiphany, it would be easy to fall prey to fear and uncertainty.
But Scripture tells us, that after the ascension of their Savior, they rejoiced and returned to Jerusalem to spread the Gospel. In the first chapter of Acts, Jesus promised the Holy Spirit would descend upon them. That prediction came to fruition when the time of Pentecost arrived.
Suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong wind that filled the entire house. It appeared as tongues of fire that parted and came to rest on them (Acts 4:1).
After receiving the Holy Spirit, the apostles embarked on their journeys across the world spreading the Gospel. Each of them would encounter grave obstacles to their missions, as well as God-given miracles to facilitate their work. Stephen would be the first to be martyred and join Jesus in heaven. Most of the others faced a similar plight. They were stoned, imprisoned, or crucified like their Master. Yet it was the Holy Spirit that compelled them to sacrifice their lives for the one who had taught them so much.
I am reminded of a homily where our parish priest asked, “Do you know the difference between happiness and joy?” The congregation muttered quietly as they pondered the
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question. He went on to answer, “Happiness is often temporary. It’s the fleeting pleasure you derive from people, events, or things.”
“But joy is something that never leaves you. It is the presence of the Holy Spirit that lives in your heart despite the challenges you are faced with. Even in the darker moments, a part of God is always there.”
The same Holy Spirit that directed the steps of the disciples two thousand years ago, resides in each of us today. It is always there, even through adversity and suffering. And as it was in the beginning, he compels us to shine his light upon the world for others to see.
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‘Go therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always until the end of the age.’ (Matthew 28:19-20)
