11th May – Ascensiontide
Acts 1: 1-10
We have been recently privileged to have a holiday in South America. One of the highlights was to visit Rio de Janeiro and the statue of Christ the Redeemer. It was a grey misty day and the statue was shrouded in mist, but nevertheless we didn’t want to miss the opportunity of seeing this wonderful image of Christ as it towered over the city. We boarded the train which took us up Mount Corcovado, then walked to the summit via 200+ steps. All we could see was the bottom of Jesus’ garment. We had the same strange feeling that the disciples must have felt as they watched Jesus disappear into the cloud as he ascended. We were joined with dozens of other people of all nationalities. Suddenly, the cloud lifted and the whole of the statue was revealed. There were whoops of joy as Jesus’ face appeared, radiant in the sunlight, his arms stretching out to the world.
Last Thursday was Ascension Day when we remember that Jesus left this world to be with his Father, The disciples were left on their own to carry on the work that Jesus had begun with the promise that they would be given the gift of the Holy Spirit. ‘Don’t forget’, he said. ‘I am always with you, to the end of time’. As we stood there on the mountain top, the cloud descended once more and the statue disappeared from sight. I was reminded of Jesus’ words: “… and you will be my witnesses in Jesusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
What a wonderful promise, that he will be with us, no matter what the circumstances, the pain or the suffering, the evil or the anguish or the uncertainty of this life.
The language barrier didn’t matter as we gazed on the statue of Christ the Redeemer; it was a common, international experience. It did not matter that the statue was once again shrouded in mist. What does matter is that Jesus is with us all the time, in our hearts and in the faces of others, if we only look, for all eternity.
Hymn: StF 315 We sing the praise of Jesus
Prayer:
Risen and ascended Lord, we thank you for the glimpses of glory that you reveal to us. Help us to find you in all aspects of life and to keep our promise to spread your love to all those we meet, wherever we may go. Amen.
Ruth Parrott – CoChair North
