"Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow" May 14, 2021

As we mark and celebrate the Ascension of the Lord, the saying, ‘all good things come to an end’ never sounded more suitable and appropriate. Just before the passion and suffering of Jesus, his friends and followers saw Him being betrayed, denied, and condemned. They stood at a distance and watched Him die a very public and humiliating death. Some of them even deserted Him. When they were told by some of the others that they had seen the Lord, they refused to believe them; they doubted. In fact, most of them doubted.

Eventually, after seeing the risen Lord for them themselves several times, they believed that He had indeed risen from the dead. And now Jesus is preparing them for His departure and His return to heaven. They thought they had lost Jesus once when He died; now they must face the reality of life without Him again. Jesus is leaving them, but He is not leaving them alone. He is not deserting or abandoning them. In fact, He is going to be with them in a very personal and intimate way for ever. Jesus told His followers that He would give them another Advocate to be with them forever, the Spirit of truth. Through this Spirit, Jesus will be with them and us forever.

Before Jesus takes His leave of them, He passes on and entrusts them with the responsibility of carrying on His mission of proclaiming the good news of the Gospel and of establishing the kingdom of God. This ordinary group of men and women are the ones who were chosen by Jesus to be the heralds and witnesses of the resurrection. Through their words and actions, the world will know that Jesus is alive and more alive and present that ever He was. As Jesus’ earthly life ends, theirs and our mission and ministry begin.

Today that responsibility now belongs to us. The first friends and followers of Jesus are our ancestors, and we are their descendants. It is now up to each of us to carry on the mission and ministry of Jesus. Through us today, the world will know that Jesus is alive, present, and active in our world. As Pope Francis says to each of us, “every Christian is a missionary to the extent that they have experienced the love of God in Jesus.”

Even though we are celebrating the Ascension of Jesus, He has not left, deserted, or abandoned us. He is with us when we gather to “break bread” with each other. He is with us when we reach out to help and support each other. These are the signs that Jesus is in us and with us, today and forever.

The Apostles were asked to develop and grow in the theological virtue of Hope. The Solemnity of the Ascension is commonly referred to as the Miracle of Hope. The Holy Spirit would infuse their very souls, taking away their fear and transforming them into stronger, holier, and more peaceful people; sending them forth to preach the Gospel of Christ with fidelity and constancy. We all have been going through a very trialed and complicated time, but Easter and the Feast of the Ascension are reminding us that the Lord has not abandoned us. He is promising us that with the Sacramental Life of the Catholic Church, we will rise from this trial stronger – a Catholic filled with the Theological Virtues of Faith, Hope, and Love. During this very sacred and grace-filled time, the Lord is asking us to place all of our Hope in His Promise – that He will send the Holy Spirit to be our consoler and healer, opening our hearts to become the very presence of the Risen Lord, showing everyone in our lives that with God all things are possible!

Fr. Robert T. Cooper, Pastor
Divine Mercy Parish and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton School