Little Known, But Not Lesser

The Easter Season is full of what the Church traditionally has called "mystagogy" - explorations of the mystery of the Church. We talk about a great many things during the Easter Season - the experiences the disciples had meeting the risen Jesus, what life is like for Peter and Paul as they begin create the foundations of what becomes the Church, etc. We talk about Baptism and what it means to be born again in Jesus through water. But we tend to skip right over Ascension.

Ascension Day falls on the 40th day after Easter and the actual day was last Thursday. But today is "Ascension Sunday" on the United Methodist calendar. On Ascension, we celebrate Jesus taking his place "at the right hand of the Father." Jesus in his risen, but still human form, ascends to Heaven to be with God. This reminds us that we, too, will rise to be with God one day.

One Jesus has ascended, a new era begins for the people of God. Ten days later, as Jesus promised, he sends his Spirit to the disciples on Pentecost (next Sunday, May 23rd), and the Church as we know it, is born. Pentecost is a major Christian feast day, as important as Christmas and Easter. At Pentecost, we are empowered to go and live out our baptismal ministry to "go and make disciples of all the nations. (Matthew 20:18).

All of the feast days of the Christian liturgical year remind us of God's plan of salvation for us. Celebrating them as they come around on the liturgical calendar helps us remember our place in God's Story. Celebrating them together as a congregation and as families helps us to understand the very important work God has given human beings in transforming and re-creating the world to be as God intended it!

Faithfully,
Elizabeth