Let me begin with a few questions. Would you vote for a candidate who had run for office two or three times and only brought in about 10% of the vote? Would you buy a new car from a company with the largest number of recalls in the last several years? Would you consider a weight loss program being sold by a person carrying an extra 150 pounds? I suspect you understand the issue. There is a genuine credibility gap in the three situations.
The readings the Church offers us on this Ascension Day have a singular theme: it is power. But there is a little difference. It is a power that given to us if we believe in Jesus.
The first reading, from the Acts of the Apostles, we are told by Jesus that when the Holy Spirit comes upon us we will receive a certain power. Then we hear words from the great tentmaker, St. Paul, who is selling what amounts to an insurance policy: "as followers of Jesus Christ our inheritance will provide us "the surpassing power of his power." Finally, in the gospel we Jesus instructs the apostles and us that he is sending us the promise of the Father ... "until you are clothed with power." These three "sales" to us about power are made by Jesus and St. Paul.
But think for a minute: why would you buy from them? We have been promised power by a man who did not provide any instructions on how we should go about getting this power. And those who were most of his closest contacts and associates faced violent death just for believing in him. Might this not be something of a credibility gap?
Let’s put credibility aside for a moment. Let’s presume this Jesus is trustworthy. Let’s believe that we will receive his power even though we don’t know how. Although he set up no organization with a corporate structure, his presence on this earth of ours has changed the lives of many people for many generations. So it seems his power has existed for two millennia and we can presume that it will be with us too. But what is that power?
The famous English Cardinal, John Henry Newman, to discover the power that Jesus speaks about existing in many people we have to look were it is not expected to be found. This power of Jesus is not usually found in people a generation may single out as most useful nor those who make the most noise in the world. "On the whole, if we would trace the hand of God in human affairs we must unlearn our admiration of the powerful and distinguished and turn our eyes to private life. God’s elect, weak as they are, are mighty through God, they have an influence in the world and help to bring about great events, when the wisdom and strength of the natural human are of no avail."
So, this great philosopher of modern times turns us to private life. There he says we can discover and experience the power Jesus offers us. That private life for Newman is in the most private part of our lives: our family life. For example, suppose everyone in the family were to make a pledge to be kind to one another without any harsh words for just one day. At the end of the day, make an examination of conscience to evaluate how we feel.
Most likely you will discover the simple effort to be kind, to be nice, has had a genuine impact upon us, ourselves. We will experience a genuine peace that will bring with is true happiness. We might want to try extending the experiment.
What has happened, if we buy into this power sales of Jesus, if we model ourselves and how we live on this life this man is selling us, what has happened is that we realize Jesus does not give us power OVER others but rather power IN the lives of others that brings about effects that might easily be said to approach the wondrous.
Today and every time we celebrate the Eucharist we witness that power Jesus is selling us. The reality, the purpose of the Eucharist for us is to become sharers in that power. It is the gift that God’s son is trying to give to us. And the cost? Simply this: a willingness and an effort to live the life of the gospels.
I thank Fr. Wilfred Theisen, a Benedictine priest at St. John University, Collegeville, Minnesota, for his insights into the readings for the feast of the Ascension. Some of the words in this reflection are directly from his writings.
Sunday, May 20, 2007
