Ascension: A Feast of Missioning
The Feast of the Ascension of Jesus into Heaven, a profound and mysterious event, is often perceived as the Feast of Missioning. It signifies Jesus’ Ascension to the Father and the unity of Father and Son, and it also holds another deep significance that resonates with our faith.
While it’s important to acknowledge the spiritual significance of Jesus’ Ascension, we must not overlook the practical implications of His last words. Jesus provides a clear roadmap for living as believers, stating, “These signs will accompany those who believe in my name; they will drive out demons and speak new languages. They will pick up serpents with their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them. They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” These are not mere words but a testament to our power as followers of Jesus.
I have been praying about what Jesus meant by those words. I am a believer, and I believe you are too. I don’t know about you, but I know I don’t drive out demons. I speak only one language. I wouldn’t pick up a serpent on a bet. And I am not lining up to prove my faith by drinking drain cleaner or any other poison. I cannot say I have ever healed anyone simply by touching them. So, what did Jesus mean? These were Jesus’ last words to His disciples. They are important. Jesus wants me, as a believer, to accomplish these tasks, but how? We believers will be recognized for these actions. Understanding and interpreting these words is a process, and the Holy Spirit guides us in our journey to understanding.
I sought meaning and direction as I prayed with this feast and these readings. In my prayer, Jesus whispered, “Be still, dear one; the answer is here. Be still and listen.” This is what I heard in the stillness.
When Jesus speaks of ‘driving out demons, He is not necessarily referring to literal exorcisms but to the act of conquering evil and replacing it with God’s love. We know that Evil is prevalent in our world, as It was in Jesus’ time. The Evil One is particularly active in the hearts of believers, tempting us away from God and into selfishness, negativity, lust, anger, and hopelessness. These vices weaken our faith and distance us from God.
When we refuse to succumb to the temptations of evil and help others to avoid those temptations, we are doing as Jesus asked. When we say, “No! My greed will not master me. I will be generous.” “No! I will not allow anger to control me and make the air surrounding me deadly to others.” “No! I will not slip into negativity and ascribe negative motivations to others.” We are casting out demons. As believers, we drive demons out of ourselves, others, and our world. We must harness the power God gave us and trust the gifts Jesus constantly renews in us through the Holy Spirit.
We all can speak many languages if we refuse to limit ourselves. We know the language of love, the language of forgiveness, the language of compassion, the language of gratitude, the language of hope. We are fluent in the languages of God. We can choose the languages of God to unify and forgive.
We are healers. Healers of the wounded spirit and the damaged soul. We may not cure cancer or make the lame walk or the blind see. The healing of the heart is our mission. We are called to follow the example of the Lord. Healing those wounded by life and society is the task set before us at the Ascension of Christ. It is a sacred trust handed to us by Jesus. Being healers requires not just actions but deep compassion and understanding of others and ourselves.
I am still not sure about picking up snakes or swallowing poison. Both are too daunting for me.
We pray for wisdom and courage to follow the mission handed on to us by Jesus when He ascended to His Father, and they together came to make a permanent home in our souls.
In God’s Unending Love,
Gwen
