Ascension Day

Ascension Day

“Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’”—Matthew 28:16-20.

Ascension Window St. Thomas Menasha

Today, we celebrate the little-known Feast Day of the Ascension of Jesus to Heaven, 40 days after Easter. Barbara Crafton1 describes this as the feast of the “simultaneous presence and absence of Christ.”

Charles Chatham,2 a former priest at St. Mark’s, reminds us that the New Testament scholar Raymond Brown coined this helpful phrase about the Ascension: “the presence of the absent Jesus.”

There is an absence of the physical body of Christ, but in some mysterious way, he is still with us, inside of us, beside us, and inside our neighbors as well.

Barbara Brown Taylor3 often writes about our wanting to feel the presence of Jesus. We think he is absent. She tells us we should look around us instead of looking up to heaven. Look in our neighbors. Look inside of ourselves. Jesus is still here. Remember how God cared for us in the past. God has never abandoned us.

We know that the Ascension means Jesus took part of the world’s humanity to be forever part of God, the Holy. But Taylor describes the Ascension as if Jesus not only ascended but exploded, with the holiness once concentrated in him alone flying everywhere, far and wide, with the seeds of heaven now sown in all the fields of the earth at that time and in the future. The body of Christ is not somewhere beyond our telescopes but here, beside, and inside of us.

We weekly celebrate this presence in the Eucharist. Christ’s presence is still with us, “always to the end of the age,” Mathew tells us. Jesus also promises that soon, in ten days, we will celebrate the promise of the presence of the Holy Spirit within each of us at the Feast Day of Pentecost.

Both feast days are a mystery.

Kate Alexander4 at Christ Church gives us a prayer attributed to the 16th-century Spanish mystic Carmelite nun Teresa of Avila, which may help explain what so many are trying to tell us:

“God of love, help us to remember

That Christ has no body now on earth but ours,

No hands but ours, no feet but ours.

Ours are the eyes to see the needs of the world.

Ours are the hands with which to bless everyone now.

Ours are the feet with which he is to go about doing good,

Ours are the eyes with which he looks

Compassion on this world. Amen.”

1Barbara Crafton, “Ascension,” Almost Daily Email from Geranium Farm, 2004.

2 Charles Chatham, “Presence of the Absent Jesus,” in Thinking Faith #172, 2012.

3Barbara Brown Taylor, “Looking Up to Heaven,” Gospel Medicine, pp. 72-78.

4 The Rev. Kate Alexander, “Feast of the Ascension, Year B,” Christ Church, Little Rock, May 21, 2009.

Joanna Seibert https://www.joannaseibert.com/

Bless you for supporting the ministry of our church and conference center, Camp Mitchell, on top of Petit Jean Mountain, by buying this book in the daily series of writings for the liturgical year, A Daily Spiritual Rx for Lent and Easter. If you like this book, could you briefly write a recommendation on its page on Amazon? More thank-yous than I can say!!!

Celtic Spirituality and Nature

Celtic Spirituality and Nature.

"There is no creature on the earth

There is no life in the sea

But proclaims your goodness.

There is no bird on the wing

There is no star in the sky

There is nothing beneath the sun

But is full of your blessing.

Lighten my understanding

Of your presence all around, O Christ

Kindle my will

      to be caring for Creation."—Phillip Newell, "Wednesday Morning" in Celtic Prayers from Iona: The Heart of Celtic Spirituality (Paulist Press, 1997).

sunset Arkansas River Trail. Hoke

The late Native American producer and musician Jim Wilson recorded the chirping sounds of crickets at regular and slowed-down speeds, which is said to match "the average lifespan of humans." In the slowed-down version, the crickets seem to sing Alleluias. (https://youtu.be/jk5gibBg-4g)  

It is an impressive sound of praise from nature. Unfortunately, to my knowledge, no one else has reproduced the sound so that it might be manipulated in some way. Nevertheless, I often listen to the crickets' recording, hearing an angelic chorus outside in the night sky.

There is no doubt that birds, especially in the early morning, seem to sing a new oratorio to Creation each day as the sun comes up.

The stars at night are like fireworks from millions of miles away, reminding us of a spectacle beyond our comprehension.

The waves in the ocean are like a percussion instrument that keeps us aware of Creation's constant, steady heartbeat—sometimes crashing like cymbals, occasionally tinkling softly like the ring of a triangle.

 I also hear from so many pet owners that they have experienced unconditional love for the first time from their pets, especially from dogs.

The love and praise of God are all around us, especially in nature. Listen for it

The pandemic was a time for listening and looking, while the noise and lights outside of nature were considerably less. They are returning. Consider this a respite for our lives, even for brief periods. It has been a gift of significant cost, so treasure each moment, each second, and remember those who gave and are still giving up their lives.

Remember that whatever we do to stay healthy and safe, hearing the crickets and watching the Milky Way can always calm our bodies and bring wellness.

Joanna https://www.joannaseibert.com/

Praying in Color

Praying in Color 

“Here are some reasons to Pray in Color:

1) You want to pray, but words escape you.

2) Sitting still and staying focused in prayer are a challenge.

3) Your body wants to be part of your prayer.

4) You want to hang out with God, but don’t know how.

5) Listening to God feels like an impossible task.

6) Your mind wanders, and your body complains.

7) You want a visual, concrete way to pray.

8) You need a new way to pray.”—Sybil MacBeth in Praying in Color: Drawing a New Path to God (Paraclete Press, 2007).

Gifted speaker and retreat leader Sybil MacBeth takes our prayer life from the left to the right brain. This type of prayer is especially easy for doodlers. It can initially be painful to those who theoretically live out of their left brain—those who are more verbal, orderly, logical, analytical, and methodical thinkers. But praying in color can take that person into a new world of prayer. Those who are more right-brained, creative, imaginative, and artistic will rejoice that they can find a new method of praying that validates who they are.

Sybil offers a multitude of ways to use this kind of prayer: as intercessory prayer, as an Advent prayer calendar, as a way to memorize Scripture, as meditative prayer centered around a word or phrase, as a method for Lectio divina, as discernment, and many more. We start with a simple shape, put a name or word within it, and pray as we add, decorate, expand, or connect parts to the central figure. This adventure in prayer is recommended for the logical person who is stuck and the artistic person whose prayer life seems dry and colorless.

If you are exploring new forms of prayer, Praying in Color is a gift from Sybil MacBeth to us.

GRATITUDE

Joanna. https://www.joannaseibert.com/