Carmelite homily for Sunday, Ascension Day, May 24, 2020 – Lectionary 58 (Matthew 28:16-20)
Today we’re celebrating Ascension Sunday. Most dioceses in the United States move the Feast to today. And I like the depictions of the Ascension, like in old prayer books or the Old Masters, the Apostles are all looking up into the sky and there’s a cloud, and from the bottom of the cloud are sticking Jesus’ feet. The message is ‘he hasn’t left us completely’ or ‘we are to follow in his footsteps.’ He remains with us. That’s exactly what Saint Therese of Lisieux understands in this Feastday. She writes, “You returned to your realm of light, and still remain hidden here to nourish us in our vale of tears, with Holy Communion.” Yes, we celebrate Ascension – Jesus departing for heaven – but there’s a lot of Jesus remaining with us still. Jesus in each one of us; Jesus in our neighbor; Jesus in the Sacraments; Jesus nourishing us in Holy Communion. So it’s partial Ascension?
