Thought for the Day, 25 May 2006

The Rev. Joel Edwards

Today is Ascension Day. It is one of the most memorable moments of the Christian faith: a foundation stone for over 2 billion people who inhabit two thousand years of Christian faith expressed in the great Creed of the church, "the third day he rose again from the dead, he ascended into a heaven and sits on the right hand of God..."

Some forty days after his resurrection Jesus took his most intimate followers to the Mount of Olives overlooking Jerusalem for final instructions about their future work. "When the Holy Spirit comes upon you", he said, "You will be my witnesses." At which point he was taken up towards heaven shrouded by a cloud.

The image of the material body of Jesus 'beamed up' before their very eyes may be as hard for our rational minds today as it was for those mesmerised missionaries on the hill top. And it was made no easier by the angels who appeared declaring that that same Jesus would one day return to the planet.

The Ascension was as astounding as it was incredible.

But perhaps, even more astounding was the fact that such an unimaginably global task was to be left to a handful of frightened and disorientated men. Christians like myself who stake our faith in the historicity of this day, are energised, not just by the power of the story, but by the durability of the mission.

Christians are called to be witnesses to the resurrection and the entire story of redemption. And through the Church and its mission Jesus remains engaged in our world.

Recently, I attended a meeting at which the Archbishop of Canterbury was asked what he thought were some of the most important contemporary issues for Christian witness today. His answer was chillingly relevant: "the environment and Africa" he said.

You may have heard David Attenborough's moving interview yesterday about his growing concern for the environment. And everyday Africa - the symbol of our corporate poverty- is held before us in the news.

Christians who truly see the world from the perspective of the Cross, Resurrection and Ascension are impaled to world events by that commission from the hill top. Genocide, poverty, knife amnesties and the desperate single mum are all on the Ascension agenda.

When that great missionary Mother Teresa was asked where she might see Jesus today she said, "I see Jesus in the eyes of the poor." For in the Ascension Jesus has gone up but he hasn't gone away.