Feast of the Ascension 12 May 2024 Living in Heaven
Today, we mark Our Lord’s Ascension into glory. He rose from the tomb, which was one triumph. Then He rises to Heaven, to complete that triumph over sin, death, and corruption. He had to leave this earth because His true home is in Heaven. From there He can direct us to make the best of every situation here on earth. But we also are not meant to stay here forever.
The best way to prepare for Heaven is to live like we are already there, in our attitudes and inclinations, reflecting heavenly values.
We can be already living in heaven in our minds and hearts. If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth (Colossians 3,1-2).
Seek the things that are above. This does not mean we abandon practical concerns, becoming absent-minded.
In fact it should mean we are more alert because we will be operating at a higher level of energy and commitment.
If we have the right understanding of matters we will be practical and useful.
The same could be said for immediate tasks or one’s whole approach to life.
It makes a great deal of difference if we have an idea of the purpose of our lives.
Many do not think there is any overall purpose to life; for them it is just a matter of making the best of it. Oh well, we are here, so here goes.
This leads to some very arbitrary approaches to what is right or wrong. Who can say what is what if we have no God, no overall authority?
But we, as Christians, have a very clear purpose for being here, We are here to know, love and serve God, expressing this love in the way we live especially as regards charity, and all related qualities.
Living without God will lead to a distorted view of life and many wrong decisions will come from that.
This life is an exile but if we know where our true home is the exile becomes a lot easier.
We can attend to all our earthly concerns at the same time as seeking the will of God in all things, even as to our thoughts.
The will of God directs us to love our neighbours, forgive our enemies, to be charitable and merciful to all comers, helping others to carry their burden whenever we can.
We avoid false attachments, and disordered desires, which will be offered to us as sources of happiness, but they are ‘forbidden fruit’.
The life of a disciple of Christ requires discipline, good order, restraint - which might sound unappealing, but it leads to happiness in this life.
This is living already in Heaven, where our hearts and minds have achieved some degree of possession.
We live earthly life by heavenly laws, and this brings great peace to the one who does that, as well as going a long way to healing the whole world.
Jesus has gone before us in all things, all the processes of this life, and then preparing that final dwelling place, His true home, and ours too because we are one with Him.
He has not really gone away from us insofar as we have His presence in the Eucharist, and in His word, and His many answers to prayer which we make to Him.
And next Sunday we re-live His return with the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.
So as He says, He does not leave us orphans (Jn 14,18). We just need His help to navigate our way to our eternal home.
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