In the Gospel of John chapter 16, Jesus says, "In a little while you won’t see me, and then you will see me again" and the Apostles ask among themselves, for who dares to ask the Master? "What does he mean…. in a little while… where is he going?" In daily Mass on EWTN, as the priest talked, as he spoke, I added to his beautiful homily. I wrote…. ….
In a little while your grief will become joy. It has been 40 days since Easter. This was an unforgettable Easter. We couldn’t celebrate Holy Thursday, the Last Supper, Good Friday. I missed half of Lent. Easter was a day meant to bring Joy and Hope. "He is Risen." Not joyful for many who couldn’t be with loved ones in sickness, it was a time of heavy grief. We have not been able to hold hands and comfort each other in sickness and death. Bodies still lie in freezers, unburied. Funerals cannot occur in many places yet. Grief, sadness, and loneliness have stalked us and wrapped around us. St Therese of the Child Jesus promised she would shower us with roses and the patrons of EWTN have surrounded the altar in the small chapel where daily Mass is said with roses. A rose for each Rosary said for healing. Jesus asks us to look at the flowers of the field. Look at the flowers of Spring. They grow for the glory of God! They grow for us for whom this earth was created. God gave us a gift of hope in the beauty of nature. We must let God’s creation: stars, great oceans of daffodils and tulips, iris and orchid, small animals fill us with Joy! Sorrow walks with us, but beauty surrounds us. Look up. A bird lands on my bird feeder. Yesterday 3 birds hit the feeder at the same time! They swayed there, pecking at the seed reminding me, "gotta buy more seed." An orchid sways in the warm breeze. Ripples in the water of the canal behind the house indicate to me a mysterious life I can’t see, reminding me that I hope to follow to a mysterious life I can’t see, but I must hope for. Today in celebrating Ascension, 40 days after Easter, we learn that Jesus has gone to Heaven, to the Father Creator to prepare a place for us. Because I can’t see or understand what heaven is, I must believe in and listen to the Holy Spirit, sent by Christ to whisper to me that Christ is with us and he waits for us (another mystery!). As Communion is given in a small chapel on television with only a few celebrants, I am reminded to graft on to Jesus in Spirit and heart. I’m reminded, "have faith. Be joyful." "Joy is the most infallible sign of the presence of God." (Leon Bloy) In all the unbelievable meanness of our world, of politics and illness, I must be joyful.
Today is Ascension Thursday. 40 days ago, we celebrated Easter, at home, on our couches. Not in church. We celebrated the Resurrection and defeat of death. Easter reminds us to have joy over the defeat of death in the midst of sadness. Have Hope. Trust our Father has made us a heavenly home in the most perfect and beautiful place where tears and anger do not reside. When we come out of isolation we must use what we have learned in this time. Not the harsh political accusations, but the value of love and the value of life that must be honored. End hunger, end the poverty and wretched living conditions of our people (think of the poverty of the Navajo Nation). End abortion. End hate. "Behold I am with you always until the end of the age." Never permit me Lord to be separated from you. I know that my Redeemer lives." God bless us. Angels with us.