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Greetings San Marco Church Family: This Sunday, May 17, is the last Sunday of the Eastertide season. We refer to it as Ascension Sunday. You will recall that when we recite the Apostles’ Creed, we state that Jesus “ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty….” Have you ever wondered why this is included in the Apostles’ Creed? I think it is a critically important and often overlooked aspect of our faith. When we reflect upon the life of Jesus, our faith teaches that God came to earth “in the flesh” in the person of Jesus Christ. God chose to take on all the limitations of being a human being when he came to us as Jesus. God modeled the perfect response to human power and conflict when he submitted to the cross, showing us that responding to hate with love is the better way. (And it is also the more difficult way). We celebrate Jesus’ physical resurrection at Easter, acknowledging God’s power over eternal life. The Ascension is celebrated 40 days after Easter Sunday, and in Acts we read that Jesus promised the disciples the power of the Holy Spirit in their lives just before he ascended. Recently, a writer quoted the poet John Donne who referred to the ascension as a “Holy Uprising”, emphasizing the revolutionary role that Jesus played in transforming our world. Through the ascension, we can visualize Jesus’ full reunification with God, reigning over the universe. Think of it as Jesus opening the gates of heaven so that we all get a glimpse of what God has planned for the world God loves. First we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, but then we celebrate the power of Jesus as Lord of the universe, recognizing that Jesus’ power and presence is unlimited. My prayer is that this understanding of the ascension reminds us of God’s love, presence, and power in our lives. While my message Sunday will not focus directly on the ascension, I wanted to share its significance for our faith, as we sometimes overlook it. I will be preaching Sunday on Jesus’ prayer for unity in John 17. The prayer is made all the more powerful when we envision Jesus fully reunited with God and actively praying for us and offering comfort through the power of the Holy Spirit. I encourage you to read John 17 prior to worship Sunday. The words of Jesus’ prayer offer encouragement to us all. Friends, I sincerely appreciate and depend upon your prayers for me and everyone involved in leadership at San Marco Church. We live one day at a time, trusting in God’s guidance. I have found that through prayer I am better able to live in the present instead of worrying about mistakes of the past or becoming anxious about the future. I look forward to seeing you all in worship Sunday! Steve Hart
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