Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord

Then he led them out as far as Bethany, raised his hands, and blessed them. As he blessed them he parted from them and was taken up to heaven. They did him homage and then returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and they were continually in the temple praising God.

Luke’s gospel begins and ends in the temple. This is not only an effective literary device, but also a wonderful symbol for each of us to carry around in our hearts. Just as the disciples, we are called to continually praise God with great joy. No matter how difficult our lives might get, we should always strive to find the silver lining in the storms around us. This sense of optimism finds its source in our trust of God’s Divine Will and the firm belief that He loves and blesses us. We might not understand what blessings might come to us from our sufferings, but He always finds a way to make good come from even the darkest of circumstances. We just have to let go of our selfish perceptions and seek to look at the world through Jesus-colored glasses. When we do so, we are willing to sacrifice our goods for God and others, even to the point of suffering our own crosses, persecutions, and even deaths.

Do we give Jesus homage for all he has done for us? Do we keep our eyes open to the silver lining in our lives and the great joy that can come even in the midst of suffering? What can we do to place more trust in God?

O Lord, we praise you for all your blessings.

Amen.