During his time on earth, Jesus met and talked to many people. Some of those meetings were private; others were public, and had far-reaching effects. Some were both. For example, Jesus turned water into wine for the sake of a young bride and groom who were not too good on planning. But that wine was enjoyed by dozens of their guests. On another occasion, Jesus asked a young boy if he could have his basket of loaves and fishes. Jesus blessed those few pieces of food, and shared them with thousands. So also our small actions of love can end up touching not just one person, but can reach a multitude of others, often in ways that we may never hear about. Such is the power of the Spirit.
Twenty years ago, the Ford Foundation commissioned a study to find out what people living in the United States considered as values. One thing that didn’t make the list was a sense of the common good. People were usually very enthusiastic about their own particular group, and excited about particular causes, but overall, they lacked a sense that what was good for one might well be good for everybody. The study group published a paper entitled The Common Good. In that paper, the group concluded, “… that we must stop pitting one group against another. We believe that if an unmet need is effectively addressed, we all benefit; not just those who have that need at that particular time. Similarly, if that need is neglected, and problems fester, we all pay.”
Two thousand years ago, God commissioned a similar study, and got essentially the same results – a world more concerned with individual greed than individual caring. God’s solution was to send Jesus into the world, to pour a caring spirit into the hearts of those who would follow him. He gave them instructions: “Go into the whole world, and speak new languages of common decency. Lay hands on the sick, and teach them to love their neighbor. Drive out demons of discrimination, hatred, and jealousy. Live in a manner worthy of the call you have received.”
When Jesus ascended into heaven, as we hear in the first reading today, there were two figures present, who told the disciples, “Why are you standing there looking at the sky? Don’t just stand there looking up; start looking out. Go into the world; get on with the business of using the gifts Jesus has given you.” Those two figures address us, as well. They urge us to be about the business of living for the good of all. We need not worry about the language we speak. Everyone understands the common language of compassion, patience, and forgiveness. Today Jesus asks us to move from our “me, my, mine” mode into a mode of “we, us, ours.”
Some five hundred years ago St. Teresa of Avila wrote a text which is fitting for today. She said, “Christ has no body but yours; no hands, no feet on earth but yours. Yours are the eyes with which he looks compassionately on this world. Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good. Yours are the hands with which he blesses all the world. Christ has no body now on earth but yours.” Let us pray that today and always, we may bring Christ to our world.
Fr. David Brown
Feast of the Ascension of Our Lord
Belmont Abbey; May 24, 2009
