ASCENSION THURSDAY 2025
Acts 1:1-11; Luke 24: 46-53
Many, many moons ago, when I was based at Upholland College, another of the priests on the staff was chaplain to the Carmelite convent across the road. One Ascension Thursday, he returned from early Mass at Carmel with the information that the Sisters would be spending an hour standing in choir.
I don’t know whether this is standard Carmelite practice on this Feast, but despite my immense regard for Carmel, it struck me then, as it strikes me now, as a very odd thing to do. It seems to entail the exact opposite of the angels’ rebuke to the disciples, when they told the latter not to stand around gawping, but to get on with the task in hand.
What was that task? It was, St Luke tells us, on Jesus’ authority, to “stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high”. In other words, they were to prepare for the coming of the Holy Spirit.
Did they carry out this task, and if so, how? They, we are told, “worshipped Him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the Temple blessing God”. We know also from the Acts of the Apostles that for the rest of the time, they gathered in the Upper Room praying in the company of Our Lady, along with the women and the members of Our Lord’s extended family.
During this time, says Luke, they had great joy. Note that: “great joy”, not “great fear”, as careless preachers and writers would have you believe. They have kept company with the Risen Christ, they have seen Him return to the Father, and now they rejoice to carry out His commands, awaiting the empowerment which will enable them to be His witnesses.
Now comes the weekly—indeed daily—question “What about us?” We should imitate Our Lady and the disciples. We shouldn’t stand around gawping, we should have great joy, we should spend time in worship, and we should pray for the Holy Spirit to come down on us, to make us witnesses to the Risen and Ascended Christ in today’s world. Let’s get on with it.
