Rector's Sermon
5 June 2011

First Reading	Psalm	Epistle	Gospel
Acts 1:1–11	Psalm 47	Ephesians 1:15–23	Luke 24:44–53

       In some parishes, on Ascension Day everyone is given a helium balloon. It’s not very ecologically sensitive. Yet, I must admit I’ve imagined renting one large colorful hot-air balloon, tethering it in the park across the street and at the end of the service getting in the basket, firing up the burner, casting off the weights, and as I rose above the treetops, waving good bye, casting off and letting the balloon ascend up, high over Cayuga Lake through white cotton clouds floating across a bright blue sky, and on into the western horizon. However, on second thought, even a beautiful hot air balloon conveys an imperfect if not distorted message. Yes, it’s tempting, isn’t it, to picture Jesus standing on the Mount of Olives over looking Jerusalem, waving good-by to his disciples as he rises out of sight, his feet the last they see of him.  Sort of like the wizard of Oz who after the magic show is over, takes his leave of all us little munchkins, with Dorothy and Toto left behind to be in charge and to answer all questions. But that’s not what Ascension Day is all about. Listen again to what Jesus tells his disciples in Luke’s Gospel: “Wait here until you are clothed with power from on high,” and from the Book of Acts: ”You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea, and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”  Ascension Day isn’t about God going away, it’s about the Lord sending us out into the world to proclaim the good news, promising to work with us, and promising that the Holy Spirit will be confirming the power of the resurrection among us. Sending us out here and now into the world to all people and proclaiming Good News is the main reason Jesus has gathered us together and invites us to be his disciples.

      Before we catch our breath, virtually all of us here, will be sent right into an ever-changing world. We can be assured that the future won’t be like the present, although what will seem the same and what won’t is always pretty hard to predict. The same thing goes for the church, be it this particular parish or the church at large. Ascension Day prepares us to face these changes without fear, for the living Christ is nevermore confined to our present morning of time or where our feet stand this minute.  To be sure, the early disciples treasured the memories of Jesus as he was, and that’s understandable and perfectly fine. Yet it is a good thing that Jesus is no longer confined to wearing sandals and eating fish by the shore of Galilee.  It is a good thing that the church is not like it was, for the Risen Lord doesn’t want us to be the church of yesterday, but the church of today. We are not left behind as Dorothy and Toto, having to figure out our own escape from a place that holds no future for us. We are sent as disciples into this world with a future that is as close to infinite as we can imagine.

       This is also a day we will baptize and welcome into our fellowship Megan Hedges. Not so long ago we also baptized her big sister. In baptism we are promise that we will be witnesses to her so as she grows up, she will be surrounded by God’s grace. We want her to know that there is a fellowship of faith available to her. Like Ascension, baptism is not meant to be a guaranteed passage out of this world. Baptism is a sign that we are sisters and brothers of one family in this world.

       So on this special day, we have enclosed with your bulletin a souvenir ticket (fully biodegradable, naturally.). For at every remembrance of Ascension Day and at every baptism, Jesus gives us a ticket, not a ticket to ride out this world, but to ride into this world, to have courage to hold on and ride the Ferris wheel we call life on earth, to participate and get on what often seems so scary the peaks and valleys of the rollercoaster of existence, to climb on a horse of the carousel and when the opportunity presents itself to reach out and grab the brass ring of gentleness, kindness, understanding and compassion, to be a fearlessly active force to make this world a better place rather than standing aside, watching life go by and only criticizing and complaining.

       God gives us a ticket to ride, to ride the merry-go-round of all creation. Both Ascension Day and the sacrament of baptism proclaim that, in Christ, we are not living as orphans; we are never expected to cower as victims. Rather we are fully capable of going out and being strong witnesses to the good news. The living Christ will never renounce us. Ascension Day challenges all the fatalism, all the pessimism, and all the passive-aggressive behavior of which our society is so fond. Confirming the gift of our baptism, Ascension Day says, be your own person, accept responsibility for your actions, and get on with the task at hand. So take your ticket to ride. Know that the risen Christ will work with us, and the Holy Spirit will confirm the message.

       And I offer this to you in the name of the Living God, Amen.