How the Ascension makes our life better through Pentecost


A friend recently shared with me a story about his childhood that helped me to better understand the significance of the Ascension in our lives. My friend grew up in Chile. When he was about 10 years old, his father took on a new job and moved to the United States. The plan was that his dad would begin working in the United States while making preparations so that the rest of his family could immigrate there after one year. My friend explained how incredibly difficult it was for him to say goodbye to his father at the airport when he left for the United States. He was not thinking ahead to the fact that he would see his father again soon enough. As a 10 year old boy, the only thing that he had in his mind was that he would not be with his dad for one year. This seemed like an eternity to him. At the time it felt like his father had abandoned him and his family.


After some time, his dad got settled in the United States. He used the money from his pay cheques to start making preparations for the rest of his family to join him. In addition, he sent some cash from his paycheck back to Chile each month. My friend explained that after his father moved to the United States, their lives in Chile immediately improved because of the money his dad was sending them. Finally after one year, the rest of his family immigrated to the United States. This move drastically changed my friend’s life for the better. He was able to get a great education and eventually discovered his vocation to the priesthood in this new country. In the beginning, my friend had viewed his father’s move as an abandonment. In the end, he learned that, in spite of the huge sacrifice, his father needed to separate himself from his family for a time in order to make a better life for them.

At the Ascension we can all feel a bit like my friend when his father left for the United States. We can feel abandoned when Jesus ascends to heaven. Would it not be better if He had stayed here with us? Whenever we needed Him, we could simply go to Him. After the Ascension, Jesus can feel so distant. We too can feel abandoned. This is far from the truth. Like my friend’s father, Jesus has gone before us to prepare for us a new, better life. Eventually we will experience this life to the full when we “immigrate” to God our Father in heaven. Even before this day, however, Jesus is making our lives better. He too is sending some cash from his paycheck back home to improve our lives. The greatest gift that Jesus sends to us now is the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is already transforming our lives here and now. It is this gift that we celebrate and remember each Pentecost. The Ascension is necessary because Jesus wanted to create for us a better life.

Not recognizing Jesus


When I read the Bible stories describing how Jesus appeared to His disciples after He had risen from the dead, I can feel some jealousy towards the disciples. Because of when and where they were born, they were fortunate enough to see the Risen Christ with their own two eyes. I only I had this experience my faith would never waver! I would fear nothing! I would have an unshakable hope in all that Jesus promises!

Whenever I start to think like this, an important detail from Jesus’ post-Resurrection appearances as told in the Gospel of John brings me back to reality: the disciples were in the presence of Jesus but they did not recognize Him. First, Mary Magdalene is weeping at the tomb, thinking someone has taken away the body of Jesus. Jesus is standing right beside her, speaking with her, but she doesn’t recognize Him. She thinks He is the gardener. Later, while Peter and other disciples are fishing on the Sea of Tiberius, a man appears on the shore and gives them fishing advice. Again, they do not recognize that it is Jesus.

The peculiar fact that the disciples can be standing right next to the Risen Jesus and even speak with Him without realizing who He is, teaches us that their experience is not much different than us who live some 2000 years later. We are not at a disadvantage for having been born when and where we were. Like the disciples, the Risen Christ is always present, working in our life, but often we do not recognize Him.

Mary Magdalen only recognizes that the gardener is in fact Jesus when He calls her by name. Peter and the other disciples recognize that the man giving unsolicited counsel from the shore is in fact Jesus when the advice helps them bring in a miraculous catch of fish. If we are attentive, Jesus reveals Himself to us in similar ways. Like Mary Magdalene, we can hear Jesus call our name when we read scripture, when someone unexpectedly offers us a kind word of encouragement, or when we are struck by the beauty of nature. Like Peter and the other disciples in the boat fishing, Jesus shows Himself by blessing our actions in a way that is beyond our capabilities. For example, we are able to help someone or say something to them that blesses their life in a way that is far beyond the power of our action alone.

During the Easter Season we celebrate the fact that Jesus has truly risen from the dead. Each year, we remind ourselves that the Risen Jesus is very present in our own life, strengthening us and filling us with peace, hope and joy. This happens in proportion to our ability of recognizing the simple ways Jesus shows Himself to us each day. Take a moment to look back over the past week. What is one concrete event through which Jesus revealed Himself to you? Let us recognize these events often and give thanks for them, crying out like the disciples “it is the Lord!”

Road to Krakow: What do you want me to do for you?

(Reflection #1 in a series of spiritual reflections leading up to World Youth Day in Krakow, July 2016)

There is a striking feature common to many of the healing encounters Jesus has with the sick, lame and blind. In these, the needy are able to express clearly and unambiguously what they want Jesus to do for them.


We see this is the meeting of Jesus with the blind beggar Bartimaeus. Jesus was making His way out of Jericho with his disciples. Bartimaeus, who was sitting by the side of the road, heard the crowd approaching. On learning that it was Jesus who was passing by, Bartimaeus seized his opportunity.

Bartimaeus began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
Many rebuked him so that he would be silent.
But all the more he cried out, “Son of David, have pity on me!”
Jesus stopped and said, “call him”.
So they called the blind man: “Cheer up! Get up! He is calling you.”
He threw aside his garment, jumped up and came to Jesus.
Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?”
The blind man answered, “Rabbi, I want to see.”
And Jesus said to him, “go, your faith has healed you.”
Immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the way. (Mk 10:47-52)

What do you want me to do for you? When Bartimaeus heard Jesus’ question he didn’t hesitate. This point must be recognized: before Jesus would work in Bartimaeus’ life, He needed the man to express what he wanted from Him.

Do we know what we want Jesus to do for us?

At World Youth Day we will find ourselves in the position of Bartimaeus. We will encounter Jesus in the midst of a crowd. He will pass by. He wants to work in our life as He did in Bartimeus’. There is a catch, though. We need to know specifically what we want Jesus to do for us. We can forget this step. Since our need can be hard to point a finger, we end up asking Jesus for help in a general way or not at all.

What do you want me to do for you?

Take some time to search your heart in order to discover what it is you want to ask Jesus to do for you during your World Youth Day pilgrimage. You can start by brainstorming a list and then narrow it down until you are left will one point. How can Jesus help us if we do not know what we want Him to do for us?