What Goes Up...

Today is the 40th day of Easter and the traditional Feast of the Ascension. (It’s now commonly commemorated on the following Sunday.) We often treat Easter Sunday as a blockbuster ending—Death is defeated. Jesus wins! Jesus wins! Pentecost starts a new story, the history of the Church, with the disciples spreading the message across the world. But there are 50 days between Easter Sunday and Pentecost. To me, these days are fascinating, though we know so little about them. The resurrected Christ walked on earth and taught the apostles. After 40 days, he ascended. The disciples retreated into prayer, emerging as new men. They no longer were the followers who were always saying, “I don’t get it.” They were the leaders of the Church, the bearers of the Gospel: Christ became man to live among us. He died for us. He resurrected and remained to instruct us. He will come again, when the story is truly completed. What goes up will come back down. The days of Easter are a radical, transforming time.