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From the Gospel of Luke 24:51. We have the ability to walk with joyful hope! Jesus, during his earthly ministry, pointed the way to God’s kingdom. What is finally understood about God’s kingdom is that it is filled with the glory of Christ! We are all in the process of being emptied into and becoming one with Christ. We are new creations, clothed in Christ, made in God’s very image and likeness, and on this incredible journey of glory. The Ascension allows us to see this truth about ourselves and it enlightens our hearts. Christ who was most perfectly, vividly, and brilliantly transfigured before the very eyes of the disciples will be our destiny. Seeing only imperfectly now, we will see perfectly then. We will bask in the brilliance of understanding and truth. Christ is our destiny and our hope. Alleluia!

From the Gospel of John 13:31-35  “It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God.” Many folks really work very hard to circumvent difficult situations. We prefer the easier way around something, rather than risk inconvenience, hurt or prolonged suffering. It’s no wonder euthanasia is rapidly becoming acceptable around the world. Through purely human eyes, there is no issue bypassing the inevitable, taking control and bringing things more swiftly to a place of peace. If this is the way God sees things, then why does Jesus make such a big deal helping us understand the experience of suffering and embrace it? God’s wisdom clearly takes us in another direction.

From the Gospel of John 10:27-30 “Human beings, while capable of the worst, are also capable of rising above themselves, choosing again what is good, and making a new start.” (Pope Francis) We have a difficult time figuring out what is true and best for us. There are many voices talking and so many trying to get our attention. We wrongly convince ourselves that the true voice is the voice of progress, the one that speaks of contemporary wants and desires, enticing us with the latest trends and causes. We are taught, by listening to the voices around us, that truth is found in feelings and thought, and ideals must match current and popular human wants. Because we feel a particular way it must be true.

I would imagine that most of us have had at least one experience in which we were deeply hurt by another person - perhaps by someone we cared for very much. Our emotions can be very powerful at such a time and we can be consumed with feelings of hostility and resentment. If the hurt is deep enough, we may be tempted to give up on the relationship and avoid that person altogether, stubbornly refusing even the slightest move toward reconciliation, and speaking badly about the person to anyone else who will listen.