Serving Christ in the Here and Now

Craig Fernandes, a former seminarian at St. Augustine’s Seminary, is now an engineering Master’s student at the University of Toronto.

This weekend we celebrate the great feast of the Ascension of the Lord, when the Apostles watched Jesus ascend into heaven. After this amazing event, two angels appeared and asked the Apostles, “Why do you stand looking up toward heaven?” (Acts 1:11). 

The angels’ question reminds us that we should not remain idle or to wait on future events to occur before we serve God. Rather, we are all called to continually develop our relationship with Jesus and share it with others in the here and now. 

In this time of physical distancing, we may be tempted to think that the changes we want to make in our life can only happen once the pandemic ends; we may be tempted to remain idle now and tell ourselves that we will do more when this is over. While these thoughts are fair, to a certain extent, let us not put off the good we can begin doing now. Perhaps our yearning for the sacraments have us fixated on the day when we can finally receive them again. However, as we wait, we can use this time to heed the angels’ message and frequent Acts of Contrition and Spiritual Communion. 

In making use of our present time to follow Jesus, we will all be strengthened by His grace to persevere. If our perseverance at times wavers, let us hold fast to the words of Jesus before His ascension, “Remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).

Summary

As the Apostles watched Jesus ascend to the Father, angels appeared and asked them, “Why do you stand looking up toward heaven?” The angels’ message encourages us to not remain idle or to wait for future events to take place before we begin serving God, but to start in the here and now. In this time of physical distancing, we may be tempted to think that the changes we want to make in our spiritual life can only happen once the pandemic ends. While this thought is fair, to a certain extent, let us not put off the good we can begin doing now. We can grow in our love for God despite these current circumstances, through prayer, Spiritual Communion and Acts of Contrition. 

Readings

• First Reading: Acts 1.1-11
• Second Reading: Ephesians 1.17-23
• Gospel: Matthew 28.16-20 – The Commissioning of the Disciples