Acts 1:10-12 They were looking intently up into the sky as he (Jesus) was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” Then they returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk from the city.
This week my mind seems to be skipping ahead of our Lenten liturgical story, to beyond the crucifixion and resurrection to the ascension of Jesus. This line of thinking is in keeping with where my soul has been this past week. This week I’ve been thinking a lot about how relationships change over time, and this brought me to the disciples. For three years, they were practically inseparable. While Jesus lived out his earthly ministry, his faithful disciples served behind the scenes. They did the “grunt work” of keeping the ministry of Jesus going. Like any ministry we run today, there were many administrative pieces that required someone’s attention. But … the disciples also gleaned hours upon hours of spiritual guidance through the words of Jesus. I can’t imagine what it must have been like to be a part of that tight-knit group, to sit by the quiet of a fire after a long day and to glean the words of wisdom spoken by their Lord. For three intense years, they were a united front in ministry.
What did the disciples talk about on their way back to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, where Jesus had just ascended into heaven? Whatever the conversation, they had to have felt a huge vacuum! The person they felt closest to in their group, their leader, was gone. Whatever was to happen next, that relationship with Jesus was irrevocably changed. I’m thinking about this in more of a very human aspect than a theological one. Jesus was their friend and guide, a constant companion, and now he was physically gone. For that matter, the disciples themselves scattered as they began to follow out the Great Commission, spreading Christianity well beyond the region of Galilee. I’m sure there were times when they sat in the quiet of the night and yearned for the physical presence of their dear friend Jesus.
Times change and people move in and out of our lives. Some leave us through their physical passing. Others move on to new adventures, making new acquaintances and friends along the way. We are left with an aching for what was, and what can no longer be. We struggle to find new “normals” in life, to find new purpose and friendship bonds. Dear Lord, thank you for the meaningful relationships in our lives. May we treasure them while they are with us. And, may we celebrate them when they must leave, or when we ourselves must move on. Above all, may we rely on your Holy Spirit as our steady presence, knowing You will be with us always.
Blessings to all,
Diana
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