Ascension Thursday May 9, 2024

Matthew 28:16-20

Did I ever tell you the story about the calendar in the closet at St Martin De Porres? It was my first year in the US as a young seminarian. I was going through a lot of cultural shock having left the beloved passionists priests in Africa whose identity I truly had become. Crushed by a indescribable loneliness I went out for dinner at Raffities in the east end. But I hated sitting alone, dinners used to be fun with the brothers but here I am in a strange country dining alone. There was a lump in my throat that was crushing me. I left the restaurant went back to the abandoned rectory and threw myself on the bed. The only prayer I remember saying was “Lord, what have I done leaving Africa.” God spoke to me that day and said open the closet. I dried up my tears and went to put some handme down T Shirts into this closet. Someone had left an old calendar from 1989 on the back wall of the closet. On it where these words “And know that I am with you always; yes, to the end of time.” In that moment, I felt an overwhelming presence of God. I still feel it to this day.

Jesus never left!!! He was always with the disciples. Sometimes they felt his presence and other times it felt like they were abandoned. As we celebrate Ascension, please know that the heavens are all around us and so is our Lord.