Â鶹Éç

Available for over a year

Good morning. Earlier this week we saw contrasting images of two of the world’s most powerful and infamous men. Donald Trump, defiant as he entered court in a blue suit and a strangely long yellow tie, and then Vladimir Putin rather better tailored, walking through the golden doors of the Kremlin to his presidential inauguration. Trump, reluctantly on trial Putin anticipating greater triumphs. I can’t help but contrast those images with today’s Christian festival of the Ascension which marks the departure of the crucified and risen Jesus into heaven. Years ago the Â鶹Éç used to mark Ascension Day by playing a verse of Charles Wesley’s great hymn: Hail the Day that Sees him Rise at the start of the morning’s broadcasting. And perhaps some of us found that a more inspiring way to start the day than the usual news of men in suits who rule or misrule our world. But then the Ascension of Jesus is not the apotheosis of a great hero or world leader. In fact it’s quite difficult to work out what is supposed to have happened. Two of the four gospels simply allude to the Ascension without giving details. One of the others sets it on a mountain in Galilee another has it in Bethany, near Jerusalem. And scripture gives us no colourful images of feet disappearing into clouds or angels waiting to greet Jesus as he went up. He leaves them without a master plan, just a command to make disciples, and no instructions of how to do so, they are simply to wait until power comes from on high. It is curious how our most eminent earthly leaders always want to present us with a manifesto, a programme which will ensure our prosperity and well-being into the future. They appeal to us by flattery, by promises, by what we sometimes call the vision thing. Fair enough, we all have an investment in what happens next. We all want to live secure and productive lives. But the Christian Gospel offers a challenge to our desires, even our modest and reasonable desires. Unlike political promises Christianity suggests that there is no ultimate fulfilment short of heaven, and there is no entry to heaven which by-passes suffering. We sometimes need to accept the fact that however much the golden gates may glitter we only get there by ploughing through the mud of earthly life. For Christians The promise of the Ascension is that our all too human struggles are not in vain. If at Christmas God came into human life as a helpless baby, so in the Ascension he takes our human nature into heaven and that surely means hope for all of us. We sometimes need to accept the fact that however much the golden gates may glitter we only get there by ploughing through the mud of earthly life. If at Christmas God came to humanity as a helpless baby, so in the Ascension he takes our human nature into heaven. The promise of the Ascension is that our all too human struggles are not in vain.