On the day of Ascension, taken up, Jesus disappeared in the Clouds. The disciples gazing up looked for him in the clouds and did not find Him. Maybe we still continue gazing into the clouds looking for him and nobody so far has, found him there.
Before he departed Jesus told the disciples that he was going off, for a while, a short time, which perhaps is not yet up, though it is more than 2000 years for the earthlings since he said that. We may be still in that short time span. May be for a large number that span is already up and they have met him! After saying that he was going off, he also said that he would be with them always, until the end of time. Our task is to search for him in this period leading unto the end of time.
He promised the Spirit, his Spirit, which is also of the Father, to send to us to help us in this search, to guide us, to strengthen us, to empower us, etc. Jesus promised his presence wherever there is love. Love is possible only when or where there are more than one. All such groupings are supposed to be family gatherings because all gathered are children of the one Father!
Now we have many gatherings where we are more than two and yet we do not find Jesus. The reason could be that there is no love, and we do not really look for Jesus and we do not allow the Spirit to work in us. This could be true in our church gathering too. We are often a scattered ‘crowd’, not even willing to be together, to move closer. We are too pre-occupied with our position, both physical and societal and refuse to look left and right to recognize the presence of those around. We do not know any or many of them, though they have been there for years, our brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ. And we continue to look into the clouds looking for Him. We are not likely to find him unless we are truly in love here on earth.
“Brothers and sisters, I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power” (Ephesians 1:17- 19)
Fr George