We are fast approaching the end of the liturgical season of Eastertide – those 50 days from Easter to Pentecost. We have spent this time celebrating the resurrection and learning from a few of the post-resurrection appearances of Jesus. We have studied the early church and their practices which became benchmarks of a young faith. This Sunday is Ascension Sunday, the day we remember Jesus’ last words to his disciples before returning to be with God. What were his final, most important instructions? Go and tell! Jesus instructed them to share his words, his teachings, and his life with the entire world.
What does your world consist of? During these days of quarantine, it’s hard to know, isn’t it? We are mostly isolated – from our friends, from our family - and yet these words from Jesus still ring clear. Can we follow his command to go to the entire world, when our world is so small? Yes!! We can do this, even from the confines of our homes through phone calls, notes, driveway visitations, online groups. We have always known that our way of ministering “to the ends of the earth” is different than it was in the days of the early church. And now, we are learning a new way – a new “different” – even for us.
May our eyes, our ears, and our hearts be open to finding new ways to share the love of Jesus during these days of quarantine. If we can do that, we will be more like the early church than ever before!
-Pastor Jane