The Story in Various Forms

I have seen this icon in a variety of places in my travels throughout the Easter season. It declares the reality that something is wrong—we died as a result of our transgressions. So our redeemer-hero, the Lord Jesus Christ, died and rose from the dead to rescue us and to raise us to new life.

Many stories replicate that story. The one that I have in mind today is The Silver Chair by C. S. Lewis. Prince Rilian is held captive by the Queen of Underland. So Eustace, Jill, and Puddleglum are guided by Aslan's unseen presence to go down into the Deep Realm to rescue him. Throughout their quest to find and restore Rilian to Narnia, they need to discern truth from error. Finally they release Rilian from his enchantment; and they battle the Queen to escape her realm. The four retrace their steps underground and emerge in Narnia in the midst of the Great Snow Dance.

The threesome—Eustace, Jill, and Puddleglum—acted as one in behalf of Aslan to rescue Rilian from the dominion of darkness.

A Prayer for Ascension Day

Last May 9, we celebrated Ascension Day. That is a momentous day, for the Scriptures tell us that when Jesus ascended into heaven we went with him to live continually in the heavenly realms. One of our collects for the day reminds us of that truth:

Grant, we pray, Almighty God, that as we believe your only-begotten Son our Lord Jesus Christ to have ascended into heaven, so we may also in heart and mind there ascend, and with him continually dwell; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen (Book of Common Prayer, 226).

That collect asks that we may ascend, in heart and mind, with Christ to dwell with him in heaven. The petition is based a snippet from Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, which an up-to-date translation renders this way:

Then he picked us up and set us down in highest heaven in company with Jesus, our Messiah. Now God has us where he wants us, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:6-7, The Message).

What an amazing truth to contemplate: When our Lord Jesus Christ ascended into heaven, each of us went with him to dwell even now as we await his coming in glory.

So here’s a suggestion for making this truth practical: During difficult times, remember that you really are in the next world with our Lord Jesus Christ.

You might respond, “I don’t want to be so heavenly minded that I am no earthly good.” But C. S. Lewis wrote that the Christians who did most for the present world were just those who thought most of the next. He points out that the Apostles who started the conversion of the Roman Empire, the great saints who built up the Middle Ages, and the English Evangelicals who abolished the Slave Trade all left their mark on Earth precisely because their minds were occupied with Heaven.

So, to help us pray the collect for Ascension Day every day, here is an up-to-date version:

Please, Almighty God, help us believe that your only-begotten Son our Lord Jesus Christ ascended into heaven, that we also may live with him in heaven even as we go about our business here on earth—for Jesus lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Blending the Arts

This painting beautifully illustrates the petition from the first Collect for Ascension Day:

“Almighty God, whose blessed Son our Savior Jesus Christ ascended far above all heavens that he might fill all things: Mercifully give us faith to perceive that, according to his promise, he abides with his Church on earth, even to the end of the ages; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen” (BCP, 226).

What a beautiful blending of the arts: The author of the collect masterfully transforms the truth from Matthew 28:20 into a prayer, while the painter brings the truth to life visually so that it remains in one’s imagination.

For a larger view of this painting, Ascension by Benvenuto Tisi da Garofalo, c. 1520, go to http://dailyoffice.org/2013/05/09/morning-prayer-video-5-9-13-ascension-day/ and scroll down.