“Let us hold unwaveringly to our confession that gives us hope, for he who made the promise is trustworthy.” – Hebrews 10:23
Think back to when you were a small child. Imagine playing outside on a beautiful summer day. Picture the fluffy white clouds floating across the blue sky as you lie in the grass, gazing upward.
Could there be a clearer picture of what it means to be carefree? It’s a memory of simpler times, when the most pressing of issues was whether or not a particular cloud looked more like a fish or a frog.
When our lives become overwhelmed by stress and anxiety we might reminisce about those whimsical days of our childhood. It can often seem much easier to simply live with our “heads in the clouds” instead of tackling the daily tasks and responsibilities that come our way.
The first disciples were no different. The opening chapter of the Book of the Acts of the Apostles recounts how they witnessed the Ascension of our Lord into Heaven. While Jesus’ followers watched with wonder as He disappeared into the clouds, “suddenly two men dressed in white garments stood beside them. They said, ‘Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking at the sky?’”
It’s almost as if the angels were saying, “Hey! Time to get to work!” Jesus had entrusted the Kingdom to the Apostles, and there was much to do – the Good News needed to be preached, the sick needed to be healed, and the oppressed needed to be set free. The same is true for us today.
We can’t just sit around with our heads in the clouds and expect something to get done. God asks us to be His instruments, to cooperate with His grace, and to allow Him to use us to transform the world.
That might seem like a daunting task, and it is. However, despite all the work that lies before us, we must not become burdened and lose hope. The Christian life is characterized by levity and joy, as Pope Francis often reminds us. Here is the key: a carefree attitude does not come from simply gazing at the clouds; it comes from trusting in the Lord, Who promised to be with us always, “until the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).
Merciful Father, increase our faith! Help us to trust more deeply in the promise given to us by the Ascension of Your Son. Amen, alleluia!
