Jesus’ Presence in His Absence

Homily: Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord

16 May 2021

Mark 16:15-20

Fr. Ricky Canet Montanez, AA 

Two years ago, my friend, a single mother, sought my advice concerning the plan of her only son to study abroad. Typical of a parent who has her child’s best interests at heart, she was extremely concerned for his safety while living alone in a foreign country. She couldn’t help anticipate all the scary scenarios he may encounter by himself and this frightened her and kept her from granting her boy permission to leave. She knew she would never be able to forgive herself if something bad would happen to her son in such a far-off place. Separation anxiety had also intensified her hesitations and it was difficult to accept that her son’s new world at university would now exclude her. Anyhow, after much prayer and a long cry, she decided to let go and allow her son to follow his dreams. To date, he has begun his studies abroad and everything seems to be going well for him. My friend realised that in letting her son go, they have become much closer to each other because he makes an effort to communicate with her more often than he used to. In view of their physical separation, they made opportunities to be present to each other in whole new ways that allowed them to have a more fulfilling relationship as mother and child. 

Today’s gospel for the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord recounts for us the end of Jesus’ time with His disciples on earth. At His departure, Jesus commissions them to preach the gospel to every creature. And as they take on the saving mission of Jesus, He assures them that they will not be on their own as He will continue to be present to them in a new and glorified way. First of all, Jesus will continue to be present to them through the experience of His life and teaching from which they would always draw inspiration, guidance, and strength for all their missionary endeavours. This is what St. Paul urges the Christians of Ephesus to pray for: “May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, give you a Spirit of wisdom and revelation resulting in knowledge of him.” (Ephesians 1:17) Secondly, their preaching of the Good News will be accompanied with signs and wonders. “These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive out demons, they will speak new languages. They will pick up serpents with their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them. They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” (Mark 16:17-18) Jesus’ power will flow in and through them as they preach and teach, heal and comfort, and forgive people in Jesus’ name. Finally, as they allow the power of Jesus to work through them, they themselves will become the very sign of the Lord’s presence for others.  They will become the agents of belief and new life for those who come to believe in Jesus. 

All of us believers are entrusted with the same task of continuing the saving mission of Jesus in our own spheres of influence. After all, we, the community of believers together make up the Body of Christ.  In and through His Body, the Church, Jesus carries on what He began on earth. We all contribute to this saving work through our varying vocations in life. The assurance Jesus leaves His friends that He will not abandon them in the mission, is the same assurance He gives us. Today, we continue to experience His presence when we read the Bible or listen to the Word of God in the proclamation of the Gospel and get to know Jesus more deeply.  We also experience Him through the miracles around us. Testimonies of miraculous healings from life threatening diseases are proof that Jesus the Healer continues to work in the world even though we do not see Him.  Miracles of conversion show us that Jesus has not ceased to touch human hearts with His love and forgiveness. Prayers and petitions granted should also signify to us that Christ is listening and is very much involved in our lives as He continues to be intimately connected to each one of us and preserves us as best He can for our destiny to be with the Father in Heaven. If we allow Jesus to mould us into His true disciples, we too will ultimately bear His reflection to others and become the palpable presence of Jesus to those we encounter, channelling His hope, love, mercy and grace. This is how we know that Jesus continues to be with us even if He ascended to heaven 2000 years ago to take His place at the right hand of God the Father. 

Throughout the pandemic, doctors and nurses have become the caring and healing presence of Jesus to those afflicted with COVID 19. Many of them even go beyond their duties to give medical care to their COVID patients by encouraging them, comforting them and facilitating video calls with their loved ones at home. I was particularly struck by news of a Filipino nursing attendant who creatively attempted to bring comfort to his COVID-19 patients with just a pair of disposable gloves. Merabel shared that he wanted to mimic the “human touch” for his patients who were fighting for their life at a hospital in Quezon City. “Nakita ko kasi ginawa sa Brazil na yung mga gloves pinuno ng warm water at ipinahawak sa pasyente.” He decided to do the same for his intubated patients because he did not have the luxury to stay by each of their bedsides long enough to hold their hands and give them comfort. The 39-year-old frontliner said that giving patients the sensation of someone holding their hand was encouraging for them and they were less stressed because they did not feel alone. They were inspired to fight to recover and live a long life with their families. One patient was so grateful that she wrote him a thank you note as she couldn’t speak while on the ventilator. Merabel addressed his fellow healthcare workers saying “Frontliners tuloy lang ang laban, ituring niyong kamag-anak o mahal sa buhay ang mga pasyente ninyo. Basta bigyan ninyo ng dedikasyon ang ginagawa ninyo at minamahal ninyo ito.”  Merabel’s invitation for frontliners to do their work with love and dedication and to treat patients as their loved ones enables them to take on the loving, sacrificing and compassionate nature of Jesus. They become the experience of Christ to their suffering patients, leading them to grow in faith and hope in our one true God. 

Our celebration of the Ascension of Our Lord reminds us that Jesus has not really departed from us. It only seems so. In fact, He makes Himself present to us most intimately through our participation in the Eucharist and in Jesus’ saving mission. Jesus is close to each one of us forever, assuring us of His continued presence as we take up His mission to preach the gospel, by our words and example, to the ends of the earth.