The Ascension of the Lord (Year C)
Acts 1:1-11 | Psalm 46:2-3, 6-9 | Hebrews 9:24-28. 10:19-23 | Luke 24:46-53
[The following is an imagined dialogue with a random atheist. It could equally apply to a lapsed Christian.]Since men only die once, and after that comes judgement, so Christ, too, offers himself only once to take the faults of many on himself, and when he appears a second time, it will not be to deal with sin but to reward with salvation those who are waiting for him. (Hebrews 9:27-28)
Just as we don’t get a second chance to make a first impression, so we don’t get a second life to undo all the stupid and cruel things we may do in this one. “One and done” is the operative phrase, and walking away from Christ isn’t exactly a smart move.
But that’s so…UNFAIR! Who gets it right the first time?
Pretty much nobody. We stumble, we fall, we insult and assault others, deliberately or inadvertently, but we can also right ourselves and make amends…if we so choose.
And we should so choose, for as others were insulted and assaulted by us, so too would we be insulted and assaulted in turn. The rapper 50 Cent learned this lesson in public recently, and I’m sure each of us has known at least one cruel berating in our lives, and still remembers the fire of hatred and the urge to retaliate.
Man, you Christians are real killjoys!
Well, some Christians choose to practice asceticism, but for the most part, we have at least as much fun as everyone else. I personally enjoy being on a daily hunt for good food, but I also appreciate the benefits of fasting or abstinence every Friday, not just to honour my Lord but also to give my system a break. Conversely, I’ve known a few people who were 24/7 hedonists, and they don’t look their age. ?
And if the God-given right to joy involves denigrating others with a torrent of foul language and salacious revelations true or otherwise, I’d rather be a slave to good manners. I don’t believe that happiness is a zero-sum game, and I’m surprised that there are people who make it their personal mission to tear others down.
More importantly, I believe that Christians who keep faithful to the word of God are automatically happy. Because their thoughts, words and actions are in righteous harmony, they’re not constantly looking over their shoulder, waiting for the other shoe to drop, for the sledgehammer wielded by angry victims to fall, for evil done to boomerang back on them. The right to untroubled and sound sleep each night is truly God-given, but we must still reach for it by doing right by others every day.
So? I’m sure all those followers of the Internet’s favourite trash-talkers sleep soundly at night too.
Really? If I were one of them, I’d be concerned about the leader suddenly turning his guns on me for some innocent remark, with all my erstwhile “comrades” not far behind. After all, if he could be so nasty to others…
In contrast, Christian communities, despite their occasional fractures, are founded on mutual love and support, so you’re “always a friend, never a stranger”.
Meh, still not convinced. I’d rather have all the fun I can get now, since there won’t be a hereafter.
Here’s some food for thought: You don’t believe in God and the afterlife; I do.
If you’re right, I’m still happy that I got to enjoy my life, not to excess but to sufficiency, and I wouldn’t be around to regret not having even more fun.
But if I’m right, then you’ll stand judgement along with me on the Last Day for everything we’ve done in our lives, in which case…
Lord, remind us every day to never take You for granted, and love others as You loved us. Give us the strength and courage to build Your communities of Love, to lift everyone up and unite all to You. Amen.