March 29: Christ's Ascension: The Wonder of Angels and Men
♫ Music:
Tuesday, March 29
Scripture: Acts 1:4-11
And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
CHRIST’S ASCENSION: THE WONDER OF ANGELS AND MEN
Luke’s account tells of the disciples looking up into heaven, after Jesus had disappeared into a cloud before their eyes. We can imagine the looks of amazement and wonder that must have been etched on their faces. Even given all that they had experienced since their Master’s resurrection from the dead, this must have been a sight that inspired significant astonishment. After all, people don’t just rise up off the ground and disappear into the clouds! And in a way not unlike what happened at the Lord’s resurrection, two angels were sent to comfort and encourage the awestruck followers of Jesus.
There is a perspective related to Christ’s ascension that was prominent in the thinking of the early Church and which parallels the wonder of the apostles. An ancient hymn, still sung in Orthodox churches today, states: “The angels wonder as they see a man more exalted than they.” This speaks to the glorious truth that Christ kept His human body, indeed, His entire human nature at His resurrection, and by his ascension, He brought up glorified human nature into God’s eternal kingdom. At this, the angels were amazed. Never before had a human being been so exalted as to be brought up into heaven to receive worship. And what’s more, according to Mark’s Gospel, this man (who is also fully God) sat down at the right hand of the Father, the place of exalted authority!
The ascension is the culmination of Christ’s ministry and whole life. In sitting down next to the Father, He is proclaimed to be the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Beethoven’s beautiful choral piece, which accompanies this devotion, repeats the joyful “Hallelujah” that all followers of Jesus have in their hearts as we reflect on the majesty of our Lord who rose from the dead and ascended into heaven. Christ’s resurrection is proof of the promise that death was conquered and that we were made for eternity. Christ’s ascension is proof of the promise that being united to Christ, we too will be glorified and enjoy the presence of the Father in His Kingdom.
There is one more promise worthy of mention. The angels present at the ascension told the disciples that in the same way they saw the Lord ascend to heaven, He would someday return. The ascension is linked to the second coming and if titles identifying the accompanying visual art pieces did not mention the ascension, we could easily believe that they were depicting the return of Christ at the end of time.
PRAYER
You were inseparable from the Father’s bosom, O sweet Jesus, even though on earth you lived as a man. You ascended in glory from the Mount of Olives; and through Your compassion You raised our fallen nature and seated it with the Father. At this, the ranks of bodiless angels were amazed and overtaken by surprise. They trembled from wonder and magnified Your love for mankind. With them, we on earth also glorify Your condescension to us, and Your Ascension from us, saying, “You Who filled Your disciples and Your mother with immeasurable joy by Your ascension, make us worthy of the joy of Your chosen ones, for the sake of Your great mercy.”
Amen.
- Adapted from the doxastikon of vespers for the Feast of the Ascension according to the usage of the Orthodox Church
Fr. Ignatius Valentine, Alumnus, Pastor of St. Raphael Orthodox Church, Iowa City, Iowa
Artwork #1
Ascension
Anonymous Norman Fécamp Master
Illuminated Manuscript from Fécamp Psalter (c. 1180)
Koninklijke Bibliotheek, The Hague, The Netherlands
About the Artwork #1
At the end of the twelfth century some very distinguished psalters were made in monastic circles in northern France, on the border of Artois and Flanders. These manuscripts offer a similar palette of light bright colours on gold in which an orange/light green palette is prominent. The so-called Fécamp Psalter belongs to this group. It is fully illustrated, with 36 calendar miniatures depicting the Labours of the Months, 27 full-page miniatures of the Infancy and Passion of Christ, and 11 historiated initials illustrating the major divisions of the psalter. The manuscript was made at the Norman abbey at Fécamp in Normandy for an unidentified female donor.
Artwork #2
Ascension
Bill Viola
Video Installation
About the Artist and Art#2
Bill Viola’s ’s Video installations employ state of the art technologies and are distinguished by their precision and direct simplicity. They are shown in museums and galleries worldwide and are found in many distinguished collections. His single channel videotapes have been widely broadcast and presented cinematically, while his writings have been extensively published, and translated for international readers. Viola uses video to explore the phenomena of sense perception as an avenue to self-knowledge. His works focus on universal human experiences—birth, death, the unfolding of consciousness—and have roots in both eastern and western art as well as spiritual traditions, including Zen Buddhism, Islamic Sufism, and Christian mysticism.
www.billviola.com
About the Music
“Hallelujah” (From Christ on the Mount of Olives)
Lyrics
Hallelujah! unto God’s Almighty Son.
Praise the Lord, ye bright angelic choirs,
In holy songs of joy.
Man, proclaim His grace and glory!
Hallelujah! unto God’s Almighty Son.
Praise the Lord in holy songs of joy.
About the Composer/Performer
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) was one of the greatest composers the world has ever known. He was an innovator, widening the scope of the sonata, symphony, concerto and quartet, and combining vocals and instruments in interesting new ways. His personal life was marked by struggle and loneliness. Some of his most important works were composed during the last 10 years of his life, when he was deaf. Beethoven’s “Hallelujah” is taken from Christ on the Mount of Olives, the only oratorio the composer ever wrote. It portrays the emotional turmoil in the garden of Gethsemane prior to Christ’s crucifixion. According to Beethoven, he wrote the entire oratorio is just fourteen days. Beethoven’s “Hallelujah” is the final chorus from this oratorio and reflects a majestic climax befitting Christ’s ascension to heaven.