Greetings Franciscans, today is the 39th day of Easter. Tomorrow is as one might expect, is the 40th day of Easter. It is also Ascension Day.

For the Episcopal Church, Ascension Day, a principal feast of the church year, is imaged as the occasion on which the risen Christ is taken into heaven after appearing to his followers for forty days (Acts 1:1-11, Mk 16:19). The Ascension marks the conclusion of Jesus' post-resurrection appearances. It is the final elevation of his human nature to divine glory and the near presence of God. The Ascension is affirmed by the Nicene and Apostles' Creeds.

The Ascension of Christ by Salvador Dali

In many depictions of the Ascension, it appears Jesus must have a jetpack belted on. Others look like Jesus is being pulled upwards on attached wires by stage hands. One of my favorite depictions of the Ascension, for its spirituality, is by Salvador Dali.

This Thursday, during the time of Evening Prayer at 7 pm, we will celebrate Ascension Day. I can’t promise Jetpacks or wires but this worship of and for the community can offer some sense of why the Resurrection is meaningless without the Ascension. I hope you can join us via Facebook Live at 7 pm.