At some point of our lives, we would have experienced people coming and going. Some go away because they have moved to another place, some go away because they have retired and wish to be away from the limelight, some go away because they have been transferred; but whatever the reason may be, sooner or later, a person would need to go away.
When a person goes away, some of us may feel sad that the person has left us. Perhaps we may one day be able to see the person again, perhaps not. But if we consider a moment, a person going away could also be seen as a moment of joy. Why so? When a person has gone away, his or her leaving gives us opportunities and room to grow. The person may have gone away, but if the person has been a great influence to us, a part of him or her would be with us, and that part would only surface and come to life when the person has gone. When the person was with us, we may have taken him or her for granted, it is only when the person has gone, then only do we begin to appreciate and imitate what the person has done. It seems strange, but that is sometimes how things are in life.
Jesus knew this fact of life really well, and He knew that He had to leave so that the disciples and the church could be empowered, grow and mature. The disciples could not be depending on Him physically forever, since that would stifle their willingness to grow and move on. But by leaving, Jesus left His disciples a legacy to continue, and that same legacy goes on even today. What is that legacy? To spread the Good News to all, no matter where we are.
The question is: has Jesus really left us? Has Jesus left us in a lurch or abandoned us? No. He may have left us physically, but He is with us in an even more powerful way, that is through the Holy Spirit. We may have been fearful and uncertain when Jesus left us, but with the power of the Holy Spirit, we have been given the strength and courage to face up to the world and help others to love just as Jesus loves us.
Today, as we celebrate the Ascension of our Lord Jesus, let us not feel disheartened or lost. Jesus is with us, guiding us, and helping us to go forth and preach the Good News with vigour. Now is our time, now is our moment, and let us seize every opportunity to glorify God with our words and deeds.
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