Thoughts for the Day

Then Jesus said to them, ‘These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.’ Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, ‘Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.’

The Ascension of Jesus

Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy; and they were continually in the temple blessing God.

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

Have you made a will? I do hope so! You can now buy a pack from all good stationers with all the instructions needed. In my work over many years I have seen too many families left with the problems and costs incurred by those who haven't left wills. Perhaps this was because they thought they hadn't got much to leave, but unless we are homeless most of us do have something to leave, even if it's only the dog or cat.

In today's reading from Luke's Gospel we see the risen Jesus taking his final leave of his disciples. He doesn't just leave them in the night and disappear, he concludes his teaching in the upper room, before taking them out to Bethany the village on the hill above Jerusalem where he had made his base during the last week of his life, before saying his final farewells:

Jesus' final message sums up his life and work and gives specific instructions to the disciples:

• He reminds them of what the scriptures have said about the Messiah.
• He tells them that they are witnesses to his message.
• He instructs the disciples to continue teaching repentance and forgiveness of sins to all nations.
• He then blesses the disciples.

This 'living-will' made by Jesus is still in existence and passes to each of us as inheritors of that will.

Lord Jesus,
You have left us as inheritors of Your will:
to pass on Your teaching to others,
and to spread the gospel to our own community
and to the wider world.
Help us to carry out this mission
to the best of our ability
both now and in the future.
Amen.