Before Jesus ascended into Heaven, He gave His followers one final blessing. Surprisingly, the disciples weren’t filled with sorrow when He left. Instead, they were full of joy. Luke tells us in his Gospel that the disciples returned to Jerusalem with great joy and continually praised God in the temple.
Do we still have that same joy in our hearts today, or has it faded over time? When we look at statistics on church attendance, it’s clear that many people are no longer praising God regularly. Too often, we let worldly things distract us. Even good things can pull our focus away from what should be our priority: God. We should live each day with God at the center, not as an afterthought.
Recently, a beloved priest at our parish was transferred. His homilies inspired me, and I often felt the Holy Spirit speaking through him. While I feel a little sad that he’s leaving, I also feel grateful. Through his ministry, he helped bring me and many others closer to God. And being closer to God brings us true joy. We should give thanks for the people who shine their light in our lives rather than mourning their departure.
Jesus ascended, but He didn’t leave us alone. He gave us the Holy Spirit to guide us and help lead others to Him. He also remains physically present with us through the Eucharist. Regularly receiving Jesus in communion strengthens our relationship with Him. Surrounding ourselves with people who reflect His light also draws us closer to God.
While Jesus is the true light of the world, those who have been illuminated by Him can also shine His light to others. We should seek to absorb as much of Christ’s light as we can so that we can reflect it to the world. This means continually working to grow closer to Him. Think about the blessings God has poured into your life. Let those blessings move you to praise Him, not just sometimes, but always.
