Prayer on the morning of the Ascension

(By Cardinal Godfried Danneels)

Lord Jesus,
when You ascended into heaven
the angels said to the Eleven:
“Don’t just stand there looking up to heaven”.

But a fortnight earlier,
near the tomb, didn’t those same angels
said to the women:
“Don’t look down!
He is not here.
He has risen”?

Could the angels be so fickle
that they change their minds so quickly?
What should we do, Lord Jesus?
look down towards the earth
or upwards, towards heaven?

To both, You tell us:
“I am in heaven,
so look up to me and pray.
But I am also on earth
in all the poor, the little ones
the sick and the sinners.
You still have so much to do down here,
for them
and for me.
For the time being at least”.

Lord Jesus,
make us look up towards heaven
without forgetting the earth
and also in the opposite direction.
For everything we do on earth
to those who are yours
we do to you.

[Photo: Edinburgh Cathedral - Creative Commons, Lawrence OP]