Thought For The Week 21 May 2023

Have you ever noticed that when you encounter someone who is experiencing a challenge that you have been through yourself, you may find yourself more empathetic to that person because you’ve walked the same road? I experienced that recently when my daughter Sophie fractured her foot. I’ve also broken bones and spent some time on crutches. I felt like I could understand her frustration. I remembered what it was like to have to sit on the sideline and miss out on events and activities. Hopefully, my prior experience meant I was better able to understand what Sophie was experiencing and our relationship grew as a result.
Today we mark Ascension Sunday when Christ ascended to the Father. Christ was raised, the firstborn of the dead, with a resurrection body. He was still fully human and fully God. When he ascended to the Father and sat at his right hand, he did not cease to be fully human. The mystery of the incarnation is something that continues, with Christ showing us what it means to be truely human in the image of God.
The writer of Hebrews writes in chapter 4:4-16 that because Jesus ascended into God’s space he now stands as a high priest, a reconciler between God and humanity. But Jesus is not some unknown middleperson to whom we need to plead our case to advocate on our behalf. Jesus knows what it is to experience our human frailty. He still knows what it is like. So we can approach God’s throne with confidence, knowing that Christ understands our story. He knows who we are, where we’ve been. He welcomes us with understanding and outstretched arms into a ever deepening relationship with the Father.
Luke
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