St. Peter Epistle — Ascension Liturgy at St. Paul’s, Wednesday Eve, May 23, 2012 at 6:30pm

Don't forget that on Wednesday evening, May 23, 2012 we will celebrate the Liturgy of the Ascension of our Lord and Savior Jesus starting at 6:30pm at St. Paul's (get map). This Liturgy official mark the end of the Paschal season (no more "Christos Anesti!" — it sure went fast, didn't it?). Next stop is Pentecost where we await the descent of the Holy Spirit.

A couple of points to remember. The Second Person of the Trinity — the Son of God — took on human nature at the Incarnation, when the Holy Spirit overshadowed Mary. He was born (that is how we know Him as Jesus), was crucified, but rose from the dead bodily (no body in the tomb, remember?). Christ ascends into heaven in the same way, in His glorified body. That is what makes the Eucharist possible. If Christ did not have human nature in the marvelous way the only He really understands, then it would not be possible for us to partake of His Body and Blood.

One other point we shouldn't forget. St. Paul calls Jesus the "Second Adam." With His incarnation, death and resurrection, Christ restores what Adam lost. Adam sinned and all of creation became estranged from God. God becomes mans in order to dissolve that estrangement, to take what was fallen and bring healing to it, to bridge what until that time was an unbridgeable gulf of separation between man and God.

So don't doubt the love, mercy and power of God toward you. He is stronger than we think or know, and His mercy and goodness towards us is concrete, tangible, and endures forever. We are saved because Christ decreed that we should be, and as we learn to trust in Him we also learn that He will act towards us in all goodness, and mercy, and truth.

See you on Wednesday and God bless you. Fr. Hans