Ascension: May 11/12, 2024

When I was growing up, my mom’s mother - so my maternal grandmother - lived with us.  
    Four of my mother’s brothers were still living, having survived their service during World War II - of course would come, with their families, to visit their mother from time to time.
    One uncle in particular we liked to see arrive. Because always before he left, he would call me and my siblings together – pull some coins out of his pocket – jingle them in his hand - and then proceed to offer each of us a coin.
    These weren’t just any coins, though – they were special coins – like:  1920 Silver Dollar / 1942 Quarter / 1909 Buffalo Nickel.  All of which I still have. . .

    Just like my uncle before he would leave our house, Jesus wanted to make sure he offered his disciples something special before he left this earth.
    We have considered some of these special gifts throughout the Easter season: like -  mercy:  when, out of love, we DO NOT always give people what they deserve – when we are unfair in a good way:  like loving others, forgiving them, or helping them - even when they don’t deserve it.

    During this Easter season, Jesus offers us the gift of peace: peace I leave you, my peace I give you.

    Peace, St. John Paul II once said:  is not possible without justice.  And justice is not possible without forgiveness.  And forgiveness is not possible without mercy.
    In any kind of disagreement, we have the choice of escalating it – or diffusing it by being a peace-maker.

Jesus offers us The gift of leadership through a good shepherd who gives us confidence and hope:  allowing us to become the good sheep that Jesus wants us to be.
Following after him, embracing the values of the Gospel – rather than chasing after the values this world offers us.

Jesus before he leaves the earth, offers us the gift of Connection: with him and with each other in community.  He is the vine, we are the branches and we must draw our spiritual strength from him – because without him, we can do nothing.
Through Scripture, and prayer, and service, and Sacraments:  we conform our values, our priorities, our expenditure of time, talent, and treasure to flow from our commitment to Christ.

Throughout this Easter season – Christ also offers us the gift of – JOY.  Because we know and truly believe that God is fond of us – we have,
 not the gift of happiness which is dependent on the outside circumstances of our life – but the gift of joy - which is deep within our hearts that regardless of the circumstances we find ourselves in – cannot be taken from us –
And so someone like Nelson Mandela, though unjustly locked up in prison for years – still had joy in his hea
rt – because he knew God was fond of him.
    Notice I said Jesus OFFERS us these gifts - we have to be open to receiving them – for like his love – Jesus does not force it upon us – we have to freely choose to love Jesus and then accept the gifts he offers to us.

BUT  the greatest gift of all that Jesus wants to offer us – is yet to come:
“But in a few days, you will be Baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
And thus began the first novena, nine days of prayer, when the disciples prepare themselves to receive the Holy Spirit - which offers another whole bunch of gifts to them. . .

So like the disciples, we wait.  We wait for the same Spirit which will make us as bold in our witness of Christ as the disciples were.

Accepting the gift of the Holy Spirit will allow us to live in a manner worthy of the call WE have received – 
and allow us to go forth to preach everywhere, and the Lord will work in us and through us – –confirming the word of God through signs and wonders.

    We will be able to do all these things because of the GIFTS of the Holy Spirit – so be sure to come back next week – on the feast of Pentecost – when we celebrate these gifts God offers to lavish upon us.

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