>> A READING FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. IN THE FIRST BOOK, THEOPHILUS, I DEALT WITH ALL THAT JESUS DID AND TAUGHT UNTIL THE DAY HE WAS TAKEN UP, AFTER GIVING INSTRUCTIONS THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT TO THE APOSTLES WHOM HE HAD CHOSEN. HE PRESENTED HIMSELF ALIVE TO THEM BY MANY PROOFS AFTER HE HAD SUFFERED, APPEARING TO THEM DURING FORTY DAYS AND SPEAKING ABOUT THE KINGDOM OF GOD. WHILE MEETING WITH THEM, HE ENJOINED THEM NOT TO DEPART FROM JERUSALEM, BUT TO WAIT FOR THE PROMISE OF THE FATHER ABOUT WHICH YOU HAVE HEARD ME SPEAK; FOR JOHN BAPTIZED WITH WATER, BUT IN A FEW DAYS YOU WILL BE BAPTIZED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT. WHEN THEY HAD GATHERED TOGETHER THEY ASKED HIM, LORD, ARE YOU AT THIS TIME GOING TO RESTORE THE KINGDOM TO ISRAEL? HE ANSWERED THEM, IT IS NOT FOR YOU TO KNOW THE TIMES OR SEASONS THAT THE FATHER HAS ESTABLISHED BY HIS OWN AUTHORITY. BUT YOU WILL RECEIVE POWER WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT COMES UPON YOU, AND YOU WILL BE MY WITNESSES IN JERUSALEM, THROUGHOUT JUDEA AND SAMARIA, AND TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH. WHEN HE HAD SAID THIS, AS THEY WERE LOOKING ON, HE WAS LIFTED UP, AND A CLOUD TOOK HIM FROM THEIR SIGHT. WHILE THEY WERE LOOKING INTENTLY AT THE SKY AS HE WAS GOING, SUDDENLY TWO MEN DRESSED IN WHITE GARMENTS STOOD BESIDE THEM. THEY SAID, MEN OF GALILEE, WHY ARE YOU STANDING THERE LOOKING AT THE SKY? THIS JESUS WHO HAS BEEN TAKEN UP FROM YOU INTO HEAVEN WILL RETURN IN THE SAME WAY AS YOU HAVE SEEN HIM GOING INTO HEAVEN. ♪ VERBUM DOMINI ♪ >> ♪ DEO GRATIAS ♪ >> ♪ GOD MOUNTS HIS THRONE WITH SHOUTS OF JOY: A BLARE OF TRUMPETS FOR THE LORD ♪ >> ♪ GOD MOUNTS HIS THRONE WITH SHOUTS OF JOY: A BLARE OF TRUMPETS FOR THE LORD ♪ >> ♪ ALL PEOPLES, CLAP YOUR HANDS, CRY TO GOD WITH SHOUTS OF JOY, FOR THE LORD, THE MOST HIGH, IS AWESOME, THE GREAT KING OVER ALL THE EARTH ♪ >> ♪ GOD MOUNTS HIS THRONE WITH SHOUTS OF JOY: A BLARE OF TRUMPETS FOR THE LORD ♪ >> ♪ GOD GOES UP WITH SHOUTS OF JOY; THE LORD, THE LORD GOES UP WITH TRUMPET BLAST ♪ SING PRAISE FOR GOD, SING PRAISE; SING PRAISE TO OUR KING, SING PRAISE ♪ >> ♪ GOD MOUNTS HIS THRONE WITH SHOUTS OF JOY: A BLARE OF TRUMPETS FOR THE LORD ♪ >> ♪ GOD IS KING OF ALL THE EARTH, SING PRAISE WITH ALL YOUR SKILL ♪ GOD REIGNS OVER THE NATIONS, GOD SITS UPON HIS HOLY THRONE ♪ >> ♪ GOD MOUNTS HIS THRONE WITH SHOUTS OF JOY: A BLARE OF TRUMPETS FOR THE LORD ♪ >> A READING FROM THE LETTER OF SAINT PAUL TO THE EPHESIANS. BROTHERS AND SISTERS, I, A PRISONER FOR THE LORD, URGE YOU TO LIVE IN A MANNER WORTHY OF THE CALL YOU HAVE RECEIVED, WITH ALL HUMILITY AND GENTLENESS, WITH PATIENCE, BEARING WITH ONE ANOTHER THROUGH LOVE, STRIVING TO PRESERVE THE UNITY OF THE SPIRIT THROUGH THE BOND OF PEACE: ONE BODY AND ONE SPIRIT, AS YOU WERE ALSO CALLED TO THE ONE HOPE OF YOUR CALL; ONE LORD, ONE FAITH, ONE BAPTISM; ONE GOD AND FATHER OF ALL, WHO IS OVER ALL AND THROUGH ALL AND IN ALL. BUT GRACE WAS GIVEN TO EACH OF US ACCORDING TO THE MEASURE OF CHRIST'S GIFT. THEREFORE, IT SAYS: HE ASCENDED ON HIGH AND TOOK PRISONERS CAPTIVE; HE GAVE GIFTS TO MEN. WHAT DOES HE ASCENDED MEAN EXCEPT THAT HE ALSO DESCENDED INTO THE LOWER REGIONS OF THE EARTH? THE ONE WHO DESCENDED IS ALSO THE ONE WHO ASCENDED FAR ABOVE ALL THE HEAVENS, THAT HE MIGHT FILL ALL THINGS. AND HE GAVE SOME AS APOSTLES, OTHERS AS PROPHETS, OTHERS AS EVANGELISTS, OTHERS AS PASTORS AND TEACHERS, TO EQUIP THE HOLY ONES FOR THE WORK OF MINISTRY, FOR BUILDING UP THE BODY OF CHRIST, UNTIL WE ALL ATTAIN TO THE UNITY OF FAITH AND KNOWLEDGE OF THE SON OF GOD, TO MATURE TO MANHOOD, TO THE EXTENT OF THE FULL STATURE OF CHRIST. VERBUM DOMINI >> ♪ DEO GRATIAS ♪ (ORGAN) >> ♪ ALLELUIA, ALLELUIA ALLELUIA >> ♪ ALLELUIA, ALLELUIA ALLELUIA ♪ >> ♪ GO AND TEACH ALL NATIONS, SAYS THE LORD; I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS, UNTIL THE END OF THE WORLD ♪ >>> ♪ ALLELUIA, ALLELUIA ALLELUIA ♪ >> ♪ DOMINUS VOBISCUM ♪ >> ♪ ET CUM SPIRITU TUO ♪ >> ♪ LECTIO SANCTI EVANGELII SECUNDUM MARCUM ♪ >> ♪ GLORIA TIBI, DOMINE ♪ >> JESUS SAID TO HIS DISCIPLES: GO INTO THE WHOLE WORLD AND PROCLAIM THE GOSPEL TO EVERY CREATURE. WHOEVER BELIEVES AND IS BAPTIZED WILL BE SAVED; WHOEVER DOES NOT BELIEVE WILL BE CONDEMNED. THESE SIGNS WILL ACCOMPANY THOSE WHO BELIEVE: IN MY NAME THEY WILL DRIVE OUT DEMONS, THEY WILL SPEAK NEW LANGUAGES. THEY WILL PICK UP SERPENTS WITH THEIR HANDS, AND IF THEY DRINK ANY DEADLY THING, IT WILL NOT HARM THEM. THEY WILL LAY HANDS ON THE SICK, AND THEY WILL RECOVER. SO THEN THE LORD JESUS, AFTER HE SPOKE TO THEM, WAS TAKEN UP INTO HEAVEN AND TOOK HIS SEAT AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD. BUT THEY WENT FORTH AND PREACHED EVERYWHERE, WHILE THE LORD WORKED WITH THEM AND CONFIRMED THE WORD THROUGH ACCOMPANYING SIGNS. ♪ VERBUM DOMINI ♪ >> ♪ LAUS TIBI, CHRISTE ♪ >> THE SOLEMNITY OF THE ASCENSION OF THE LORD MARKS 40 DAYS AFTER THE SOLEMNITY OF THE LORD'S RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD. 40 DAYS IS A VERY SIGNIFICANT NUMBER IN SALVATION HISTORY. MOSES ASCENDED MOUNT HOREB TO SEEK THE FACE OF GOD IN FASTING AND PRAYER. AFTER THE ISRAELITES WERE FREED FROM THE SLAVERY OF THE EGYPTIANS THEY WANDERED 40 DAYS AND 40 YEARS RATHER UNTIL THEY REACHED THE PROMISED LAND. ELISHA FASTED FOR 40 DAYS AS HE JOURNEYED TOWARD THE MOUNTAIN OF GOD. AFTER BEING BAPTIZED BY JOHN THE BAPTIST THE LORD JESUS WAS TEMPTED FOR 40 DAYS AND 40 NIGHTS IN THE DESERT. AND FOR 40 DAYS THE LORD JESUS APPEARED TO HIS DISCIPLES TO ASSURE THEM THAT HE HAD TRULY RISEN FROM THE DEAD. THAT HE WAS THE LAMB WHO WAS SLAIN. AND TO EQUIP THEM FOR THE MISSION THAT HE WOULD HAVE IN STORE FOR THEM. THAT WE WILL ULTIMATELY CELEBRATE NEXT SUNDAY AT THE FEAST OF PENTECOST. THE COMING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. THE LORD AND GIVER OF LIFE. THE COLLECT OF THE OPENING PRAYER OF TODAY'S MASS SPECIFICALLY STATES THE THEOLOGY OF THE ASCENSION OF THE LORD. IT SAYS GLADDEN WITH HOLY JOYS ALMIGHTY GOD AND MAKE US REJOICE WITH DEVOUT THANKSGIVING FOR THE ASCENSION OF YOUR CHRIST, YOUR SON, IS OUR EXULTATION. AND THIS IS WHERE THE THEOLOGY IS STATED VERY SUCCINCTLY. AND WHERE THE HEAD HAS GONE BEFORE IN GLORY THE BODY IS CALLED TO FOLLOW IN HOPE. AND WHERE THE HEAD HAS GONE BEFORE IN GLORY THE BODY IS CALLED TO FOLLOW IN HOPE. 1ST IT SAYS HOLY JOYS. THIS REFERS TO OUR PERSONAL EXPERIENCE OF BEING TOUCHED BY AND TRANSFORMED BY THE LORD. JOY IS THE INFALLIBLE SIGN OF THE CHRISTIAN. REJOICE WITH DEVOUT THANKSGIVING. THE ADJECTIVE DEVOUT HERE IN LATIN, PIA, REFERS TO THE DEVOTION BETWEEN A PARENT AND A CHILD. WE GIVE THANKS BECAUSE THERE HAS BEEN A RELATIONSHIP ESTABLISHED A RELATIONSHIP THAT IS FAR GREATER THAN ANY EARTHLY RELATIONSHIP THAT WE COULD POSSIBLY BE IN. THIS RELATIONSHIP HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED BY OUR REDEMPTION IN CHRIST, BY CHRIST CONQUERING SIN AND DEATH. THE PHRASE 'WHERE THE HEAD HAS GONE BEFORE IN GLORY THE BODY IS CALLED TO FOLLOW IN HOPE' GIVES US AGAIN A KEY INSIGHT INTO THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD. JESUS CHRIST, THE HEAD, GOES BEFORE IN HEAVENLY GLORY SO THAT HIS MYSTICAL BODY THE CHURCH MAY FOLLOW HIM INTO THE ETERNAL PARADISE OF HEAVEN. THAT IS OUR DESTINATION. HEAVEN. THE IMAGERY OF CHRIST THE HEAD AND WE HIS MYSTICAL BODY THE CHURCH IS IMPORTANT. ALTHOUGH HE ASCENDS INTO HEAVEN WE HIS MYSTICAL BODY REMAIN UNITED TO HIM. WE THE MYSTICAL BODY OF CHRIST CANNOT OPERATE WITHOUT BEING UNITED TO THE HEAD. THE HEAD AND THE BODY MUST BE UNITED. THIS IMAGERY OF HEAD AND BODY IS MEANT TO STRENGTHEN OUR FAITH AND HOPE THAT CHRIST OUR HEAD IS ALREADY IN GLORY AND WE HOPE FOR THAT SAME GLORY. THE CLOSING PRAYER AT MASS SUMMARIZES OUR THEOLOGY OF BEING UNITED TO CHRIST. IT SAYS ALMIGHTY AND EVER LIVING GOD, WHO ALLOW THOSE ON EARTH TO CELEBRATE DIVINE MYSTERIES, GRANT WE PRAY, THAT CHRISTIAN HOPE MAY DRAW US ONWARD TO WHERE OUR NATURE IS UNITED WITH YOU. PONDER ON THAT. TO WHERE OUR NATURE IS UNITED WITH YOU. IN A VERY MYSTERIOUS WAY OUR NATURE IS THROUGH OUR BAPTISM, THROUGH OUR BEING CONFORMED TO CHRIST, IS ALREADY UNITED TO HIM IN GLORY. THAT IS SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN PONDER FOR THE REST OF YOUR EARTHLY LIFE AND NOT FULLY GET TO THE DEPTHS OF IT. THE CHURCH USES THE LANGUAGE OF THE MYSTICAL BODY OF CHRIST TO REMIND US THAT CHRIST'S ASCENSION IS A JOYFUL EVENT AND NOT A SAD ONE. IT MAY SEEM LIKE A SAD DAY FOR THE FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST WHEN HE ASCENDED INTO GLORY AND THIS IS ALL PART OF THE DIVINE PLAN. THE PLAN OF REDEMPTION. SANCTIFICATION. JESUS CHRIST ASCENDS INTO HEAVEN NOT TO BE SEPARATED FROM US BUT RATHER TO DRAW US CLOSER TO HIM. OUR LIFE AS CHRISTIANS CONSISTS OF FOLLOWING WHERE OUR HEAD HAS GONE BEFORE US. JESUS CHRIST. THE ASCENSION CAN BE BOILED DOWN TO THIS. IT IS THE FEAST WHERE WE CELEBRATE THE HOPE OF ETERNAL LIFE. THE HOPE OF EVERLASTING GLORY IN HEAVEN. BEING UNITED FOREVER WITH HIM IN ETERNITY AND WITH OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS WHO HAVE GONE BEFORE US MARKED WITH THE SIGN OF FAITH. IT SHOULD GIVE US HOPE. THAT NOT BEING NOT ONLY UNITED TO THE HEAD OUR LORD BUT EVERYBODY WHO HAS GONE BEFORE US, THAT WE KNOW AND LOVE ON EARTH. THAT WE WILL SEE ULTIMATELY WE WILL SEE THEM IN HIM, IN JESUS. WE WILL SEE THOSE WHO HAVE GONE BEFORE US EVEN MORE BEAUTIFUL THAN THEY LOOKED HERE ON EARTH. TRANSFORMED, IN HIM. ST. THOMAS AQUINAS SAYS THAT THE ASCENSION OF THE LORD SHOULD INCREASE OUR FAITH, HOPE AND CHARITY. FAITH BECAUSE TRUE FAITH IS BELIEVING WITHOUT SEEING. HOPE, BECAUSE HE WHO BECAME 1 OF US ASSUMED THE HUMAN NATURE IN ALL THINGS EXCEPT SIN HAS GONE TO HEAVEN TO PREPARE A PLACE FOR US. REMEMBER THE LORD TELLING US IN THE GOSPELS THAT HE HAS GONE BEFORE US TO PREPARE A PLACE FOR US. MANSIONS. FAR GREATER THAN ANY EARTHLY MANSION YOU CAN EVER IMAGINE. WITHOUT CHRIST'S ASCENSION THE GATES OF PARADISE WOULD HAVE REMAINED CLOSED. THIS IS THE THEOLOGY OF THE ASCENSION. CHRIST ENTERS THE GATES OF HEAVEN AND OPENS THE GATES OF PARADISE AS ETERNAL HIGH PRIEST BEFORE US. THE GATES OF HEAVEN WERE CLOSED BECAUSE OF SIN. ORIGINAL SIN. CHRIST CONQUERS SIN, DEATH, AND HELL, AND GOES BEFORE US AS OUR ETERNAL HIGH PRIEST AND IS SEATED BEFORE THE RIGHT HAND OF HIS FATHER. NOW HE AWAITS US IN GLORY. HIS ASCENSION ALSO GIVES US HOPE THAT CHRIST RAISING OUR MORTAL BODIES FROM THE DEAD, WE LIKE HIM HAVING THE GLORIFIED RISEN BODY WILL BRING THAT GLORIFIED RISEN BODY INTO HEAVEN. THAT OUR BODIES WILL BE RAISED ON THE LAST DAY. THAT THEY WILL BE TRANSFORMED. TRANSFIGURED. ST. THOMAS AQUINAS ALSO SAYS THAT THE ASCENSION INCREASES CHARITY WITHIN US BY THE SENDING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. ONLY AFTER CHRIST ASCENDS INTO HEAVEN WITH THE FATHER DOES HE SEND THE PROMISED HOLY SPIRIT AMONG US FOR THE SALVATION OF THE WORLD. THE TRANSFIGURATION. THIS TRANSFORMATION THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT BRINGS ABOUT WITHIN EACH CHRISTIAN SOUL. THIS PERSONAL PENTECOST. JESUS CHRIST LEAVES US IN ORDER TO STAY WITH US. AGAIN I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO PONDER THAT. HE LEAVES US IN ORDER TO STAY WITH US. MOTHER ANGELICA YEARS AGO WROTE A BOOK ENTITLED 'TO LEAVE AND YET TO STAY.' TO LEAVE AND YET TO STAY. THE SACRED HUMANITY OF JESUS CHRIST BY HIS ASCENSION IS ENTHRONED IN HEAVENLY GLORY AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE ETERNAL FATHER. IN HIS RETURN TO THE RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER JESUS HAS TAKEN OUR FLESH WHICH HE ASSUMED ALONG WITH HIM INTO HEAVEN. AND HE KEEPS THAT FLESH FOR EVER. HE KEEPS THAT SACRED HUMANITY, THAT HE ASSUMED, FOR EVER AND FOR ALL ETERNITY, AND IF WE REMAIN IN HIM AS PART OF HIS MYSTICAL BODY WE ARE DESTINED TO SHARE IN THAT SAME GLORY. THAT SAME GLORY NOW AS GOD THE SON THAT HE PARTAKES IN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER. POPE FRANCIS A FEW YEARS AGO IN COMMENTING ON THE ASCENSION SAID THESE WORDS. JESUS WHEN HE RETURNS TO HEAVEN BRINGS THE FATHER A GIFT. WHAT IS THE GIFT? HIS WOUNDS. HIS SACRED HUMANITY. THOSE PRECIOUS WOUNDS ON HIS HEAD, HIS FEET, AND HIS HANDS. HIS SIDE. HE BRINGS THEM HIS WOUNDS. HIS BODY IS VERY BEAUTIFUL, THE POPE SAID. WITHOUT BRUISES. WITHOUT THE WOUNDS OF FLAGELLATION, BUT HIS WOUNDS, HIS HANDS, HIS FEET AND IS SIDE REMAIN. FOR ALL ETERNITY. WHEN HE RETURNS TO THE FATHER HE SHOWS HIM THE WOUNDS AND SAYS TO HIM THE POPE SAID, LOOK FATHER, THIS IS THE PRICE THAT I PAID FOR FORGIVENESS. THIS IS THE PRICE OF FORGIVENESS THAT IS OFFERED. THE POPE GOES ON FURTHER SAYING, WHEN THE FATHER LOOKS AT JESUS'S WOUNDS HE ALWAYS FORGIVES US, NOT BECAUSE WE ARE GOOD BUT BECAUSE OF THE PRICE THAT HE PAID. THE INFINITE PRICE THAT HE PAID. THE PRICE THAT ANYONE OF US CANNOT PAY OURSELVES. HE RANSOMED US FROM SIN AND DEATH. HE PAID THE PRICE. THE PRICE THAT NONE OF US CAN PAY. NO AMOUNT OF EARTHLY MONEY CAN POSSIBLY BUY ETERNAL REDEMPTION AND SALVATION. ONLY IN HIS GLORIOUS WOUNDS WE ARE HEALED. THE POPE SAYS, LOOKING AT JESUS'S WOUNDS THE FATHER BECOMES MORE MERCIFUL. THIS IS THE GREAT WORK OF JESUS IN HEAVEN TODAY. SHOWING THE FATHER THE PRICE OF FORGIVENESS. AGAIN HIS WOUNDS. HIS SACRED AND GLORIOUS WOUNDS. THIS IS BEAUTIFUL AND IT MOVES US TO HAVE FEAR, HOLY FEAR OF ASKING FORGIVENESS. THE FATHER ALWAYS FORGIVES BECAUSE HE LOOKS AT THE WOUNDS OF JESUS, LOOKS AT OUR SIN, AND HE FORGIVES OUR SIN. HE ANNIHILATES OUR SIN. WHEN WE CONFESS OUR SIN TO HIM OUR SIN IS LITERALLY ANNIHILATED. THIS HAPPENS MOST OF ALL IN THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE. WHERE SIN AND SHACKLES ARE LITERALLY CUT. WE ARE FREED. OUR OWN WOUNDS WHEN UNITED TO THE WOUNDS OF JESUS CAN BECOME LIFE-GIVING RATHER THAN LIFE DRAINING. I THINK ALL OF US HAVE HAD THE EXPERIENCE IN OUR LIVES OF WHATEVER OUR OWN WOUNDS MAY BE THAT WE CARRY AROUND, WHETHER THEY BE PHYSICAL WOUNDS, THE ACHES AND PAINS OF OLD AGE, RIGHT? WHETHER IT BE PSYCHOLOGICAL WOUNDS OR EMOTIONAL WOUNDS THAT ONE CARRIES AROUND FROM HURTS AND PAINS, THE WOUNDS CAN BE LIFE DRAINING SOME DAYS. BUT WHEN WE UNITE OUR WOUNDS TO HIS WOUNDS WHICH ARE IN ETERNITY IN HEAVEN, OUR WOUNDS BECOME LIFE-GIVING WOUNDS. RATHER THAN LIFE DRAINING AND LIFE SUCKING WOUNDS. WOUNDS THAT SUCK THE LIFE OUT OF US. OUR WOUNDS ARE MEANT TO BE TRANSFIGURED AND TRANSFORMED AND UNITED TO HIS GLORIOUS WOUNDS. THE MEANING OF THE ASCENSION OF THE LORD IS THIS. WE ARE DESTINED TO BE WITH THE LORD IN ETERNITY FOR EVER IN HEAVEN. THAT IS OUR DESTINATION. THAT IS OUR GOAL. ETERNITY. POPE EMERITUS BENEDICT THE 16TH SAID THE LORD'S ASCENSION MEANS THAT CHRIST HAS NOT GONE FAR FROM US BUT THAT THANKS TO THE FACT THAT HE IS WITH THE FATHER HE IS CLOSE TO US. THAT HE HAS NOT LEFT US ORPHANS. THAT HE REMAINS WITH US. MOST OF ALL IN THE SACRAMENTS. IN HIS ASCENSION IN HEAVEN, JESUS THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH ENTERS 1ST THAT WE MIGHT FOLLOW. HE ENTERS 1ST AS THE HIGH PRIEST THAT WE MIGHT FOLLOW OUR HEAD. IN CLOSING POPE FRANCIS SAYS, THE ASCENSION DOES NOT POINT TO JESUS'S ABSENCE BUT TELLS US THAT HE IS ALIVE AND IN OUR MIDST IN A NEW WAY. IN A VERY NEW WAY. HE IS NO LONGER IN A SPECIFIC PLACE IN THE WORLD AS HE WAS BEFORE THE ASCENSION. HE IS NOW IN THE LORDSHIP OF GOD PRESENT IN EVERY SPACE AND TIME CLOSE TO EACH 1 OF US IN OUR LIFE WE ARE NEVER ALONE. THAT IS THE MESSAGE THAT EVERY 1 OF US NEEDS TO HEAR. WE ARE NEVER ALONE. MOTHER ANGELICA WOULD SPEAK ABOUT THIS OFTEN DURING OUR LIVE SHOW PRESENTATIONS. BECAUSE SHE KNEW THAT PEOPLE'S HEARTS LONGED FOR GOD BUT THEY FELT LIKE SOMEHOW THEY WERE ALONE. THAT SOMEHOW GOD HAD ABANDONED THEM. THAT GOD DOES NOT UNDERSTAND THEM. SHE WOULD ALWAYS GIVE US THE MESSAGE OF HOPE TO TELL US THAT WE ARE NOT ALONE. THAT GOD JUST IS NOT AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER IN ETERNITY BUT BECAUSE WE ARE CONFORMED TO HIM, HE IS LITERALLY IN US. IN HIM WE LIVE AND MOVE AND HAVE OUR BEING. AND YOU CANNOT GET ANY CLOSER THAN THAT. HE IS SO CLOSE TO US THAT HE IS CLOSER TO US THAN EVEN OUR OWN CONSCIOUSNESS. THAT IS CLOSE. ETERNAL LIFE AGAIN IS OUR DESTINATION. THAT SHOULD BE OUR GREATEST CONSOLATION AND OUR HOPE.
