Below is a message from the Mother Nita Byrd+, University chaplain

Thursday, May 29 was the 40th day of Easter, the day on which we observed the Feast of the Ascension, and offered praise for Christ’s glorious ascension as described in the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts.

After his suffering he presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God… So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” He replied, “It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight [Acts 1:2, 6-9, NRSV].

Many churches observed this past Sunday as Ascension Sunday, in keeping with our Christian tradition. In the year 430 CE, Saint Augustine of Hippo the patron saint of our university, instructed Christians to let their hearts ascend with Christ to heaven. We are to be encouraged by knowing that we have a great high priest in the heavens, Christ, who knows our needs and pains. In his sermon for the Feast of the Ascension, Saint Augustine exhorts us to ask, “Why do we on earth not strive to find rest with him in heaven even now, through the faith, hope and love that unites us to him? He is here with us by his divinity, his power and his love. We cannot be in heaven, as he is on earth, by divinity, but in him, we can be there by love.”[1] As we recall Christ’s Ascension, let us take comfort in knowing that we serve a Living God who knows no boundaries. Christ’s omnipresent love is with us in all circumstances, all places, and all manners of life. When we embrace and hold fast to that love, we are empowered to do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine through Christ Jesus. Hold fast, keep the faith, and remember that Christ promised, “lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen” [Matthew 28:20, KJV].