If you visit the Holy Land, part of the tour is to the Church of the Ascension on the top of the Mount of Olives. There you are shown a rock in the centre of the church, with two indentations, and these, we are told, are the marks of Christ’s feet as he ascended to Heaven. Our guide commented that we did not look impressed. Certainly not as impressed as some people did, obviously.

I wonder what we make of this? It must first be accepted as a spiritual truth that however it happened, Christ left this human scene and entered his heavenly sphere. Rising, covered, he moved from their sight in a cloud. Michael Ramsey stated that Jesus was enveloped in a cloud of the Divine Presence.

It is the counter-part of the Incarnation, isn’t it? Remember Jesus said, “I come from the Father and have come into the world.” Then, at this time he says, “I am leaving the world and going to the Father.” It brings together the spiritual and the human, for it marks then end of Christ’s earthly ministry and beginning of a new beginning for us. The Ascended Christ is the bestower of the Holy Spirit, making his presence real to each one of us. Once, Jesus was in a sense confined to a sort of earthly territory, now he is with you and me, where ever we are.

“Where two or three must meet together in my name, there I am in the middle of them”. In midst of them, indeed. It is the power of the Holy Spirit that fulfils Jesus’ ministry in the world. He continues Christ’s ministry, empowering his disciples to spread the Good News of hope and love to all mankind.

Again to quote Michael Ramsey, he says, “Don’t let us ever doubt that God is present in our human lives”. Working perhaps at inaudible levels, in the experience of men and women. We must never carry the Christian Gospel to people without reverencing the Divine image in them.

It’s quite something, isn’t it, that if we carry the Gospel to people we should reverence the Divine image within them. I do not believe that many people, including statesmen, scientists, doctors, nurses, policemen and many others are working for God’s kingdom without consciously realising the fact. They work to maintain peace, to work for a just and fair condition in industry, to seek to bring healing to the sick and aid to the handicapped and the underprivileged. In the affairs of the society and in the heart of individuals, it is in this sort of activity it can be seen that the Holy Spirit is at work.

In today’s reading, the last thing Jesus said to the disciples before they went out and across to the garden of Gethsemane and it’s his prayer to the Father. He said “I ask not only on behalf of those who believe in me through the Word, that may all be one.” That they may all be one.

Important words. You will have heard the expression, “Letting go; Letting God”. A suggestion that we should let go of our own human aspirations, our own human desires, and let God take over in our lives. And thinking back over the various readings since Easter, there’s been a bit of an emphasis of this thing, of “Letting go; Letting God”, in the way we behave and our witness to the faith, enabling the God of Love to work through us, in the way we act in our daily lives, in the way that we treat other people

Today the emphasis is very much on being one. It does not mean sameness. It is in combining with others, using our different talents to come together to achieve more than we could individually. This church is noted for being a friendly church. It is easy to take that for granted, so that eventually that spirit of friendship can be lost, especially if we assume that this spirit of friendship is by our own efforts and we do not give God the credit for working though us.

We must always be aware of others’ situations. Helping those who are in pain of all kinds, without smothering them. This morning we think very much of times of sadness and being aware of others needs. We are also thanking God for blessings received. That they may all be one. In that passage, Jesus says that three times and it applies to our witness and our ministry at home and beyond, in our community, in our social activities but particularly in our worship and in our prayer. So that what Paul describes as the fruits of the spirit can develop in each one of us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness and gentleness. It is in the ‘oneness’ that people can see the fruits of the spirit and the Holy Spirit at work, here in our church. “The glory that you have been given,” Jesus said, “I have given so that the world may know that you have sent me.”

At this time of Ascension tide, the spirituality of Christ’s return to God gives the link with him to God. This is confirmed in the Eucharist as we share his body and blood, another link of the human and the spiritual.

Finally I emphasise, Jesus said, “As you, Father, are in me, and I in you, may they also be in us.” I think that’s an incredible statement. What a privilege we have. And do we really take that on board: “As you, Father, are in me, and I in you, may they”, that’s us, “also be in us.” What a privilege we have. Let us be aware of that privilege and act on it

Amen