Fr. Cal Ibe

Beloved sisters and brothers in Christ, hope everyone is doing well and enjoying these beautiful sunny days? Are you happy? Your joy is my joy and your pain is my pain. I miss everyone of you so much. I keep praying that this would be over soon. So that we will return to the Church and to the Sacramental Communion!
 
Today we are commemorating the Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ! The end of His successful earthly ministry and His return to His heavenly Father. It is the event that took place forty days after the resurrection of our Lord. He has ascended to the Father from where He is to fulfill His promise to us. "I am going to prepare a place for you, I will come back to take you with me, so that where I am, you also may be" (John 14:2-3). What a beautiful promise from our Lord Jesus Christ!
 
As we know, Jesus did not just stop at that promise, he knew that it wouldn't be easy for us as He was leaving, He knew that someday, this pandemic would come, He knew that someday we would be in great grief, sorrow or sadness because of loss of beloved, loss of marriage and relationship. He knew that someday we could be in pain of sickness, pain of addiction! Pain of being hated! Pain of being an object of backbiting and mudslinging! Pain of rejection by friends or family! Pain of been bullied at school, at work, or at home! Pain of abuse! Pain of isolation and loneliness! Pain of fear and anxiety! Jesus knew about all these pains, because he was once a victim and object of these pains. Jesus knows that we will need guidance, we will need comfort, Jesus knew that we will need solace, and that we will need to keep our eyes on the ball, which is the Cross of our salvation, the eternal life, that we need to keep the light burning. Jesus knew that we need to actualize the promise of Eternal Life. He knew that we need to be supported and encouraged in our daily struggles and efforts to attain the Eternal and Everlasting Happiness.
 
For these reasons, as He was ascending, He promised to send us the Holy Spirit. "I will send you the Advocate, the Comforter, who will come from my Father" (John 15:26) Jesus as usual, did not come short in this promise. At the Pentecost which we will celebrate next Sunday, He sent us the Holy Spirit Who will protect and preserve us from all harm and dangers! Who would sustain us and prosper us in all that we do! Who will guide and guard our going out and our coming in! Who will protect our children, the defenseless, and the vulnerable from the predators and attackers! Who would finally and ultimately lead each and everyone of us to the Truth, to God Himself, (John 16:7)
 
Finally my beloved sisters and brothers in Christ, let us always try and make positive efforts to be happy in the face of all these temporary setbacks and challenges, because Jesus our Lord, who has ascended to His Father has promised us that we are going to be with him in His Father's glory. Remember He ALWAYS holds up His own end of the bargain! (John 14:3). WILL YOU HOLD UP YOUR OWN END? In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen!