Ascension?

Of course they all thought he'd gone up.

They would.

But then, they didn't see what I saw.

I was late,

still struggling up the hill

long after the excitement started

(someone had to stay behind to wash the dishes).

That's how I saw what the others missed.

Angels?

Trumpets?

Heavenly choirs?

No. When the cloud came down

he simply stepped out backwards

sliding quietly through the fog.

(Knowing of their fondly held belief

that Up is Good

he guessed they'd all be standing

with their faces turned towards the sky.)

So no one noticed.

When he passed me, halfway down the hill,

he put his finger to his lips.

"Don't tell," he whispered.

"Never fear," I shrugged,

"They haven't listened yet to anything I've said."

I've sometimes seen him since

- a glimpse or two,

a shadow disappearing round a corner,

but it's always seemed a good idea to leave him to his own devices.

Where ?

Not telling !

You can think of better things to do

than trailing after heroes

can't you ?

 A fragment from a non-canonical Gospel by an unnamed female disciple.

8th May 93

This was inspired by a priest friend who commented that Ascension was his favourite time of the year because it was the time when "Jesus got out of the way". That might sound surprising, but there is a danger that we focus so much on the person of Jesus that we lose sight of what we are called to do ourselves as his sisters and brothers.