ascension day

this ascension day is the 22nd anniversary of "my first celebration of the eucharist," an event the synchronicity of which has gained significance for me over the years as my understanding of the place of the ascension in the liturgy has grown. celtic daily prayer from the northumbrian community has added another glimpse of understanding: the ascension as a marriage. of course! and of course this is part of the implicit orthodox understanding of the liturgy, but which i seldom remember explicitly.

the northumbrian "liturgy combines material from a variety of sources: . . . traditional scottish prayer . . ., the imagery of jewish betrothal custom and catherine de hoeck doherty's vision of the bride as a 'servant of the poor.' the scriptures used are from the song of solomon and st john's gospel.

"jesus betrothed his followers to himself. he offered his love. his own body and all his kingdom. he looked for our love, our willingness to follow him, our promise to be his alone, to wait for him.

"you have not chosen me', he said, 'but i have chosen you. receive my love. do not be afraid. drink from my cup as the sign of your betrothal to me. trust in my love and believe in me. if only you could see me for who i am!'

"'my father is rich in houses and land. i am going to prepare such a wonderful place for you, so where i am you can be with me. when all is ready, i will return and take you to myself.'

"'walk as my own in the world, and remember how i have loved you. it is better that i leave you now--for time is short, and you have much to do as you prepare for my returning.'

"clouds of heaven covered him as he was taken up out of their sight.

"when the people of heaven welcomed their heart-love, mary's beautiful son broke into tears before them.

"'i am my beloved's,' he said, 'and she will be mine. my desire is towards her, and she will not fail me. soon she will shine as brightly as the sun, reaching out for me, urgently as a mighty army, radiant and terrifying. my sister, my bride, she is mine!'

"the spirit of promise gave this vision, the spirit he said would lead us deeper into truth. it is a vision of what we, as his own, can become.

"there she stands, above the treeline, shining in the rays of the noonday sun.

"she is beautiful and simple, with her doors wide open: and into her stream the rich and poor alike.

"she is the bride of christ. she is his beloved and he is all tenderness, all love, towards her.

"not only is she his beloved, but she serves the people whom he loved, the poor. the people whom he fed with loaves and fishes, she now feeds with bread and wine.

"from her heart rises an immense cry of adoration:

"'my lord has died,
jesus, my lord is risen.
jesus our lord will come again to take us to himself--that where he is we may be also.'
. . .
"lord, hasten the day when those who seek you in every nation will come from the east and west, from north and south, and sit at table in your kingdom."

--from celtic daily prayer (harpersanfrancisco, 2002), pp.281-283.