Chapel of the Ascension, Jerusalem
Acts 1:1-11
There was a Pencil Maker who always took each pencil aside just before putting it into a box.
“There are 5 things you need to know,” he told the pencil, “Before I send you out into the world. Always remember them and never forget, and you will become the best pencil you can be.”
One: “You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in someone’s hand.”
Two: “You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, but you’ll need it to become a better pencil.”
Three: “You will be able to correct any mistakes you might make.”
Four: “The most important part of you will always be what’s inside.”
And Five: “On every surface you are used on, you must leave your mark. No matter what the condition, you must continue to write.”
In a sense, we are all pencils – capable of great creativity, artistry and thought. But we are also very human; we can and we will make mistakes! But we all possess the ability to correct those mistakes. But all of that doesn’t matter a bit if we don’t pick up that pencil and do something with it. If we leave it sitting on the desk, nothing happens. If we let fear or worry or hesitancy prevent us from picking it up and doing something with it, it is useless and so is our life!
Sometimes this lack of movement is not about a lack of motivation; it’s more about uncertainty of how to move forward. It’s more about what do I do now? We spend years in school with exams and projects and grades and then we graduate and, for some of us, we hit that point right after the ceremony where we ask ourselves – now what?? We all need that kick in the pants!
Or we get that job, after filling out the application, going through the interview and the training, and we sit down at our desk on that first day and we suddenly realize – now what do I do?
I remember my first week of teaching high school religion. After all those years of educational classes and months of preparing for that first week, I had put together class notes that I was sure would last a good 2 weeks of classes. I barely made it through the first day. Now what do I do?? I needed a good kick in the pants!
The apostles are pretty much in the same boat in today’s first reading from the Acts of the Apostles. Jesus is giving them essentially His final instructions. You will be My witnesses to the ends of the earth. You will make disciples of all nations. You will baptize in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and you will teach them My commandments! And you will not be alone – I will be with you; the Spirit will be with you!
And then Jesus ascends into heaven before their eyes. And what do the disciples do? They just stand there gaping up into the sky. You can almost hear them saying to themselves – oh geez, He’s gone! Now what do I do? Well, I’m not gonna go preach first; I’ll let someone else go first. Kind of like Mikey in the Life cereal commercial – I’m not gonna try it, you try it!
It takes 2 angels to appear and knock some sense into them. Why are you just standing around looking up into the sky? Jesus has gone but will return later. So get moving, get busy! He left you a mission! Get to it!
We all know how hard it is to take that first step – first day at a new job, first day of high school or college, moving away from home. We all know how difficult it is when we start crafting that huge research paper, sitting down at the computer or picking up that pencil! How to start! What will be that first sentence! How to begin and take that first step!
We all have that same mission – to be disciples and missionaries, to spread the Word. We are all called to get moving, to take that first step no matter how nervous or unsure we are! We are all called to live out our Baptismal promises to witness to our faith, in our words, in our actions, in our life! As Jesus reminds us today, be not afraid; you are not alone! You have all been baptized by the Holy Spirit!
So consider this a group kick in the pants – don’t just sit there doing nothing, waiting for someone else to lead the way. Get Moving! Pick up that pencil! Be inspired! Be creative! Be filled with the Spirit! We all have work to do!