The Ascension and the importance of friends
May 10, 2021
Dear parents and families,
Thursday is Ascension Day. This upcoming Sunday in Family Worship, we will celebrate the Ascension of Jesus Christ into Heaven. Jesus’ ascension into heaven was and is bittersweet; our friend, teacher, and redeemer is no longer on earth but he is not dead.
It is not lost on me that Jesus spent his last earthly days with his friends. The Last Supper and the Ascension bookend each other: on both occasions he spent time with the people he loved the most before he departed this earth. Just as a parent loves a child, Jesus loved his friends so dearly. Jesus felt a unique, fierce protection for them. Some of his last words before ascending into Heaven were beseeching God to protect the disciples in his absence.
I often wonder: who influenced Jesus so heavily that he spent his last days with his friends? Think of all the people who impacted him along his journey. Who or what tipped the scales so significantly that Jesus spent his last days with his friends and loved ones? Was it his mother Mary? Was it his human father Joseph? Was it the blundering, well-intentioned Peter? Matthew, the tax-collector-turned-disciple? Mary and Martha, the sisters that Jesus consoled in their grief? Or maybe even Zaccheus who watched Jesus from the tree?
Perhaps it does not matter who or what grew Jesus’ heart so deeply that he was humble enough to spend time with his friends. All that matters is how much Jesus loves and cares for us. He may not be here in a way we can reach out and touch him, but we know he walks alongside us. Jesus is not dead; on the contrary, he is very much alive.
If you struggle to have a conversation with your children about the Ascension, taking a walk and looking up at God’s creation can be helpful. Where is Jesus in that massive sky? Is he in the trees? Do the birds catch glimpses of him as they migrate to and fro? As you walk, some guiding questions may be useful:
- Today we celebrate the Ascension. Do you know what it means to “ascend”?
- Do you think Jesus cared about his friends? Why do you think that?
- Do you think Jesus was going to miss his friends?
- Have you ever had a friend move away? How did it feel?
- What would you say to Jesus if you were a disciple? What do you want to say to him right now?
Our friends at BuildingFaith have developed a wonderful resource for parents to talk about the Ascension: Ascension Through the Eyes of a Child. The clergy and staff are here to support you and your children through this particularly confusing day in the late Easter season - and always.
Gracefully and prayerfully,
Anne Alexis
Anne Alexis Harra
Minister for Children, Youth, & Families
215 247 8716
Anne Alexis Harra (she/her) was born and raised in Wilmington, DE. She and her beloved partner, Cole (he/him) currently live in Manayunk. Anne Alexis graduated from Washington College in May 2019 with a B.A. in English and a minor in Philosophy.
Anne Alexis has served on the Diocesan Council in the Episcopal Church in Delaware, as well as the Racial Justice & Reconciliation Commission, and the Diocesan Assessment Committee. Since moving to Philadelphia in January 2021, she has served on the DioPA Youth Leaders Team and the DioPA Dismantling Racism for Youth Leaders Team. She is passionate about children's spirituality and using education as a force for good in their spiritual lives.
Beginning with the waters of baptism, Anne Alexis has devoted her life to serving God in the Episcopal Church. Raised on Godly Play in Sunday school and moving into a tight-knit youth group, she is aware of the positive impact that the Church’s presence can have in the life of a young person. She is passionate about encouraging children and youth to explore their faith on a personal level while also committing to a community-centered effort to enact change for the greater good.
Anne Alexis is passionate about racial justice and healing, as well as advocating for the rights of children in the context of the Christian faith. She hopes for a church where all of God's beloved are welcomed, heard, and included. She seeks and envisions a church where every member feels the true love of God in Christ. Anne Alexis is deeply aware of the profound impact of Jesus' unyielding love for all, including the most tender and vulnerable in our society: children. Hopeful for a day when all marginalized peoples are treated with equity, she continues "to seek and serve Christ in all persons." The Baptismal Covenant and Sacrament of Eucharist guide her ministry.
Anne Alexis’ father owns and is president of a local funeral home in Wilmington. Some of her earliest childhood memories include observing him engage with bereaved families in a way that can only be described as ministerial. Her mother is a hospice nurse who guides her patients and families through a dignified palliative care stage. Anne Alexis’ parents have left a huge impression on her heart. A ministerial goal she has at St. Martin’s is exploring the often taboo topics of dying and death in the hopeful context of the gospels.
In her free time, she enjoys weightlifting, reading, spending time with her family (notably her godson, Will), and watching new shows with her beloved cats by her side. She and Cole enjoy trying eclectic restaurants in their neighborhood -- observing COVID restrictions, of course!
Tags: Children & Families
