Sunday Inbox Inspirations
Ascension of the Lord
Cycle A
May 21, 2023
Balance
One of the things that I remember from my high school days was the emphasis on balance.
The Sulpician priests at Saint Charles High School really emphasized the idea of being a balanced person. The balance that they promoted included a number of elements.
They pushed us to work hard at our studies, to participate in some sport or get some kind of physical exercise, to pray every day, and to keep a sense of humor. They guided us to think before we did something and not to get swept away by our emotions.
So, one of the main parts of our formation in those high school years was balance. The dictionary defines balance as the “stability produced by an even distribution of weight on each side.”
That seems like a pretty good definition for a physical object – like this ambo or lectern or even for our own body. But for us as persons, maybe we would define balance as the well-being that comes from giving appropriate attention to each dimension of our lives.
Balance in Scripture
I see this theme of balance in today’s Scripture passages.
In the first reading, the disciples experience Jesus ascending into the heavens and going back to the Father. They are standing there, looking up at the skies.
Then, two men dressed in white appear. They ask: “Why are you guys just standing there looking up at the sky?”
Then, in the gospel, Jesus tells the disciples, in effect, to get to work – to spread his word to the entire world. Well, when we take these two passages together, I think we see a spiritual balance being proposed.
The disciples are standing there and looking up for a while and this seems appropriate. And it is also appropriate for us at times to do this.
At the same time, the disciples and we must get back to everyday life. This is where we live out our faith, and that is what Jesus is telling the disciples to do in today’s gospel.
Lack of Balance
So, a balance of looking up, as the disciples are doing in the first reading, and of looking around us, as Jesus calls them to do in the gospel.
If we think that following Jesus just means looking up, if we think that coming to Mass and going to confession and praying privately is all there is to being a disciple, we will lack balance. Our faith will become narrow and maybe even self-focused.
We may be neglecting others. We will not be heeding Jesus’ commission to bring his word to the world around us.
On the other hand, if we are looking around all the time, if we are always busy and on the go, we might lose our moorings. We might lose our sense of God and sense of direction.
We might be living on the surface and end up feeling very empty. We certainly will not be looking up and staying centered on Jesus.
A Holy Balance
So, positively, we need to take time for looking up to God and Jesus.
We need time for Sunday Mass. It gives us a sense of God’s presence and some centeredness for our lives.
It gives us strength for doing our jobs and all the everyday things of life. And it keeps fresh in our minds the big picture and the long-term vision of life.
At the same time, besides looking up, we also need to look around.
We need to look around at our family and friends and neighbors and co-workers and classmates. We need to see how we are called to be there for them.
And we need to look around at people in need whom we will never know, maybe in Appalachia or Baltimore City or Central America. This keeps us glued to real life and to an authentic living of the gospel.
Conclusion
So, balance or spiritual balance is important for a healthy and holy life.
My high school faculty and mentors had a pretty good point – a point tucked into todays’ Scriptures.
Fr. Michael Schleupner
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