The Feast of the Ascension celebrates the moment when Jesus returned to our Heavenly Father following His Resurrection from the dead. This year the feast coincides with World Communications Day. The theme for this year’s Communications Day is taken from the Book of Exodus. “That you may tell your children and grandchildren: Life becomes history”

The pandemic has forced us to tell children and grandchildren a lot of things…families have been forced to fill the role of school teachers. While many felt unprepared for the task their unique place in the lives of their children and grandchildren undoubtedly enriched the whole enterprise. Textbook lessons illustrated by real life experiences and incidents from family life and history gave children so very much more than a schoolroom could. Stories about present and former generations and their courage in facing hardship dissolve the fears that overwhelm children during pandemics or others time that feel threatening.

The story of Jesus’ faithfulness is the one that teaches every generation that fear and even death can be defeated. Neither death nor destruction is the last word about anyone of God’s chosen. Jesus’ return to the Father is not something to fear or make us feel distant from Him or abandoned by Him. The life he entered is ours too. In today’s Gospel Jesus said,”Now this is eternal life, that they should know You the only True God, and the One whom You sent, Jesus Christ”. That is our story and the very best one we can teach and pass on.