Ascension : News From The Grotto - Thought For The Week
Submitted by The Islander (Shari Parkhill) 20.07.2006 (Article Archived on 03.08.2006)

In this week’s Gospel, we hear of how Jesus sent his apostles out in groups of two to start working in His name.

In this week’s Gospel, we hear of how Jesus sent his apostles out in groups of two to start working in His name.  He told them to take nothing with them, nothing but their faith.  If they did not receive a welcome, they were to continue on to another place.   Imagine them setting out with such instructions.  How many of us would just say, okay, I’ll do whatever you say?  We’d know of the likelihood of hardships ahead and obstacles we might encounter along the way.  Would we have been so willing to leave behind our lives and head out into the unknown? 

                When we think about it, how many of us haven’t done this at some point in our lives?  Remember your first day of school?  Our parents, those grownups we entrusted to keep us safe, pointed us in the right direction, told us to enter, and off we went into the big unknown.  Most of us felt some trepidation, a few of the shyer amongst us probably even suffered from real fear, but it wasn’t long before it became an integral part of our lives, and we were part of a big, new and fascinating world.  

                Many times throughout our lives we’ve been faced with a fork in the road and have headed off in a new direction.  Just think of where we are.  How many people in the world have left the security of family, friends, and known surroundings to move to a strange, little, remote island most of the world has never heard of?  For many of the Saints, Ascension has been closely tied to their history, but to leave St. Helena was still a big step.  For many of the military people you may not have had a lot of choice of where you were posted, but for the rest of us, this was a huge step.  We’re all here for different personal reasons; some people crave adventure, for some it was a professional opportunity too good to miss, some accompanied loved ones, and for still others just another place to hang their hats.  But for each and every one of us, it took a leap of faith to get on that ship or that airplane, and head for the big unknown.

                Would we be happy where there were no streetlights, no large shops, no movie theatres, and the like?  How many of us get teased by friends and relatives about living where there is little or no civilization?  Little do they know, that in reality this really is civilization; this is where we all wave to each other as we pass on the road; this is where a person can walk without fear in the middle of the night, and where we don’t have to lock up our homes and cars.  Our civilized world here is, in my mind, one of the best kept secrets in this world. 

                So, after we took our leap of faith, how have we been rewarded?  For many of us, it’s in discovering a place we’ll have a difficult time leaving.  And when we do leave, we will take precious memories of our time spent here back with us to a different life.  We will take the memories of the spectacular scenery, and of time spent exploring weird landscapes unlike anything we will ever find elsewhere; and we will take the precious memories of special times spent with some of the nicest people we will ever meet.  These are gifts that can never be taken from us

So, like the apostles in the Bible, who headed out into the unknown, we should always be open to the next new adventure in our life.  Who knows where it will take us?  If we have the faith that God is with us, that we are where we are supposed to be, then we can find the best in whatever we are doing, and in wherever we are.  The hardest part of living here is in the transient nature of the population.  No one is ever meant to stay here forever, and some have shorter times than others, but having to say good-bye is never easy.  Especially for those of us here at the Grotto; we are facing having to say good-bye to Margaret and her husband Graham much too soon, and we know how hard it will be.  But we have the confidence that they will find a new adventure, and happiness in their new home.  But we will miss you, Margaret and Graham, always know that.

                So, to Margaret, and all the others who take a piece of this rocky ground we call Ascension away in their hearts and souls, have faith that God is beside you.  For those of us still here, let us always remember to appreciate this part of our lives.  And to everyone everywhere, anytime life takes you in a new direction, remember the apostles, remember their faith, feel God’s presence at your side, take a deep breath and then a bold step into the unknown.  You never know how God will reward you.