Why do you stand looking up towards heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven (Acts 1: 11)

Where do we go from here? How often have we asked that question ourselves or been asked it by others over the years? There is a real honesty there.

In this year’s programme for the Edinburgh International Festival, its new Festival Director, Nicola Benedetti, writes “Even as a child, when asked about my biggest inspirations, I would never give the expected list of virtuoso violinists. For some reason, I aways found my way to figures who galvanised people around an idea, and whose tie to hope was so strong, they made the unthinkable happen”.

She goes on to say “Here, in Edinburgh each August, we come to re-establish connections. We all need to feel a part of something much larger than ourselves. What better cause than uniting strangers in mutual curiosity. We have searched for connection and commonality across a broad spectrum of the arts, of cultures and of artistic collaborations to create a programme that offers a fresh perspective on what binds and defines us. Now we deepen this search alongside you”. There is something of that which is reflected in our readings.

On Thursday morning we held a zoom service celebrating the Ascension. It is unclear from the Gospels and from Paul’s writings how long the period between the Resurrection and the Ascension was.

The Church’s liturgical year suggests just a few weeks.  In Matthew, it looks very short, while Paul seems to extend it to include the appearance to him on the Damascus Road. John’s account is the most vivid, with details of significant meetings and memorable meals. In Acts it seems to suggest that the disciples are hoping that things will go on like they used to be, only better. Then they suddenly find that Jesus is not going to stay and that he expects them to carry on without him. As they head back to that upper room we hear nothing of their emotions – no fear, no despair, no joy. They get on with things, waiting for whatever it was that Jesus said he would send to help them, though they were not sure that they will know it when it arrives.

One minute they are in the inner circle, waiting to hear about the plans from the kingdom of Israel and their vital part on the matter, and the next minute, they are a leaderless, purposeless group of people.  But they have learned two things. Did you notice them? They have learned to stick together - whatever happens and to keep praying.  Sticking together and praying are to become two of the defining characteristics of the new Christian community.

In our gospel, prayer and community are equally obvious. Jesus’ prayer for the disciples is that they “may be one as we are one”.  Jesus knows that the disciples may feel left bereft after the Ascension. He asks for protection for his followers “so that they may be one”, and in their unity, demonstrate the loving unity of God.

As we seek to follow the ascended Lord, may we too follow that same example.

We rejoice O Christ that you call us to follow you and that in union with you we can live as sons and daughters of eternal love. Through the power of your spirit help us to dwell in that love and live it out towards those we meet today.