Christ, our bridegroom, wants to marry us, each and every one of us, no matter our gender
Ye people of Galilee, why stand you looking up to heaven?
This Jesus who is taken up from you into heaven,
shall so return as you have seen him go into heaven
From a contemplative Christian’s perspective, an eclipse is a liminal event through which the veil is made open between heaven and earth revealing a glimpse of the celestial realm of our God…deserving great attention. Imagine that eclipses and other such events in the sky reveal a time-space-place where spirits, souls, angels, and like beings come and go. Souls in purgatory, all prisoners captive in places of darkness, suspended in places of longing and long waiting…are released…and move closer and closer to the Light. Messenger angels en masse slip in and out searching for us, we who need them, so they can deliver their messages to us from God.
Interesting that today’s solar eclipse falls on the day we celebrate *The Feast of the Ascension. Jesus ascends into heaven 40 days after the resurrection. Briefly, Jesus dies on the Cross on Good Friday, descends into Hell releases the captives there, including Adam and Eve according to some conventions, and then rose from the Dead on the third day. Then through the next 40 days, he reveals himself beginning with Mary Magdalene, then to the rest of the apostles. He spends time with them, eats with them, shows them his wounds, teaches some more about the Paraclete who will come to them, gives them their Great Commission…”go out to ends of the earth and spread the Good News.” Then He bodily ascends into heaven to be seated at the right hand of the Father. Next, 10 days from the ascension and 50 days after Easter, we celebrate the Feast of Pentecost, when Jesus bestows on us the Holy Spirit, our Paraclete, our Comforter.
Interesting as well, today’s solar eclipse is not a total eclipse which shows the sun as a fine radiant corona around the dark shadow of the moon, but one not quite so full so it reveals the sun as a tiny ring, a promise or engagement ring perhaps. Marriage and what constitutes judgment of a correct one has been in the news a lot lately, and seems to be an important part of political platforms. Symbolically, this ring as revealed to us today could represent the wedding ring Christ will give to his spouse. Many believe His Spouse to be his church…us…we, the mystical body of Christ. Christ, our bridegroom wants to marry us…each and every one of us…no matter our gender. Imagine this ring as a sign of God’s Love for All of His creations, seen and unseen on earth and in heaven, as we prepare for the great Wedding and subsequent consummation where the “church” and Christ truly become one.
‘love lu
*The actual feast day was on Thursday, May 17, but being so close to Sunday this year, we celebrate it today, the seventh Sunday of Easter.
