Ascension C 2010: You Will Receive Power

There's lots of talk these days about alternative energy sources.  We're looking for ways to power the many activities we have as a nation.  Go west on I-70, west of Salina and you will see an amazing wind farm; huge wind turbines are harvesting the power of the wind. Today's scriptures are all about energy and power.   Jesus promises to energize us, to give us a power that will enlighten our hearts.  He tells us, "You will receive power."  Christ's power will never let us down.

We have to be careful with our sources of power.  There are lots of different kinds of power.  Powerful things can help us, or they can hurt us. 

The word for the power that Jesus promises to give us is dynamis, a kind of energy that is dynamic, that makes things go.  However, if used incorrectly, dynamis, like dynamite, can blow things up.   There's electric power which lights up the house; in its place it is great, in the wrong place it can electrocute you or burn down the house.  There's the natural power of a wind farm and then again there's the power of a tornado that can destroy homes. 

 Speaking of power and power sources, I was at a leadership seminar with my brother priests this past week and on Tuesday night, a free night, several of us went to see Ironman 2.  (I never read Marvel Comics growing up so this is my chance to learn about fictional characters like Ironman.)  Without giving away the movie suffice it to say that he is looking for a power source to keep Ironman going.  His power source is killing him and he needs to find a way to energize that won't kill him.

 So it is with us.  The beautiful power of sex can be abused by gorging on images or internet sites.  Luxuries like alcohol, caffeine and tobacco are a blessing—or they can kill us. The authority that we have in our homes and work is a gift as well.  We can use that power to build up or to destroy.    

Powerful things can help us, or they can hurt us.  We have to exercise our power carefully.

 Jesus wants to give us God's power for our lives.  The power that Jesus gives us will only do good things for us.  When we welcome the power of the Holy Spirit into our lives, amazing things will happen.  We can't get too much of God's power to love.

 If we let God in, the Holy Spirit will find a way to energize us.  How do we get dynamis?  We believe it is a gift, a supernatural gift of the Savior that is given to us so that we can do amazing things.  We first receive that power in our baptism and it is refreshed whenever we participate in the sacraments.  This grace is low calorie, rich in blessings and good for our health.  St. Paul prays that our hearts would be enlightened so that we can know three things, the hope that belongs to our call, the riches of his glory, and the surpassing greatness of his power for us who believe.

This is the kind of energy that the Holy Spirit wants to give us for our everyday lives.

 We'll know the hope that belongs to our call when we wake up in the morning and say, as an act of will, "This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it."  Our hope is that God will provide what we need today—no more, no less.  Catholics live in hope.  We don't have to know the final answer, only the plan for today. 

We will know the riches of his glory as we look around us.  Maybe we'll have to look two times, or three.  Maybe something will have to happen before we recognize as gift our home, our health, health insurance, a job, or if no job, then a skill to market.  We have our breath, we have clothing, we have freedom, we have this community, we have access to the heart of God, we have the promise of eternal life, salvation.  The riches of his glory will be revealed to us.

Paul's third promise is that we will know the surpassing greatness of his power for us who believe.  We'll see this greatness in one another as we do the little things, the difficult things, heroically from day to day.  We'll recognize with amazement Christ's power in Moms and dads juggling responsibilities to care for their family, children looking after aging parents who are no longer able to express any gratitude, and spouses hanging in there out of devotion because illness is taking your beloved away.  We see the surpassing greatness of God's power in your day to day sacrifices because you believe.

 The power that Jesus gives us will only do good things for us.  When we welcome the power of the Holy Spirit into our lives, amazing things will happen.  We can't get too much of God's power to love.

 Hopefully our time together today gives us some energy for our daily challenges.  This energy is much more than what comes from a doughnut, or even a tank of gas.  God's power will be released in our week whenever we act in faith.  This week God will show us how rich we are in Christ.  God will enlighten us each time we choose to use His power.