Here’s
a creative monologue on the ascension of Jesus (Acts 1:1-11) from Roddy
Hamilton.
The Letter of Theophilus
The imaginary letter
Theophilus wrote in response
to Luke’s original
ones of his Gospel and Acts.
My
dear Luke,
Thank
you for your first book about Jesus… As you can guess… I was most intrigued to
hear you were writing a second volume… and have been looking forward to it with
expectation… I did wonder how this wonderful story could continue after
resurrection… and so on receiving your second volume… I was keen to start
reading straight away…
In
your first book you kept me gripped with a story full of wonder and grace… of
healing and miraculous events… but more than anything… it was Jesus who
fascinated me… a miracle worker yet whose miracles were incidental to the
purpose of his life… which was to offer and show us how to live life fully
given over to the love of God…
I
was fascinated therefore with the details you gave of the resurrection and the
sightings of him after those mysterious events at the empty tomb… And to
imagine all you say is true… makes it even more of a tale of wonder and grace…
Imagine
then… what it was like to open your second volume and read straight away the
story of Jesus departure from among us… My heart skipped a beat as I imagined
in my mind his ascension… I must confess I did wonder what was going to happen
to Jesus ever since the early days of resurrection… I knew in my heart of
hearts he couldn’t be with us always… so limited geographically to one place at
a time…
But
an ascension… such a difficult thing to imagine… I can’t tell if you are
offering a symbolic story here… or outlining the facts… either way… the means
of his departure seem unimportant…
I
imagine you are saying that it is what is left in his place that is important… and
the implication of the two men who turn up as the disciples stare into space…
as if longing for Jesus to be with them… is beautifully and subtly made… Though
I have to confess… I can imagine how they felt… those poor disciples… having
been through so much… tying their whole lives and livelihood to Jesus… and now
all of that familiarity is gone… It must have been quite a blow to them…
So
far… I have read but the first page… and am looking forward to hearing how the
tale will grow… but I imagine that they will discover they have been left with
more than they imagine… a confidence? I am sure… a hope? I am certain… but if
everything I have read so far is true… and I do not doubt you one bit, Luke my
friend… then there will be love… a love that has seen all things… even death
being defeated… and in that Spirit and truth… I dare not even imagine what
might yet happen to this new movement…
Jesus
is gone… but it seems he is more alive now… than ever before…
Thank
you for encouraging my faith… with your own… I am beginning to trust this
adventure called The Way…
Your
friend,
Theophilus
~ written by
Roddy Hamilton, and posted on Listening
to the Stones. http://newkilpatrickblog.typepad.com/nk-blogging/mucky-paws/
