St. Christopher's Cathedral now has a tradition of meeting in the desert to celebrate Ascension Day.  It doesn't seem that long ago that in England most church schools closed down for the day and everyone went to church on this great day in the Church's calendar.

Now it seems to pass by unnoticed, misunderstood and generally ignored.  The Gospel writers, particularly St. Luke, saw a depth of meaning in this glorious event.  It signified the final glorification of Jesus and His being assumed back into heaven taking with him His and our humanity into the divinity of the Godhead.  The implications of that are just mind-boggling.  Perhaps that's the problem.  The Ascension of Jesus challenges us to think theologically and spiritually about our life, our world, our very existence here and in the hereafter, but we have become so blinded by the gods of this age our eyes are dulled to the one event that transforms and transfigures every conceivable aspect of human life.

In the midst of the relative richness of the age of technology and the wonders of science, we miss the one thing that gives it all its meaning and purpose.  That one thing is the Ascension of Jesus.

Some of us did manage to capture the essence of that great moment, whatever actually happened, by flying our kites and reflecting on the vastness of the universe as we sat out in the desert under the start enjoying each other's company and good food.  One of our company brought so much food we began to wonder whether she had confused the Ascension with the feeding of the 5,000.

Thank you all so much for great evening.

Alan Hayday

Paul Hamilton mans the barbecue following
 the Service