Reflection for the Website, Sunday 17th May 2026, The Sunday after Ascension
6So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7He replied, “It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. 8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” 9When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. 11They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward 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.” 12Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day’s journey away. 13When they had entered the city, they went to the room upstairs where they were staying, Peter, and John, and James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. 14All these were constantly devoting themselves to prayer, together with certain women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as his brother (Acts 1:6-14)
In the first part of this reading from Acts, we heard the story of Jesus’ Ascension—a feast we celebrated this last Thursday. With the Ascension now behind us, yet with Pentecost still a week away, we find ourselves in a position rather much like that of the first friends of Jesus in our passage: an “in-between” period, a time of waiting. And waiting… well, it doesn’t come naturally to many of us. We grow impatient when a bus or train is late, when we’re put on hold on a call, or when the internet isn’t quite fast enough. The first disciples weren’t much different. Jesus has been resurrected, meeting with them and preparing them for his Ascension and the coming of the Holy Spirit.
Yet, they’re still restless. In our reading, we see them questioning Jesus about his plans. Despite everything he had told them, they’re still stuck in old patterns of thought. They imagine a Messiah who would conquer and rule here on earth, and they want him to hurry up and act. So they ask, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?”
Jesus’ response has a gentle edge of exasperation. He doesn’t give them a direct answer. Instead, he reminds them: “It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority.” In other words: “You’ll just have to wait and see.” Probably not what they were wanting to hear.
And then, Jesus promises that the Spirit will empower them and gives them a final charge: to witness to him “to the ends of the earth.” Then, in a moment both awe-inspiring and ordinary, “he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.” And the white robed men come to explain that Jesus won’t be coming back immediately – so there will be more waiting.
But this doesn’t leave them in despair. Instead, they return to Jerusalem, just as Jesus has instructed, and devote themselves “constantly to prayer.” Their waiting has a purpose. They reflect, pray, and prepare themselves for the mission ahead— they wait in hope and readiness.
And today, the mission continues through us. We are called to witness to Christ in our time and in our world. If we do not, the good news risks being lost to those around us. But just as the first disciples waited, we too can wait in a meaningful way—expectantly, joyfully, and prayerfully – trusting in the power of the Spirit to guide and strengthen us.
Eternal God, giver of love and power,
your Son Jesus Christ has sent us into all the world
to preach the gospel of his kingdom:
confirm us in this mission,
and help us to live the good news we proclaim;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.