That's the sign I saw in front of one store as I drove home yesterday. It's a peculiarity of living near the Amish in the next county south - every spring, all the stores that deal with the Amish are closed on a particular Thursday. For many folks (especially those wanting to take a day trip in the sunny springtime) this is a disappointment and a puzzlement. But not for the Amish.
They seem to be some of the last Christians in the USA who still count 40 days after Easter and observe the Feast of the Ascension of Jesus into heaven in such an obvious, culture-challenging way - let's close the shops, forget business, and spend the day focused on the end of Jesus' earthly ministry.
And why not? Our culture pays a lot of attention to the beginning of Jesus' earthly ministry (Christmas), and to the culmination of His earthly ministry (Easter), so why not to the event that marks the beginning of His ministry from His position at the right hand of the Father?
Well, probably because there's no profit in it. The Ascension hasn't become commercialized, like Christmas, and it hasn't become secularized, like Easter. It is as it always was - forty days after Easter, the day when Jesus gathered His disciples together in His presence for the last time, and was taken up from them into heaven. No wrapping paper, no candy, no "Ascension balloons" or similar senseless souvenirs.
And for that reason it's pretty much ignored, even by Christians. Well, probably some Catholics will have special masses today; some Lutheran churches still have Ascension services (not many). For most Christians, as for all the culture around us, Ascension day has come and will go without notice.
Except among the Amish, God bless them!
Ps 8, 4-6 says of Christ: "What is man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him but little lower than God, and crownest him with glory and honor. Thou makest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet." Here the prophet speaks to God concerning a man and marvels that God humbled, for a time, that man, when he suffered him to die, humbled him to the extent that it seemed as if God were not with him. But after a little while God exalted him, so that all things must obey him, both in heaven and on earth. To these words we must hold, to these words we must cling, in these words we must believe; for reason will not submit nor adapt itself to them, but says they are lies. Now, if all things are to be subject to this being and to fall at his feet, he must sit where he can look into the whole world, into heaven and hell and every heart; where he can see all sin and all righteousness, and can not only see all things, but can rule accordingly.
Hence, these are majestic and powerful words. They afford the heart great comfort, so that they who believe this are filled with joy and courage and defiantly say: My Lord Jesus Christ is Lord over death, Satan, sin, righteousness, body, life, foes and friends. What shall I fear? For while my enemies stand before my very door and plan to slay me, my faith reasons thus: Christ is ascended into heaven and become Lord over all creatures, hence my enemies, too, must be subject to him and thus it is not in their power to do me harm. I challenge them to raise a finger against me or to injure a hair of my head against the will of my Lord Jesus Christ. When faith grasps and stands upon this article, it stands firm and waxes bold and defiant, so as even to say: If my Lord so wills that they, mine enemies, slay me, blessed am I; I gladly depart. Thus you will see that he is ascended into heaven, not to remain in indifference, but to exercise dominion; and all for our good, to afford us comfort and joy.
- Martin Luther, sermon on the Ascension of Christ, 1523
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