We’ve all had those moments where we’re stuck in the “in-between.” Maybe you’re waiting for a hard season of life to end, or waiting for a prayer to be answered. In the First Reading today, the disciples are in that exact spot. Jesus has just been taken up into heaven, and they are left standing on a hill, staring at the clouds.
They even ask Jesus, “Is this the time?”. They wanted the ending. They wanted the kingdom restored right then and there. But Jesus gives them a different answer. He tells them it isn’t for them to know the schedule. Instead, he promises them power.
Sometimes we are so focused on when God is going to fix our situation that we miss the power He is giving us to live through it. Two men in white robes eventually have to snap the disciples out of it, asking, “Why do you stand looking up toward heaven?”. In other words: Stop staring and start moving.
The Reality of the “Fiery Ordeal” But moving isn’t always easy. Peter’s letter reminds us that being a follower of Jesus doesn’t mean life becomes a smooth ride. He calls it a “fiery ordeal”. He tells us not to be surprised when things get tough, as if something “strange” were happening.
The “in-between” time is often a time of testing. Peter describes an adversary—the devil—who “prowls around like a roaring lion,” looking for someone to devour. When we are anxious, tired, or feeling alone, we are most vulnerable. But the advice here is practical: Humble yourselves, cast your anxiety on God, and stay alert.
We don’t have to carry the weight of the world. We are told to “resist” and stay “steadfast in your faith,” knowing that we aren’t the only ones suffering. There is a global family of believers walking this same path.
The Prayer That Covers Us While we are down here dealing with “fiery ordeals” and trying to be witnesses, what is Jesus doing? The Gospel of John gives us a “behind-the-scenes” look at Jesus’ heart. He is praying for us.
Jesus knows the world is a difficult place. He specifically says, “I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world”. He isn’t asking God to take us out of the world, but to protect us and make us one.
The goal of our life isn’t just survival; it’s connection. Jesus defines eternal life as knowing the only true God. He wants us to have the same unity with each other that He has with the Father.
From Staring to Staying The disciples eventually left that hilltop and went back to Jerusalem. They didn’t have all the answers, but they had each other, and they had a mission. They “constantly devoted themselves to prayer”.
Today, if you feel like you’re just “staring at the sky” or if you’re in the middle of a “fiery ordeal,” remember this: You are not forgotten. Jesus has prayed for your protection. You have been given the Holy Spirit for power.
Don’t just wait for the end of the story. Live the story today. Be a witness in your “Jerusalem”—your home, your school, your workplace. Trust that after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace will restore, support, and strengthen you.
To God be the power forever and ever. Amen.