>>At a parish that I once served in there was a food pantry and I happened to be helping with the food pantry that day, packing boxes and bags for those who would come that day to receive their supply of food.

The pantry was now closed, I was locking up the door when a man come, slowly hobbling down the walkway.

“Y’all finished?” he said.

I said, “Yep, we’re closed up for the day.”

“But I need some food.”

“Well, could you please come back tomorrow. It’s locked up, we’re done and I’m on my way elsewhere.”

“No! I need some food now,” he said.

I said, “Sir, can you please come back tomorrow? I’m sorry, we’re done for the day.”

And he looked at me and he said, “I thought you were supposed to be Christ! I thought you were supposed to act as Christ!”

And I was like dumbfounded, but his words hit me like a ton of bricks. And of course, I took out my keys and I opened the door. But those words haunted me because they reminded me of some others words that Jesus once said,  “Whatsoever you do to the least…”

Remember those words?

Today we hear about the ascension of Jesus. It’s not some big-being taken up into the clouds, but rather Jesus speaks to the disciples and he says this, “I am with you always, to the end of the ages.”

How is Jesus with us now and always?

Well, one of the things that we must think about and remember is that Jesus is always with us and the needy and the poor. And when we serve the needy and the poor, we serve Jesus. When we ignore the needy and the poor, we ignore Jesus.

I still think about that man today and I share that story because it reminds us; maybe we can’t all have the means to help those in need, maybe we don’t have the time or the ability- but we can all pray for the church who ministers to the needy and the poor. To those who are in these special ministries or have the means to help others.

We can make a difference in what we do and in our prayer. And I share that with you today for this reason- because when we do that we are reminded that we continue to be a part of the paschal mystery that we hear about in the gospel today.

“I am with you always to the end of the ages.”

Jesus is with us, especially in those who are in need. And when we help one another, we continue to manifest for each other the promise of Jesus the risen Lord.