Ascension Sunday

INTRO: Tell story of Father Don Dunson
-friends since sixth grade
-ordained together
-during his years as a priest, Father

Don became affected by the war torn country of the Sudan and the children “warriors”.

After visiting and serving his summers in the Sudan he actually opened an ORPHANAGE for the children who were freed from the militia there and of course were without any family.

On one occasion, Father Don…. Who LOVES CHOCOLATE

I think he had a Snickers bar.

Anyway…in his own chocolate craving gets out this candy bar and was about to devour it and saw an “orphan child”. He decided…. As any good priest would… to hand the child this wonderful possession….giving it up for the child!

The child’s eyes lit up and thanked Father and immediately he left to go around the building. Father followed at a distance and there behind the building the young Sudanese boy had called three other children over to him …… and he had broken that candy bar up…. So that all could enjoy and fully participate in what he had!

Father Don tells me another story…. He had taken some HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS on this mission trip to the Sudan to witness the third world setting and visit these orphan children.

One High School student walking around the orphanage noticed the young boy’s tee shirt…

Obviously worn for several weeks! Dirty, torn, and unbecoming!

Here this student had brought with him MANY TEE SHIRTS and lovingly, compassionately, and fully conscious of his desire to help….went and retrieved THREE good favorite TEE SHIRTS and gave that orphan a gift… three tee shirts!!!

That orphan beamed and was so grateful.

Later in the day….this student spotted a completely different young boy wearing HIS TEE SHIRT!!!!

He sought out the orphan to whom he gave the three shirts and said…I saw another boy wearing the gift I gave you! Why?

The orphan from the THIRD WORLD said… “You gave me so many, I had to share!!!”

SHARING

The Ascension is our reminder that the APOSTLES where “witnesses of these things of JESUS and have handed them on to US!!!”

WE are today still in the kingdom of God and we are to SHARE the works of JESUS! We are to share with others CHRIST’S ways, to create CHURCH, to make peace with others, to not judge, but, accept all others, building UNITY and working together.

CONCLUSION

May the body and blood of Christ you receive today cause you to share with others the Christ within you!