Doorkeepers & Ascension Day!

Psalm 84:10 reads: "I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness."

There is, in fact, a liturgically designated doorkeeper for the Paschal service of the Orthodox Church in the Antiochian rite. He remains behind in the church, while outside the congregation, having processed around the church singing of the Resurrection, awaits entry into the newly lighted church. The church had been in darkness earlier when the congregation left it, bearing only their newly lit paschal candles.

Now outside the church, the priest pounds on the doors three times, saying: “Lift up your heads, O gates, and be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in!” (Ps. 24:7)

The doorkeeper shouts from inside: “Who is this King of glory?” (24:8)

Reply: “The LORD strong and mighty, The LORD mighty in battle.”

The priest again pounds on the door, twice more with the same words and dialogue with the doorkeeper, after which the doorkeeper opens the doors to the congregation, which enters the church for the joyous Paschal matins.

Forty days later, today, on the Feast of the Ascension, during matins, we read this:

Beholding Thee being taken up from the Mount of Olives, O Christ, the Powers cried one to another: “Who is this?” And it was said unto them: “This is He that is strong and mighty! This He that is mighty in battle! This is truly the King of Glory!”

We are not told here who says this to the angels (the Powers) who ask the question, but it would seem to be a heavenly doorkeeper. Of course this is liturgical poetry, but the point is made: The same Christ Who rose from the dead after smashing the gates of death, is the same victorious warrior, the Lord strong and mighty, who “When he ascended on high he led a host of captives.” (Eph. 4:8)

The full arc of salvation is nearly completed on the 40th day after Easter, the final step yet to come being the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the 50th day. Thus, St. Paul:

…and he gave gifts to men.” In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower depths of the earth? He who descended is he who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.

The gifts, as Paul makes clear, are those accompanying the Gift of the Holy Spirit in the Church.

The entire arc of salvation is given in this verse from the matins service:

Thou was born as Thou Thyself didst will;
Thou didst appear of Thine own choice;
Thou didst suffer in the flesh, O our God.
Thou didst arise from the dead, trampling down death;
Thou didst ascend in glory, O Thou who fillest all things,
And didst send unto us the Divine Spirit, that we may praise and glorify Thy Divinity.

Again, St. Paul:

He was manifested in the flesh,
Vindicated in the Spirit,
Seen by angels,
Preached among the nations,
Believed on in the world,
Taken up in glory. (1 Tim. 3:16)

You get the idea: Our salvation won by Christ flows out from the entirety of His work, touching Man at every point:

Having come down from Heaven unto the things of earth, O Christ, as God, with Thyself Thou didst resurrect Adam’s form, which lay prostrate in the nether holds of Hades vault; in Thine Ascension to the heights Thou didst lead it up unto the Heavens and Thou didst seat it upon the throne of Thy Father, since Thou, the Friend of man, art merciful.

Astonishingly, a human body is now in the presence of the Father, where before there was not….no wonder the angels asked questions when they saw the Ascension of a Man to the right hand of God the Father.

Today marks the 40th day, the Ascension. It is a day of a new Triumphal Entry--into heaven, where the Lord strong and mighty brings us into the presence of the Father. God “raised us up with him, and made us sit with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” (Eph 2:6)

Is this just a figure of speech? Or is there a spiritual reality here?

St. John writes the words of Christ: “Behold, I have set before you an open door.” And a few verses later: “I looked, and lo, in heaven an open door!” (Rev. 3:8 and 4:1) Yet we earthbound people scarcely even think of Our Lord’s Ascension much these days, and thus we miss heaven’s open door. No matter, the Lord is patient. So he mercifully continues to come to us who remain captive to our own earthbound desires:

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock! If anyone hears me voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. He who conquers, I will grant to sit with me on my throne, as I myself conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.”

This He says not first of all to unbelievers but “to the churches.”

Knock, knock, knock, so the Conquering Savior comes to us, bringing gifts. “Open, that the King of Glory may come in.”

And how do we, the doorkeepers on the other side, respond to the Victorious One who redeemed us? That’s an open question, isn’t it?…..Knock, knock, knock, the Lord strong and mighty, knocks every day…What an honor to open up and invite Him in ... who has already invited us and brought us to the Father!

Happy Feast of the Ascension!

Comments

[Hainds Laird]

Thanks Jim for such a beautiful picture of Jesus' Ascension and our incredible participation.

[Margaret]

How exciting, thank you.