ASCENSIONS

Years ago my brother Paul got a hot-air balloon. For his maiden voyage, a solo flight, he hauled the balloon and basket out to a field in the country in his little pickup truck, together with his wife and son who would then follow Paul and be there when and where he landed. Paul turned on the burner and inflated his balloon, finally getting into the basket and lifting off to high adventure. As he was ascending, getting higher and higher into the sky with the marvelous view, he looked down at his family standing by the truck and waving at him. Filled with joy, he waved back. They continued to wave, even jumping up and down in their excitement, waving with both arms. Paul thought, wow, I think they're even more excited than I am, and happily continued waving back. He was too high to hear his family yelling, "The keys! The truck keys! You forgot to give us the keys! Drop 'em down!" And as Paul drifted off into the blissful blue yonder, there stood his family, stuck in an isolated field with the truck and unable to start it.

We can be thankful that our Lord Jesus Christ didn't make the same mistake. He gave St. Peter the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 16:19). And when our Lord ascended, we didn't have to shout up to Him, "The keys! You forgot to give us the keys!"

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