C: 7th Sun of Easter / Ascension Sunday (2 June 2019) - UNHOLY COMPARISON (Jn 17:20-26/Lk 24:46-53)

Imagine yourself to be in this scenario (call it Situation A):

a) Yesterday, you received 160 euros from your employer for a day’s work.

b) Today, you just received 200 euros from him for the same work.

Which of the two scenarios will you be happier: yesterday or today? Obviously, all of us would answer “today”. However, after confirming with your co-workers, you discovered this interesting reality (call it Situation B):

a) Yesterday, you were the only one who received 160 euros while all the rest received only 150 euros.

b) Today, you merely received 200 euros while everybody received 250 euros.

After knowing this piece of truth, when will you be happier: yesterday or today? Most of us would reply “yesterday”. But, come to think of it… Is it not that 200 is way greater than 160? Why would we squander 40 behind just for the sake of being regarded as richer than others? What is actually the problem with being considered less than the rest?

If you are like me who picked “yesterday” as better than “today”, you should not feel ashamed of your choice since the same questionnaire was conducted in the Harvard Business School. Around 87% of the total respondents chose the same: they preferred to receive only 160 euros as long as they are above the rest! Even the greatest thinkers in business and economics are willing to throw 40 euros into the bin.

Our concept of Ascension is not far from this comparative social analysis. To illustrate, in the Filipino culture, we use in daily parlance the Spanish word “asenso” to mean primarily economic success. “Asenso” is the barometer of a better life. This stifling goal explains why at least 10% of the Filipino population are working abroad: to ascend above the rest who are materially poor.

Success is usually described as sky-is-the-limit, which means that its ceiling is infinite and even relative. Indeed, we cannot truly measure success, but our human minds establish a visible parameter: as long as we are superior to others, then we are successful… we have ascended above the rest! Equally, spiritual holiness is being projected as a pious achievement of transcending from the sinful human world. We distinguish ourselves as holy when we are already a cut-above-the-rest in piety. Thus, we do not care about the others if they could not achieve sanctity… the important thing is that we attain ours.

Comparison can be healthy when it is used as a vehicle to motivate oneself, to recognize each other’s giftedness, and to animate the values of respect, cooperation, and charity. However, when it becomes a meterstick of success and failure, then it becomes unholy. Looking at our illustration above, Situation A recognizes our own blessedness, thanking the Lord both for yesterday and today. The amount of money matters, too, but such is only secondary to the fact that we continue to receive blessings on a daily basis. Thus, we are already content with what we have. Unfortunately, Situation B disrupts our state of contentment. Instead of just being satisfied, we begin to question why others receive more while we receive less. The irony, however, is we never complain when it is the other way around.

The Seventh Sunday of Easter is also recognized as the Ascension Sunday in locations where the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord is not celebrated on the preceding Thursday. The gospels for the Eucharistic celebration are Jn 17:20-26 (Jesus’ Prayer for Unity) and Lk 24:46-53 (Jesus was taken up to heaven), respectively. Nonetheless, both texts are connected to one another as it tells us a salient truth about our own ascension to holiness: it is always on the basis of our unity and love of one another, not on how we perform in comparison to others.

- Rex Fortes, CM