We sometimes refer to that period which is sandwiched in the middle of two events as an “in-between” time. The occurrences which flank this interval can give it character and purpose. “In-between” time enables someone to reflect upon the meaning of one happening and prepare for the next.

Attention to this interval confirms where we have been and prepares us for what is to come. It is like the silence between passages of music, the break between lines in poetry, the rest between exertions. Let us talk about “in-between times.”

At this time of the year, I find myself drawn to pondering these intervals. I think of the Saturday between the death and the Resurrection of Jesus as such a time. Those who loved Jesus found their world turned upside down, and more than once. I think of the time between the Ascension and Pentecost as another such time. The Risen Lord departs and the community awaits in prayerful hope for the coming of the Spirit.

Today, I offer a thought on a third in-between time, and it rests between the other two mentioned. It is the time between the Resurrection and the Ascension. (The time at which we now find ourselves.) Jesus instructs his disciples in many ways during this time:

“But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go. For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.” (Jn 16:7)

During the forty days between Easter and the Ascension—that traditional biblical period of waiting and preparation—the Resurrected Lord remained with the Christian community. The Jesus who had been taken away from his followers in the Passion had now returned to them in a glorified form. They encounter him at the tomb, in the upper room, on the road to Emmaus, along the seashore, and in other places which we do not have recorded for us. The community’s perspective regarding the identity of Jesus underwent a thorough revision. Undoubtedly, much of what Jesus said confused them once again, though in a different way, but now they had great confidence that they would come to understand better. The community had been promised a guide, an advocate who, as Jesus insisted, would help them grow to understand him and become better followers.

Yes, for forty days after the Resurrection, Jesus appeared among them. I have envisioned with confidence that Jesus would have visited his mother during this time. But, how many other people in how many other circumstances? How often did the disciples meet at the end of a day when someone would speak up and joyously tell a story of encountering the Lord? We can imagine the other disciples listening. Now, however, not with disbelief (as Thomas in the upper room), but with eager anticipation. One might wonder at the frequency with which they would look around to see if Jesus had joined them on some journey or at some gathering. It seems like an exciting time for the earliest Church.

For us, of course, the question arises as to with what frequency and with what hope we look to find Jesus in our world. How often do we recognize him in the good people who surround us or in the opportunities to be a blessing for others? He encouraged us to look for him among the poor. All of us have seen that black-and-white picture of Jesus standing on a food line with the hungry. Jesus told us to look for him where two or three gather in his name. Where could that be truer than in the Eucharist? He wanted us to see his will revealed in the insights given by the Holy Spirit. He called us to pick up our crosses and follow. Can we see him along the way as we strive to obey his instructions?

The Christ of the Breadlines by Fritz Eichenberg

I wonder how much our current world rests in an in-between time following the Ascension and anticipating Jesus’ second coming. More than simply a period of waiting, we are summoned to an eager effort to prepare ourselves and our world for that great day. Paul is upset with the members of his community in Thessalonica who have stopped working and are just sitting on the steps waiting for the Lord’s return (2 Thess 3:10-12). He calls them to action and preparation! We can hear that same call and begin to open our eyes to the ways in which the Lord is, in fact, speaking and acting among us. It will not be the in-between time forever.