Sent

In the history of the world, there has been no regime as oppressive as the Soviet Union was in the twentieth century. It was particularly cruel in its hatred for religion and determination to persecute people of faith.

Seeing what Christians were suffering there, the Holy Father at the time, Pope Pius XI, made an urgent appeal to the priests of the world to go to the Soviet Union as missionaries.

One young man who responded to that call was Walter Ciszek.

Born in Pennsylvania to Polish immigrants, young Walter had a turbulent childhood and even joined a gang. However, much to his parents’ surprise, he made a break with his past and began studies to be a Jesuit priest. He was then sent to Rome to study Russian language and history so that he could serve as a missionary in the Soviet Union.

When he was ordained in 1937, he was sent first to Poland which was in the midst of the Second World War. Through Poland, he entered Russia posing as a refugee. For a year, he worked as a logger, celebrating Mass and hearing confessions secretly.

However, in 1941, the police discovered his activities,  charged him with being a Vatican spy and sentenced him to 15 years of hard labor. He was sent to Lubyanka prison where he was severely beaten and tortured. Then he was transferred to the infamous Gulag. During those years, he met the spiritual needs of his fellow prisoners offering Mass, spiritual direction and even retreats. All those years of solitary confinement, torture and hard labor were never able to break his spirits. He was determined to serve others no matter what the cost.

After being released from prison in 1955, he continued to minister by establishing underground parishes. Whenever the police would discover his activities, they would send him away to another town where he would just start another parish. In so doing, he let the persecuted Christians of that country know that Jesus had not abandoned them but was still in their midst ministering to them through this courageous and selfless priest.

Then, in 1963, the Soviet government allowed Fr Ciszek to return back to the United States as part of a prisoner swap. He spent the rest of his life teaching and offering spiritual direction until his death in 1984. The Vatican is now examining his life in hopes that one day he can be declared a saint.

In today’s gospel, Jesus tells the apostles that great signs will follow their preaching of the gospel. To our modern ears, the signs that Jesus points out such as picking up snakes and drinking poison sound strange. However, His point was that all things would be possible to those who respond with faith to His call.

Though it would certainly catch our attention to see people drive out demons or cure the sick, there is a still greater sign that accompanies the preaching of the gospel. It is the life of holiness and faith that we see manifested in the saints. Since the day that Jesus ascended into heaven and sent the apostles into the world, women and men like Fr. Walter Ciszek have responded with courage and generosity to His call to preach the gospel and serve the poor. It is because of their dedication, inspired by their faith in Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit, that Christ’s Church has been able to spread throughout the world. It is because of the sacrifice of countless Christians who risked their life to bring Jesus to others that we are free to worship here today.

On this day, we celebrate the ascension of Jesus into heaven. Though we cannot see Him, He continues to be present among us. The signs of His presence will not necessarily be as bold and dramatic as someone driving out demons. Rather, we will see Him most clearly in those among us who love as He loved and who serve others out of love for Him. In fact, no matter how compelling our preaching may be, how inspiring our music or how inviting our programs, if we are not being transformed by the mysteries we celebrate then it all means nothing. No one will listen to us, no matter how convincing our arguments may be, if we are not loving people.

Like Fr Ciszek and so many saints in the history of our Church, we must make Christ present to the world through lives of holiness. It means that no matter what circumstances we may find ourselves in, we respond with love, compassion, kindness and forgiveness. In that way, Jesus will be made known more clearly and certainly than by any other sign we might perform.