Psalm Reflection: Ascension Sunday (Cycle C)

“God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.” - Psalm 47

According to a 2018 study, 72% of young adults, ages 16-24, use social media to follow celebrities and influencers. As a society, we worship famous people so much so that there is now a clinical diagnosis called Celebrity Worship Syndrome (CWS). Why is there such appeal to follow the life of someone in the spotlight? When you look at it objectively, they are just doing their job. We don’t worship the teacher, the doctor, the janitor like that. We worship them because our hearts know we are made to worship, but we attach that to people rather than God. We are surrounded by technology and the more often we see the online presence of celebrities, the easier it is to develop habitual thoughts or curiosities about them, and we begin to idolize and worship them. In fact, if you were to take a picture of the audience at a concert and a picture of a crowd in authentic worship, it might be difficult to see the difference: arms raised, mouths open in song, smiles and tears on the faces of those there, all of whom are all clearly engaged in something they are enjoying. But the concert audience doesn’t get to have one-on-one time with Kanye after the show. They don’t get to go shopping TSwift whenever they want to. They don’t get to talk to Billie Eilish about the overwhelming drama of her 17-year-old life. But we get to do that with our God. That is worth celebrating. That is worth a life lived in joy and abundance. That is worth far more than what the world can offer, because He is the only one deserving of such praise. This week, take a break from your phone, your following, your trends, your causes and your desire to keep up with the world, and reconnect with the creator of the universe who is eternally available for you and is waiting to give you even more. We are praying for you this week. 

See you in the Eucharist.