Mary Poppins Mary Poppins Is 1960S Disney Musical Starring Julie

Hagelin Ascension 2016 1

Mary Poppins is 1960s Disney Musical starring Julie Andrews. The story revolves around the Banks family. The Father, Mr. Banks, is stern, career-driven banker. He is tough on the kids, and does not show love directly. The mother, Mrs. Banks, is deeply involved in the woman’s suffrage movement; and has been so busy with politics, rallies and meetings that she is neglecting her children. The two children are taken care of by a nanny who just quit because of their bad behavior. So, it is time to hire a new nanny. The morning of the interviews a long line of strict-looking candidates for nanny line up outside the Banks’ home. Suddenly, a strong wind howls in blowing away all the potential nannies and bringing Mary Poppins flying in from the sky on her magical umbrella. Being the only candidate, Mary Poppins gets the job.

Yesterday I found a 22-page article making a good case that Mary Poppins represents the Virgin Mary; and laying out dozens of Gospel parallels to the film. The reason Mary Poppins came to my mind, however, is that I think she is a good Messiah figure.

Mary Poppins is “practically perfect in every way” and although she is firm with the kids – wanting them to put their “best foot forward” – she’s attentive to them and shows them affection; the kids blossom under her care. Her presence, moreover, leads to a conversion for Mr. Banks - from a stern workaholic; to a softer man, good parent and spouse. At a key part of his conversion Mr. Banks admits: “From the moment [Mary Poppins] stepped into this house, things began happening to me.” Sounds to me a lot like Jesus: if you earnestly open your heart allowing Him “under [your] roof” things will start happening to you. He’s not practically perfect; but completely perfect; He is uncompromising in His desire for you to be the best version of yourself; but is also attentive, understanding and loving.

Mary Poppins comes down from the heavens, into to the Banks’ household; “saves” the family, and when she sees that her work is done; she flies back into the heavens. I use Mary Poppins to explore the Ascension; and specifically “why” once Jesus’ work was done He needed to depart, and let us get on with it. Let’s note that Jesus did stick around for 40 days after the Resurrection, and so let’s see what happened in these days…

Hagelin Ascension 2016 2

II. 40 Days

Today, St. Paul speaks of his hope for the Ephesians and us; but it also well describes what happened to Jesus’ early followers during these 40 days:

May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, give you a Spirit of wisdom and revelation resulting in knowledge of him. May the eyes of your hearts be enlightened, that you may know what is the hope that belongs to his call, what are the riches of glory in his inheritance among the holy ones, and what is the surpassing greatness of his power. These 40 days were extremely formative for Jesus’ early followers. Jesus appeared at least 11 separate occasions, and I see 7 major things accomplished or communicated in this time. I now quickly tick through them:

1. Jesus was victorious over death. His resurrection and ascension promises us new life For us, that is the only reason to be a Christian; Jesus is Lord and worth following, and He promises new and eternal life.

2. To show that He still had a real, material body. Heaven, then, is not a disembodied existence for Him or us. For us, it is a concrete reminder that we are not a spirit inhabiting a body; our bodily existence has eternal dimensions to it.

3. To explain that His death and resurrection was prophesied long ago; and all fits into the context of God’s providence. God IS in control. For us, it emphasizes that no matter what we face; He is with us. That “all things work for good, for those who love God,”1 and He will not leave our side.

1 Romans 8:28 Hagelin Ascension 2016 3

4. To reinstate Peter and confirm Him as the leader of the apostles. Jesus created the Church, such that there is one person who – all things being equal – has the last say on important things. Peter was the first pope. For us, when Jesus told Peter that he is the unshakable rock on which He builds His Church, it is a reminder that despite the faults and sins of Church leaders, the gates of Hell would not prevail against our Church.

5. Jesus appeared to over 500 people at once, during these days, a claim Saint Paul could not possibly get away with if it was not common knowledge, since Paul wrote this letter only a few years after it happened and most of the 500 were still around. More than 500 people in the early Church actually saw the risen Lord; this helps explain the explosive growth of the early Church. For us, we also need for other companions who know Jesus, those who can be confident when we are in difficulty, and strengthen, challenge, and encourage us.

6. Jesus confirmed what they were to do, as we heard it put in today’s Gospel: “repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, [will] be preached in [my] name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.” The Lord’s last line in the Gospel of Matthew is “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” For us, we all have a mission, and it is related to the Lord Jesus’ mission, and the one He gave the apostles, to be witnesses to His way of life and His love.

7. He appeared to at least 4 persons one-on-one: His mother,2 Mary Magdalene, Peter and James. For us, it shows that although the foremost way we experience the Lord Jesus is in the Sacraments; we are invited to a personal, one-on-one relationship and friendship with the Lord Jesus; which we develop in prayer.

2 This is not mentioned in Scripture, but was held by some of the Church Fathers, and was “settled” enough that St. Ignatius of Loyola takes this event for granted when he makes it a part at the beginning of the 4th Week of the Spiritual Exercises. Also taught by St. John Paul II https://www.ewtn.com/library/PAPALDOC/JP2BVM51.HTM Hagelin Ascension 2016 4

III. “This is the end….my dearest friend. The End.”

Those are the essential lessons given in these 40 days. In today’s Gospel, Jesus reminds the apostles: “You are witnesses of these things.” They would continue to unpack the meaning of these events the rest of their lives. In a sense, the Church will continue discovering the marvelous consequences of Jesus’ passion, death and resurrection – until the end of time.

But today, we commemorate Jesus going back to the Father; why was it necessary? Well, let’s ask ourselves why Mary Poppins left? Mary Poppins had done what she came to do; she had turned a dysfunctional and unhappy family into a loving one. Although the children didn’t want Mary Poppins to go; it was better for them. In some sense, now that the family is on the right track, the growth and flourishing of the Banks family was better without the charismatic nanny.

When Jesus was with them, the apostles sat back and let the Lord do the teaching, preaching and working of miracles. But just as the more natural and usually healthier arrangement is for parents to raise their kids, rather than delegating it to a nanny; no matter how “practically perfect” that nanny is; so too in Jesus’ absence, the Holy Spirit could finally empower the apostles, to take up the mission and grow in Christian maturity, as the Church erupted into being.

Dear friends in Christ, the Lord Jesus remains with us NOW, in the Eucharist, in Holy Communion; and sends the Holy Spirit upon us so that we get to the work of proclaiming in word and deed; the saving power of Jesus Christ, which is given to us to transform our world.