THE ASCENSION OF THE LORD

READINGS: THE ACENSION OF THE LORD

The American Bishops have moved the Solemnity of the Ascension permanently to the Sunday following Ascension Thursday. So, on this seventh Sunday of Easter, Year C, we celebrate the solemnity of the Ascension of our Lord; a necessary solemnity because it marks the return of Jesus to the Father, the permanent victory over death, the sole opportunity for us to have a defense counselor at the right hand of the Father interceding for us, and the assurance of our hope that one day, we shall be where He is, as Scripture says: “I go back to the Father to prepare a place for you, and I will come back to take you to myself so that where I am, you also may be” (John 14:3).

The second reading of this Sunday (Acts 1:9-11) records the most notable narrative of the Ascension, where we are told that Jesus was "taken up before their eyes [the apostles], and a cloud hid Him from their sight." This event has a tremendous amount of significance in our faith as Christians. It signifies the completion of the redemptive work of Jesus Christ on earth and the beginning of His High priestly role in heaven. Scripture refers to Him as the "Great high priest who has passed through the heavens" (Hebrews 4:14-16) and now lives to intercede on behalf of believers, providing them with access to God's grace and mercy (Hebrews 7:25). So, the Ascension of the Lords is an assurance to us of the efficacy of His atoning sacrifice and his continued and perpetual intercession on our behalf before God. Scripture also tells us that by His Ascension, Christ is exalted, not only to the right hand of God but also above all rule and authority, power and dominion (Ref Ephesians 1:2-21); an affirmation of the divine nature and authority of Jesus Christ and His eternal Sonship, possessing all authority in heaven and on earth (Ref Matthew 28:18).

Notable, also, is that the Ascension of the Lord marks the transition from Jesus' physical presence with the Church to His spiritual presence, inaugurated through the descent of the Holy Spirit, which He promised to send after His Ascension. No wonder He told Mary Magdalene, “Stop clinging to me, for I have not yet ascended to my Father and your Father.” In other words, stop holding onto my physical presence; look forward to holding onto my spiritual presence to be made possible by the power of the Holy Spirit. 

Scripture tells us that Christ "ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill all things," and gave gifts to the Church for its edification and growth (Ref Ephesians 4:1-12). So, the ascension of Christ is not a departure from the Church, for He promised, “I shall be with you unto the end of ages,” but an assurance of His permanent presence in His continued guidance and sustenance of His Church. It is also important to note that Ascension has implications for the Last Judgement. The angels present at the Ascension declared to the disciples, "This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen Him go into heaven" (Acts 1:11). This second coming if for judgment and Matthew 25 details what that judgment will be like, letting us know that the God we see is the neighbor around us, and that how we treat that neighbors is what will matter most. My friends, let us be intentional about how we treat people, even though we may think they don’t matter. The Ascension of the Lord is an assurance that our Lord and Savior will come back again to judge the living and the dead. This is an article of faith we need to hold supreme.