Today we celebrated the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord. John L. McKenzie, S.J. explains the Ascension of Jesus as “the transfer of His risen, glorious body to ‘heaven’, i.e., to the world of the divine; it implies His corporeal survival, His final glorification, His departure from the material universe.” The Ascension is Jesus’ exaltation and glorification, the sign and seal of the ultimate
accomplishment of His mission.”
Over the years I have reflected on the Ascension and often wondered what the disciples felt at the time of the Ascension. Many of them had witnessed the death of Jesus on the cross and then encountered the resurrected Christ. Their joy at seeing Jesus after the resurrection must have been overwhelming. Now at the Ascension, they are losing him again, forever, or at least until the Second Coming.
When I was a young man discerning my vocation, I often went to daily Mass at a local parish near the hospital where I worked. Once, on the Feast of the Ascension, I was at Mass and the priest began his homily with the statement “He is gone! He is not here.” I got stuck on “he is gone,” and cannot remember the rest of the homily. What I do remember from that Mass is a profound sense of sadness and loss that I have never forgotten. Of course, we all know that although Jesus left our material universe, in St John’s gospel he promised that he would not leave us orphans. Jesus told the disciples and he tells us that “I will come to you. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me because I live and you will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father and you are in me and I in you” (John 14:19-21). So, while the Ascension marks the end of Jesus’ physical time on earth, it marks a new beginning for us and our relationship with God.
Next Sunday we celebrate the Solemnity of Pentecost. During these days leading up to Pentecost please pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit on our Church and on all of us so that we can follow Jesus’ instructions to preach the gospel of the kingdom “throughout the world as a witness to all nations” (Matt. 24:14).
Lord our God,
your Son Jesus Christ lives in your glory
to be nearer to us through his Holy Spirit
and to be near to all people through us.
Give us the Holy Spirit,
that we may have the courage
to help you save the world by serving it
and by building up your kingdom
of justice, truth, and love,
in the name of him whom we await,
Jesus Christ, our Risen Lord
and our Savior for ever.
Amen.
