The Ascension of the Lord

The Ascension of the Lord Scripture Readings

Today, we celebrate Jesus’ ascension into heaven. Let’s reflect on the importance of this special event.

Jesus fully took on our humanity. He was like us in everything but sin. He due happiness at the wedding feast of Cana, and sadness at the death of His friend Lazarus. He knew loyalty through His mother’s obedience, and He knew betrayal by Peter and the others who abandoned Him during His passion. He experienced death and He rose to life. He was recognized as the carpenter’s son but today He is Lord of all creation.

Jesus did not come to leave us orphaned. Instead, He promised a place in His kingdom for all who believe in Him and are faithful to the Gospel. Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father, the place occupied by the king’s most loyal and trusted companion, and at the Father’s right hand is intercedes for us continually and obtains the grace we need to be joined with Him forever.

A divine promise to eternally keep the covenant written in His own suffering and death and ratified in His resurrection. God’s gift to all of us is His very present in word and sacrament. God’s dwelling place is in the hearts of His faithful.

The Ascension of the Lord is the call of the Good Shepperd to all His sheep, calling them home and into the life prepared for them for all eternity. In His Ascension, we are given a command to go forth.

To go forth means that we are in the very presence of the Lord, where we are nurtured and safe. Go forth means to encounter Jesus in a special way each day and in the sacraments, and at the celebration of His passion and death and resurrection in the Mass. Go forth means to bring the good news that we just celebrated in the presence of the Lord, to all people so, they too can allow Him to love them more and in turn to love Him more.

One day our mortal bodies, decayed and rotten through death, will be raised up by the Lord of Glory, and we will have resurrected bodies and glorified souls to celebrate the Lord’s goodness and kinghead for all eternity.

The Ascension is the time when we look into the heavens and know Jesus is always with us but, it is also the day that we put our noses to the ground and bring all peoples into the loving embrace of a God whose love can never be measured.

Go forth baptizing in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and live the good news.

May God continue to bless you,

Deacon Phil