The Ascension of Christ
As we celebrate the Feast of the Ascension, we also celebrate Jesus’ return to His Glory with His Father. With this event, the scriptures formally announce that the mission of Jesus in person on the earth is over and the mission of the Church is resumed. The Kingdom of God began in the paschal mystery of Christ, and it is the work of all the disciples to ensure that it is fully established. In the Markan Gospel, we read Jesus commanding His disciples, saying, “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature” (Mk: 16: 15).
The Ascension is a feast of hope. It proclaims that Jesus who died on the Cross is risen and has gone back to His former Glory and to His Father. Therefore, nobody can be separated from the love and mercy of God, even by death. Death is no more a passing away into nothingness, but it is a glorious moment of entering into the ever-loving presence of God.
Jesus’ Ascension into heaven is not a separation from us. He is fully present to us even today. What has changed is the way He makes Himself present to us. When Jesus put on a human form, He took on Himself all human limitations. After His Resurrection, Jesus broke away from all limitations. His ascension has multiplied and magnified his presence to the whole of humanity. Jesus is more present to us now than when He was physically part of this world.
The Ascension of Christ brings us new insight in living our Christian faith. We should see everything (nature, and every living being) is proclaiming the Glory of God. Nothing in this world will escape God’s plan. There may be some events happening that would testify to the evil presence in our world, but Jesus transforms them to subject them to God’s ultimate plan. Jesus, who has conquered all evil through His death and resurrection, is ascended to heaven as the loving judge of the whole universe.
The Ascension of Christ brings us hope and makes us rejoice, for Jesus is with us forever.
-Fr. Ranjan D’Sa, OCD