The story of the ascension is told in Acts 1:9, following the Gospels. It tells us that “He was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight”. In verse 11 it adds, “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.”
The story of our salvation began with the Incarnation of Jesus who became man by the power of the Holy Spirit through the Blessed Virgin Mary. He lived with us , loved us, but On Good Friday he was crucified and he died for the sins of humanity. On Easter Sunday, God raised him triumphantly from the dead. And now, forty days after his resurrection, we celebrate his ascension into heaven. The solemnity of the Ascension celebrates the glorified and victorious return of the word of God – the risen Jesus – to heaven {Reynolds Ekstrom, "Ascension” in The New Concise Catholic Dictionary}. This solemnity ooccurson a Thursday, forty days after Easter or the following Sunday.
For many Christians and churches, Easter is the end of the celebration. They tend to forget or just skim over the essential part of the story where Jesus ascended back into heaven. It is very possible that when we hear that today is Ascension Day, we may think, “Of what importance is the ascension?”
The ascension is a vital part of the redemption story. If we simply collapse the ascension into the resurrection, we miss stunning benefits tied directly to Jesus being taken into heaven. It is not enough to celebrate the Risen Lord on one spring Sunday and then forget about what comes next. The ascension is crucial, and it’s life-changing and eternity-changing for us as Christians.
It establishes Jesus as the reigning king over all powers in all ages.
In Ephisians 1:20-21, the word of God says that: God “raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, or any other supernatural force that could be named, not only in this world but also in the world to come.” In addition Ephesian 2:6-7 brings us into the picture, saying “God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus. It is the Lord’s power that makes this possible {Ephesia2:10} — a power we can access as believers seated in the heavenly realms with our ascended King.”
It gives us access to God’s throne for mercy and grace.
In Jesus we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens” {Heb. 4:14}. Jesus passed through the heavens to be seated at the Father’s right hand {Heb. 1:3}. What is the result? We can now “draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” {Heb. 4:16}
It provides an Advocate on earth whose presence is limitless.
I can’t imagine the confusion and grief of the disciples when they learned that their teacher and friend would be killed. In John 14:16-17, we see Jesus comforting them with the promise that the Father will send another advocate, the Spirit of Truth. “How is Jesus’s leaving an advantage for his disciples?” The answer is simple, yet profound. Jesus made very clear to his disciples that if he does not go away the Counselor will not come to them {Jn. 16:}. The Holy Spirit is the advocate, who will stand by and defend the believers against the adversary. His empowering presence is available to all Jesus’s followers everywhere at the same time.
It keeps us longing for his return. Once you have gotten close to someone and spent significant time in their presence, their absence feels like a massive void. It is the same with Jesus for us as believers, and especially for his first disciples. He is not here with us now in the flesh, but He one day will be, and our hearts yearn for that day. We know he will set all things right and bring us close to Him for all eternity. The ascension creates a longing for Jesus’s return, it reminds us his reign is “already” but “not yet.” When Jesus descends in the way he ascended, the bad times will be over for good, the darkness will be lifted, and everything sad will at last come untrue.”
The Ascension is meant to be a powerful reminder that Jesus- who lived, died and was raised from the dead, will come again in glory at the end of time to fully establish the reign of God. Likewise, it begins the prayerful nine-day wait for Pentecost. Obviously, the importance of the Ascension cannot be overemphasized.
On this Ascension Day, let us reflect on how the crucifixion, the resurrection, and the ascension of Jesus Christ changed the whole course of our lives and changed our world forever. May we eagerly await His return and fervently share the Gospel until He does.
Peace be with you!
Fr. Paul Ologun SDV
Good one thanks fr
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