Ascension of The Lord

Jan 30 2025

A Return, Not a Retirement

In Bill Davis’ play Mass Appeal, the young deacon complains about the parish where he grew up, where the “hippy dippy hymn committee” selected “Leaving on a Jet Plane” for the feast of the Ascension. The young deacon did not find it appropriate for the dignity of the event being celebrated. To say the least, it rendered insipid what should be a feast of profound relevance.

Today’s feast continues the celebration of the paschal mystery of Christ’s suffering, death and resurrection, and return to the Father. It is not just an “after thought” feast, a bringing down of the curtain on Jesus’ life and ministry on earth. We celebrate Jesus’ return to the Father to intercede for us and to make possible the sending of the Spirit for the continuation of God’s plan of salvation for all people, now taken up by the church under the direction of this same Spirit.

Luke’s account of the Ascension places emphasis on the work yet to be done— witnessing to Jesus “to the ends of the earth.” This is further highlighted when the two men in white garments suddenly appear after Jesus is taken up and removed from their sight. “Why are you standing there looking up at the sky?” they ask. Time to get moving.

Mark’s account has Jesus sending them out to “proclaim the gospel to every creature,” and promises that great signs will accompany them. Mark’s final word affirms that “the Lord worked with them.”

Consider/Discuss

Do you understand the feast of the Ascension only as Jesus’ returning to the Father or do you see its connection with the ongoing life and ministry of the Church?
How does Christ continue to work with us? Are we meant to take literally Jesus’ words about being able to pick up serpents and drink deadly poison and heal the sick?

Responding to the Word

Jesus, you ascended to the right hand of the Father to intercede for us and to work with us until we are united with you in heaven. Help us to make good use of the gifts you have given for building up your body, the Church, and for making you known throughout the world.

Jan 30 2025

Scripture Study for

The ascension of Jesus brought closure to his earthly activity, while at the same time launching the ministry of the apostles. Thus the Ascension is a turning point in the history of the church. The actual account of the Ascension is brief. Jesus is lifted up and concealed by a cloud. Attention shifts to the men (angels?) who now appear. They rebuke the disciples and assure them that Jesus will return on the clouds just as he left. The church is now in a liminal state. Jesus has left, but the Spirit has not yet come.

The reading from Ephesians is a prayer for spiritual enlightenment. God’s power raised Christ from the dead and seated Christ in the place of honor in heaven; God’s power made all things subject to Christ and exalted Christ as head of the church. It is this same power that is now called upon. The church is characterized as a body. As members of this exalted body, believers share in the wisdom and insight to grasp these mysteries and to live lives informed by them.

Marks’ account of Jesus’ ascension ties together many themes found elsewhere in the gospel. It begins with a Resurrection experience in which Jesus commissions the apostles to preach the gospel to all. Jesus is then taken from their sight. The reading clearly states that just as he was raised from the dead by the power of God, so he is taken up today. This reflects the early church’s concern to show that it is the power of God that is active in Jesus, not some kind of miraculous force. As exalted Lord, Jesus takes his rightful place of privilege next to God. The concluding verse succinctly summarizes the entire apostolic age: the apostles went into the entire world and preached the gospel; the Lord was with them, confirming their ministry through wondrous signs.

Jan 27 2025

Headed Home

We are not told which two angels they were. But the assignment came from above: “Go and bring my Son home. Forever.” They talked it over. “Go and bring him home . . . ” What does that mean? They had seen him become flesh. They had rejoiced when they sang to the shepherds. They had marveled at the star. They had celebrated when the Word became flesh. It was amazing.

Now they are confused. “Bring him home.” This Jesus of Nazareth, so limited, so broken from human pain—this one is coming home? And bringing his human flesh with him—what does that look like? “Will he rot?”

“No . . . His resurrected body seems to be able to walk through walls, yet he can eat fish.”

“We have not seen this before.”

The ways of the Almighty could be confusing, but the angels had spent eons watching this story of stories unfold in surprising ways and through unexpected people. But this? The Word who had become flesh was not going to un-become flesh? This was new. But the order had come: “Go, bring him home . . . ”

They listened to Jesus give his last instructions. They shook their heads. First off, humans can’t drive out demons or drink poison or heal the sick. Most of all, these uneducated men from Galilee cannot spread this Good News and have anybody actually listen to them— humans kill prophets. Wow, Holy Spirit, you are going to have to bring some power!

And then . . . Jesus just went. And his followers stood there, stunned, looking up. And so the two angels gave the message: “He will return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven.” Then the angel messengers quickly disappeared, curious to see how this was going to work.

Consider/Discuss

Sometimes the ascension of Jesus can remind us of those whom we have loved who have gone away. Lots of people leave us. Yet God draws us into something new and inconceivable, untracked territory—Jesus becomes nearer to us now that he is gone. How can this be?
How do hope and promise emerge through suffering? Who would we like to see when we go “home” forever?

Living and Praying with the Word

Dear God, you know that we are creatures of time and space. We live in a place. We measure our life by days and years. We cannot imagine what life is like after death, when we will no longer be limited by time and space. Yet this measureless reality is our hope and our happiness, for we will be with you in your boundless love forever. We praise you for that promise!

Jan 27 2025

Scripture Study for

Luke’s account of the period between the Resurrection and the Ascension is marked by a strong sense of continuity with Jesus’ work and words while on earth. Even during this interim period, Jesus continues to proclaim the kingdom as he reminds his disciples of the promise of the Spirit. The disciples’ question about the kingdom is quickly set aside by Jesus as the business of the Father, not the disciples. Their mission is instead to be his witnesses, empowered by the Spirit. As Jesus’ witnesses, they have a twofold mission: to proclaim that Jesus is the Christ and to continue his work of teaching and healing, the twin focuses of the rest of the book of Acts.

The beginning and end of the reading from Ephesians emphasize the unity of the church, which is grounded in the “unity of the spirit” and the “unity of faith,” which is to say that the every member of the church, no matter how they differ in gifts or ministry or temperament, has been brought together by the one God and they all share the same faith (belief and trust) in Christ. The central section is related to the topic of Christ’s formation of the church. Very likely, “the lower regions of the earth” refers here simply to the earth (ancient cosmology considered the “atmosphere” part of the earth). Christ could only ascend far above the heavens if he had descended to earth. The dynamic of descent and ascent establishes Christ’s identity as universal savior.

Mark’s account of the Ascension contains uniquely the reference to the ability of those who believe in Jesus to speak new languages and even to be immune from deadly snake bites and poisons. It is impossible to know if those who first articulated this tradition understood this claim literally, but the powers given to the disciples point toward the apostolic mission, which continues the work of Jesus even beyond Israel. Just as Jesus encountered opposition to his healing work and the proclamation of the kingdom, the disciples can expect the same when doing anything “in my name.” The protection from snakes and poisons is perhaps a hyperbolic expression of the protective power of Christ that will accompany them as they continue his work.

Jan 14 2025

The Work Goes On

We can get caught up in the details and miss the heart of the message today. Where did Jesus go? Is heaven “up there”? Why doesn’t Matthew’s Gospel have Jesus being taken up? Doesn’t this feast remove Jesus from us, to some place where he “sits at the right hand of the Father”? Sound a little disengaged?

In his introduction to the writings of St. Bernard of Clairvaux, Jean Leclercq writes that the mystery of the Ascension fulfilled the mystery of love in which Jesus returns to the glory of the Father. The Son then sends this Spirit to unite us with the Father in love. Thus, in Bernard’s thought, the Ascension is a symbol for the passage of Christ from his life in mortal flesh to glorious life in the Spirit. This same transition from flesh to Spirit can also be accomplished in us, since it has already taken place in Christ.

But we are not simply passive recipients. There is work to be done. Luke’s angels bluntly tell the apostles to get moving. Matthew’s final scene spells out the work: “Go forth and make disciples, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and teaching others to observe all that I have commanded you.” Witness to Jesus, in word and deed.

The task of spreading the good news that is Jesus Christ, teaching others about him, can seem daunting. But we are not alone. We have the promise that the Holy Spirit will work with us; in Matthew, Jesus’ final words are reassuring: “I am with you always.” That is reason enough to work with confidence.

Consider/Discuss

Does the image of Jesus ascending to sit at the right hand of the Father comfort you? Challenge you?
When is the last time you witnessed to Christ, sharing what he means to you?

Responding to the Word

We pray: Loving Father, give us your Spirit of wisdom and revelation to enlighten the eyes of our hearts, so we may have the hope that accompanies your call and come to the glory that is our inheritance. May your great power be at work in us, raising us to new life as it did your Son Jesus. Amen.