THE SOLEMNITY OF THE ASCENSION OF THE LORD (2024)

Jesus Ascends to Heaven

Today we celebrate the solemnity of the Ascension, when Jesus the mighty conqueror returns home with victory in his hands. Hence, the responsorial psalms acclaimed, “He goes us with shouts of joy, and with the trumpet blast”. Today Jesus takes humanity with him into heaven.

Destroyed our Death.

When all hope was lost, God’s Mercy found us. In God’s time, he made all things beautiful and became one of us so that he may redeem us who were held captives by the fear of death. In obedience to his Father’s will, he submitted to the shameful death that was ours. By his submission to the Father’s will, He destroyed our death and restored to us eternal life.

Restored our Hope.

With the event of the Ascension, Jesus reveals our hope for the eternal glory to which we look forward. It proved that Jesus was in the right after all (John 16:10). Now, it is under his feet that God has put all things and to him all authority is given.

Our Humanity in Heaven.

We rejoice because Jesus now sits as one of us at the right hand of the eternal Father, as our Perfect High Priest who understands us, since he was once like us. In fact, Ep 2:6 tells us, that we are now seated with Him in the heavenly places.  So, the Ascension is the final sign of Christ’s victory and thus our own victory. As the Scripture foretold, the Messiah will lead God’s people back to their God.

Ascension Promises God’s Abiding Presence

In Jesus’ Ascension, today’s second reading from Ephesians 4: 8 tells us that he led a host of captives and gave gifts to all people. And the greatest of these gifts is the Holy spirit, who makes possible God’s presence among us. But for the advocate to come Jesus had to go (Jn 16:7). And this is why Jesus’ Ascension or departure brought about his infinite and unimaginable presence among us, since the Pentecost couldn’t have happened had he not ascended.

Our Destiny

With the Ascension, we see our destiny and what awaits us at the fullness of time, since we are not of this world. As Jesus returns in order to abide with us forever, he will come again to take us with himself. For wherever he is, we will be also. However, he is present to us in many ways, most especially in the Eucharist.

On account of the event of the Ascension, with joy, our hearts are fixed on the things set above. For “having been raised with Christ, we are to set our hearts on things above where Christ is now seated at God’s right hand. So that, when Jesus appears we will also appear with him in glory (Col 3:1-4).

United in our Waiting

While we fix our gaze on our glorious destiny revealed in Jesus’ Ascension, we are to do all we can to preserve the unity among us. We do that by bearing with one another in love, with complete selflessness, gentleness and patience as St Paul tells us in today’s second reading (Eph 4:1-13).  

Strengthened by our Hope

This Hope, born of the spirit, is a very powerful gift, without which our strength will be weakened and our sufferings unbearable.  No wonder the scripture says that Jesus, because of the joy set before him endured the cross, despised shame and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God. By Jesus’ Ascension, the Lord has also set before us an eternal joy. Let this joy urge you on in your journey of faith.

Invitation to prayer

I now invite you to pray for a renewal of our hope as we wait for the promise of the Promise Keeper. Maybe you feel you’ve reached the end of your strength and yet your hopes in God seem no way near fulfilment. By the grace of the Ascension, express your hope strongly in his faithful. While you abandon yourself to him since he cares for you, you may want to tell him how it’s been.  Remember that, in his time, he makes all things beautiful. As you await the fulfilment of your hopes in him, remember that you who wait upon the lord will have your strength renewed, you will run and not be weary, you shall walk and not faint.

Let us pray,

Eternal Father, uphold your children according to thy promise, that they may never be put to shame in their hope. Hold them up by your grace. In the end, may they be satisfied in beholding you.  We Make our prayers through Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen

The Lord be with you

May the Almighty God bless you, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Go in peace and Happy Solemnity