HE HAS PUT ALL THINGS UNDER HIS FEET

SOLEMNITY OF THE ASCENSION - VII EASTER SUNDAY - Luke 24:46-53

In most of the countries, the Ascension is celebrated this Sunday. We may ask about the meaning of this feast. Do we celebrate a physical ascension or rising into heaven? Nowadays, there are so many things that we are able to raise to the heavens (the skies). The Ascension is part of the resurrection that is the glorification of Jesus Christ: “Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth” (Phil 2:9-10). The ascension expresses the same truth in a more physical and visible way. Being the exaltation and glorification of Jesus, the Son of man, the ascension celebrates as well the elevation of the human being to the right hand of the Father. The Son of God, who assumed our human nature, has taken it into heaven, thus being a promise of salvation to all of us.

It is important to read attentively this Sunday’s gospel and pay attention to the points that Luke puts the stress on.

• the mystery of Jesus passion, death and resurrection. It is in the centre of the mystery of salvation and it reveals God’s love for us.
• the mystery of reconciliation and forgiveness of sins, which is done in Jesus Christ. This must be preached to all nations.
• We are called to be witnesses of this great love of God. We are called to announce Jesus’ death and resurrection and to preach the forgiveness of sins ins Jesus’ name.
• We must be clothed with the Holy Spirit, “the power from on high”, in order to carry out the mission entrusted to us.
• Then, Jesus blessed them “and was carried up to heaven.”
• As Jesus was being taken into heaven, the disciples “worshipped him” and went back full of joy. Like the disciples, we are called to worship Jesus and to spend our lives “praising God”.

According to Paul, Jesus’ glorification is a guarantee of the power God will wield in our favour. “This you can tell from the strength of his power at work in Christ, when he used it to raise him from the dead and to make him sit at his right hand” (Eph 1:19-20).