The Ascension of the Lord
Acts 1:1-11
Psalm 46(47):2-3,6-9
Ephesians 1:17-23
Matthew 28:16-20
WHERE CHRIST HAS GONE, WE ASPIRE TO FOLLOW
In observing today’s significant feast, we acknowledge multiple aspects, including the profound mystery of Christ. Among these, we particularly recognize the extraordinary and wholly unmerited elevation of our human nature. When Christ was born and assumed our human nature, the union between His divine nature and ours was irrevocable. From that moment, human nature was no longer distant from the divine—separated, cast away, or excluded. At the Ascension, Christ returns to His Father’s throne and takes us with Him, that is, He elevates our human nature to heaven, united with His Divinity within His one Person.
Where He has gone, we aspire to follow, as we are now potentially able to do so. The foundational conditions for this potential were established at the Ascension. Our task now is to actualize this potential through deliberate action and faith. We must orient our minds and hearts towards the place where our humanity will ultimately be crowned—Heaven. It is essential to live amidst the realities of this physical world while keeping our gaze fixed on that divine destination. We must remember that the heights to which Christ ascended represent our true destiny. We were created for Heaven; we are bound for Paradise; we are destined for beatitude.
A significant challenge is our tendency to overlook the implications of the Ascension. Just as our prayers can become distracted, our sense of purpose can be diverted, causing us to lose focus and forget our ultimate goal. We must recognize that we are immortal, and our earthly lives are mere preparation for our true life—eternal life in the world to come. It appears that we often live as though Christ had not ascended, behaving as if this world were all there is. This mindset can lead us to view life here as a closed cycle, devoid of a broader horizon or a supernatural perspective, especially during times of difficulty.
Those of us with families and responsibilities understand how easily we can become absorbed in the daily routine, which diminishes our awareness of heaven, eternity, and divine purpose. Overcoming this requires deliberate effort and spiritual discipline.
One way to maintain this divine focus is through regular attendance at Mass on Sundays and Holy Days, as well as on other occasions. The primary purpose of Mass is to participate in the sacrifice of Christ—to stand with Mary and John at the foot of the Cross and present the divine Victim to the Father for the forgiveness of sins—for ourselves and for the entire world. It is also an opportunity to partake in the fruits of the Resurrection, to seek specific graces and blessings for ourselves and others, both living and departed.
Furthermore, Mass serves a spiritual purpose beyond these acts; it helps sustain our awareness of the transcendent reality opened to us through the Ascension. When Christ ascended to glory, the closed circle was broken, and the celestial horizon was opened for all time.
Christ entered heaven triumphantly through its gates, which remain wide open forever. These gates are open so that all humanity may follow the same path and enter the same way. A crucial element of a mature spiritual life is maintaining a constantly upward and outward perspective. This pursuit is not escapism or denial of reality, but rather a focused effort to follow Christ, seeking the open heaven. To do so, we must make a concerted effort not to revert to a limited, inward-looking mentality influenced by worldly concerns.
Practices such as divine worship, Holy Mass, and prayer before the Blessed Sacrament assist us in glimpsing the open heaven. Although our encounters with heaven are often fleeting, saints have occasionally been granted more extended visions of divine glory. These visions serve as signs of the solid and grand structure of heaven, affirming that the heavenly Jerusalem is a real and attainable destiny for all believers.
On Ascension Day, we reaffirm our commitment to keep our hearts fixed on the heavenly realm where Christ reigns in glory. This day reminds us of our spiritual calling and the importance of orienting our lives toward eternal, divine realities.
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