THE ASCENSION OF THE LORD

Today we commemorate Jesus’ ascension into heaven 40 days after his resurrection. The Ascension is an important Christian feast attesting and celebrating the reality of the God-Man Jesus Christ’s returning to the Father, to return again in the future Parousia. The Ascension is the final component of the paschal mystery, which consists also of Jesus’ Passion, Crucifixion, Death, Burial, Descent among the Dead, and Resurrection. Along with the Resurrection, the Ascension functioned as a proof of Jesus’ claim that he was the Messiah. The Ascension is whereby humanity was taken into heaven. Finally, the Ascension was also the “final blow” so-to-speak against Satan’s power, and thus the lion (Jesus) conquering the dragon (Satan) is a symbol of the Ascension. The Catholic Church Catechism summarizes three important theological aspects of the Ascension concisely: 1) Christ’s Ascension marks the definitive entrance of Jesus’ humanity into God’s heavenly domain, whence he will come again (cf. Acts 1:11); this humanity in the meantime hides him from the eyes of men (cf. Col 3:3). 2) Jesus Christ, the head of the Church, precedes us into the Father’s glorious kingdom so that we, the members of his Body, may live in the hope of one day being with him forever. 3) Jesus Christ, having entered the sanctuary of heaven once and for all, intercedes constantly for us as the mediator who assures us of the permanent outpouring of the Holy Spirit (665-667). God Bless!                                                                           Father Maria Joseph Kodiganti