The Ascension of Christ is somewhat akin to Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory’s golden ticket to heaven. Ascending into heaven, the Risen Christ opens the gates of heaven. In doing so, He brings His Resurrected body – and our humanity with Him – into God’s presence. Let’s look at the meaning of Christ’s Ascension and why it is so important.
What is the meaning of the Ascension? First, every Sunday, we profess in the Nicene Creed: “He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.” This symbolic language means that Christ shares in the Father’s glory, power, and majesty. Christ shares in the Father’s authority and guides the Church from this position of honor.
Where Christ the Head has gone, the Church, Christ’s Body, will follow. In other words, Christ’s Ascension is a feast of hope. It is a reminder that our calling, our goal, is to enter the presence of God with our resurrected bodies.
A few years ago, I heard an analogy for Christ’s Ascension that has stuck with me. When a baseball player hits a walk-off home run, he must still touch home plate to end the game. For Christ, returning to the Father is like touching home plate. He must return to the Father to bring us home. By bringing us home, He brings our human nature into the presence of the Father. The Ascension, then, reveals God’s goal for us – a life of grace, love, and peace that is infused with God’s life.
Second, remember that Christ brings His glorified wounds into heaven and presents them to the Father. His wounds are not healed. Instead, Christ presents His wounds to the Father for us. In the Ascension, Jesus brings His Good Friday sacrifice into the eternal presence of God. Good Friday, then, is brought into eternity.
In celebrating the Mass, we participate in Christ’s offering in heaven. In the Mass, we offer the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Christ in the Eucharist. In offering Christ to the Father, we are offered with Him. Our offering of Christ in the Mass is “caught up” in the Mass always celebrated by the angels and saints in heaven. Without Christ’s Ascension, our celebration of the Mass would be emptied of all its power and meaning.
Third, as Jesus offers His wounds to the Father, He prays for us. Jesus is our High Priest and the High Priest’s role was not only to offer sacrifice for God’s people, but to pray for them. It is a comforting thought to know that Christ prays for you! He experienced all the things that we experience at various times in our lives – fatigue, suffering, abandonment, the pain of broken relationships, our limitations, etc. Therefore, Jesus can identify with our human weaknesses. He knows them well.
In the Ascension, Christ presents our weaknesses to the Father and prays for us. Our Lord shows His wounds to the Father and says, “Father, I love them, and I suffered for them. Please forgive them. See my wounds.” It is a most consoling thought to know that Jesus prays for you, asking our heavenly Father for all the graces you need to suffer with love. He knows what you need.
In short, the Ascension is an essential part of the Paschal Mystery. Sharing in the Father’s authority and majesty, our Lord Jesus directs His Church. By bringing our humanity into the God’s presence, He gives us hope. Where Christ has gone, the Church will follow. At every Mass, we offer the Eucharist and in doing so, share in Christ’s eternal offering to the Father. And finally, by presenting His wounds to the Father, Christ prays for us. He asks the Father to have mercy on us and forgive us.
What are the practical implications? First, the Ascension draws our attention toward heaven. St. Paul famously says to the Colossians, “If then you are raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Think of what is above, not what is on earth” (Col. 3:1-2). Unfortunately, because we are fallen, we can lose sight of heaven. In Luke 13, Jesus healed a woman who was bent over for 18 years – she was constantly looking at her shoes. She is an image of human beings who lose sight of God and their noble calling to enjoy life with Him in heaven. Christ’s Ascension keeps our attention fixed on our eternal home.
Finally, the Ascension sets the stage for Pentecost and the gift of the Holy Spirit. In John’s Gospel, Jesus tells His disciples, “It is better for you that I go. For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you. But if I go, I will send Him to you” (Jn 16:7). By returning to the Father, Jesus sends His Spirit upon the whole world, which makes possible for Him to be present to every person in a more intimate and unique way than had He remained in the flesh while on earth. In short, Christ’s Ascension not only keeps your focus on heaven but also makes possible the great outpouring of the Holy Spirit!
~St. Thérèse, pray for us!