Every year, forty days after Easter Sunday, the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord., a fundamental mystery of our Christian faith. This event marks the moment when Jesus Christ ascends to heaven, body and soul.Jesus ascended into heaven, in the presence of his disciples, and sits at the right hand of the Father. But what does it really mean that Jesus ascended into heaven, and what is the significance of this solemnity for our spiritual life?
Theological meaning of the Ascension
The Ascension of the Lord is not a farewell, but a glorification. Christ, who had risen from the dead, now enters definitively into the glory of the Father. He does not leave the earth, but inaugurates a new form of presence: Jesus is with us invisibly, but real, through the Holy Spirit.. As Mark’s Gospel says: ‘When the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up to heaven and sat down at the right hand of God’ (Mk 16:19).
A promise of hope and mission
The Ascension is also a promise. Jesus assures us that one day we will be with Him, if we follow his teachings. This event is a announcement of eternal life and of our future participation in the divine glory. Furthermore, before ascending, Jesus entrusts his disciples with the great mission: ‘Go into all the world and proclaim the Gospel’. (Mk 16:15). The Ascension, therefore, calls us to be witnesses to the Risen One in the midst of the world.
Why is it important to celebrate the Ascension of the Lord?
Celebrating this solemnity helps us to:
- Remember our eternal goal: heaven is our final destination.
- Reaffirm our faith in the living presence of Christ.
- Renew our commitment to evangelisation as a Church.
- To live in hope, knowing that Christ has conquered death and is waiting for us at the Father’s side.
How to experience the Solemnity of the Ascension
- Participate in the Holy Mass of the Ascension, meditating on the Gospel and the promise of Jesus.
- Spend a moment in personal or family prayer, giving thanks for Christ’s constant presence.
- Reflect on your own mission as a Christian and how you can witness to your faith in your environment.
A mystery that transforms our gaze
The Ascension of the Lord does not take us away from Christ, but opens us to the Holy Spirit., who strengthens and encourages us in our daily life. This solemnity invites us to look to heaven without ceasing to act on earth, to live with our feet firmly planted in our reality but with our hearts turned upwards.
Jesus has ascended to heaven, but he has not left us alone: he sends us as witnesses of his love. Let us live Ascension with faith, hope and joy!