The Ascension of Jesus Christ

We know that heaven is not up in the sky. The Lord does not fly up through clouds. But the language of "ascending" or "going up" is the only way we can describe the Ascension of Christ, which the Catechism of the Catholic Church no. 660 presents as a "historical and transcendent event". It was something that really happened here and yet something that belongs to eternity, that cannot be explained in the concepts and limited ideas of our world.

The Accounts

The scriptural accounts of the Ascension of Jesus into heaven vary in emphasis. The summary ending of Mark's Gospel says that Jesus "was taken up into heaven". Matthew gives the Lord's final words to "go and make disciples of all nations" but makes no reference to him ascending. Luke is closer to Mark but postpones an account of the Ascension to his sequel volume, Acts 1: 6-11. These are different views of a moment of farewell witnessed by the disciples, the end of his post-Resurrection appearances.

John's Gospel lacks an account of the ascension, but he presents the passion, death and Resurrection as the obedient and loving Son's triumphant return to his Father. "I am coming home" is a theme underlying the Johannine Last Supper account, especially the high priestly prayer (John 17), with a further nuance "I am coming home as one of my brothers and sisters in the flesh."

Therefore, the Catechism of the Catholic Church speaks of the "irreversible entry of his humanity into divine glory" (no. 659) and "the definitive entrance of Jesus' humanity into God's heavenly domain" (no. 665). This is described by the author of the Letter to the Hebrews as Jesus our high priest entering the temple of heaven for us, as one of us, through his sacrificed flesh and blood (Hebrews 9: 24-27, 10: 1-25).

John's imagery of Jesus being "lifted up" is also fulfilled in the ascension (cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 662). The Eucharist as sacrifice may also be understood as eternal intercession by Jesus great high priest, "lifted up" for us, drawing us into the very life of the Trinity. "through him, with him, in him…"

Priest, Prophet and King

In the creed the ascension leads to the reign of the risen Lord with his Father: "He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father". The Catechism of the Catholic Church emphasizes this beginning of the reign of God. The second coming, proclaimed by angelic messengers in Luke's account of the ascension (Acts 1:10-11), flows from the mystery of God's reign. If the ascension celebrates Christ the King, it also reveals his three offices: priest, king and prophet.

He ascends as the priest entering the eternal domain for us.
He enters his kingdom and will return to claim us.
He is the prophet whose promises will come true.

Presence and Mission

Jesus did not say "goodbye" or "till we meet again". He made a promise - "I am with you always, even to the end of the ages…." In other words, he ascends beyond our range of human vision. Normally he will no longer appear visibly. I say "normally" because there were exceptions: Saul on the road to Damascus and experiences such as revealing his Heart to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque in c. 1673.

The risen Lord is still among us in many ways, above all in the Eucharist, where he is really, truly and substantially present. Therefore the ascension finds a place in most of the eucharistic prayers. The eucharistic Memorial makes present the risen Lord whose self offering on the cross is accepted when he "comes home" in the mysterious return we call the "ascension".

The Eucharist is the supreme "real presence", but Jesus is present wherever two or three gather in his name, whenever an act of love and compassion is carried out, whenever the community comes together for worship, whenever his Word is read, whenever his ordained priest acts in his Person. The presences lead up to and flow from the "summit and source", the Holy Eucharist.

But the presence of the risen Lord among us is unseen. So we must walk by faith, disciples called to be apostles, on his mission: "Go and teach all nations..". His presence, through the Holy Spirit, empowers us for mission. Ultimately, the ascension celebrates evangelization. We come down from the mountain, to go forth and evangelize, but first we wait in prayer to welcome the empowering fire of Pentecost!