Each Sunday we profess through the Creed, “He ascended into Heaven.” Ascension is the grand finale of all Jesus’ words and works done for us and for our salvation. It is a culmination, but not the conclusion. As Jesus is now with God in glory, so Jesus is with us now in Spirit: “Behold, I am with you always.” Jesus did not wait 40 days to be glorified at God’s right hand. Before the Passover meal, Jesus had told his disciples, “The time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified…” His passion, death and resurrection were already his glorification.
The Biblical accounts of the Ascension given by different authors focus not so much on the details of the event of ascension but on the mission given to the disciples. For example, according to Luke, the Ascension took place in Jerusalem. In Matthew and Mark, on the other hand, the event occurred in Galilee. But all of them agree that the Ascension took place on a mountain. According to Luke, the Ascension happened forty days after the resurrection, a period during which Jesus appeared repeatedly to his followers. In Matthew and Mark there is no indication of the time period between the Resurrection and the Ascension. The Gospel writers were more concerned with transmitting the Lord’s message. Through his ascension, Christ has opened for us the way to heaven.
Luke narrates the Ascension scene and presents how Jesus blessed his disciples before entering the Father’s glory (v. 51). The evangelist is making a reference to Jewish tradition from the Old Testament. At the end of liturgical celebrations in the temple of Jerusalem, the priest would come out of the sanctuary and pronounce a solemn blessing on the faithful and the pilgrims (Sirach 50:20). After the blessing, they returned to their occupations, confident that the Lord would bring success to all their efforts and all their labours. Jesus imparts a final blessing that would accompany the community of his disciples which gives them the guarantee of success of the work they are about to begin.
Luke stresses on the joy of the disciples after the Ascension. The disciples “returned to Jerusalem with great joy” (v. 52). Luke is the evangelist of joy. He presents the whole Gospel as the good news of great joy (Luke 1:14; 2:10). The disciples rejoice, because they have understood that the enemies could not destroy their Master, they have experienced his resurrection and now he promises to be with them.
The Resurrection and ascension of the Lord showed them that everything that happens in their lives: successes and misfortunes, injustice, suffering, and even the most absurd events are all known to God. Hence, death is no longer frightening; Jesus has transformed death into birth to life with God.
The Words of Jesus made them realise that he has not left them, but is remaining with them. Now he is no longer conditioned by all the limitations of time and space; he can be with everyone, forever. With the Ascension, his presence has multiplied!
For your reflection
The challenge of sharing the Good News with all mankind should begin with our life of Christian joy – amidst the struggles of daily life.
Father Josekutty
Mathew CMF
