The Christian faith is rooted in the revelation of God’s intervention in human history. The times when God has intervened in human history have become the central doctrines which form the cornerstone, the bedrock of our faith. They are the incarnation, the resurrection, the ascension and the final one, which we look forward to, the second coming. There is a symphony and interlocking of these truths which constitute the mystery of faith we live and celebrate. Today we focus on Jesus’ penultimate intervention: his ascension into heaven.
There is a very close correlation between Jesus’ ascension and his return, his second coming. We believe that Christ will come again. Jesus promised this and it has been the hope of Christians from the very beginning. As the Lord ascended into heaven the angels announced: ‘
‘ (Acts 1:11). We celebrate and look forward to the future of humanity in a particular way on the holy feast. The blessed hope of the Church is that we will be redeemed body and soul. On the last day our bodies will be reunited with our souls and we will enjoy forever the beatific vision – the sight of God, holy, beloved and adored. In this new reality we will enjoy. The eternal bliss of being in God’s presence for eternity.
Jesus’ ascension gives us a glimpse into our future destiny. We don’t often admit it but there is within each of us a desire and longing for permanence and a sense of not quite belonging on earth, a sense that our future lies beyond the grave. We resist the darkness that death is the end and cling to the hope of eternal life. The feast of the Ascension is an opportunity for us to deepen this understanding and appreciate in a new way that God is calling us to live with him forever and become partakers in the divine nature.