Ascension Day

Hi friends,

Do you remember your writing classes in school? Our teachers always taught us that every story needed to answer the questions of “who, what, when, where, why, and how.” Sometimes we humans get so caught up in the “what, when, where, and how” that we forget about or just assume the “who and why.” The “who and why” are usually harder to figure out. But just like a good novel or movie (or NCIS episode) the story is only complete when we discover the “who and why” questions.


In the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke and in the Acts of the Apostles Jesus’ Ascension is mentioned or inferred. Probably the clearest depiction of the Ascension of Jesus Christ happens in the Acts of the Apostles 1:1-11. We get the “what, where, when and how” questions answered very well there. But the more important thing about the Ascension of Jesus is WHY He ascended. And that is all about WHO He is.

We learn the WHY and the WHO from our Responsorial Psalm today. Our refrain is, “God Mounts His throne to shouts of joy….” One of the later verses says, “For King of all the Earth is God…” That is a synopsis of why we celebrate this Feast of the Ascension. Jesus is now the King of the Cosmos and the King of us. He ascended into Heaven in order to take His place on His heavenly throne. As King of the Universe and of us He is the focus of all of creation including us.

Often in the Gospels Jesus talks about the Kingdom of God. Whether it is in the parables or in the ways that He reached out to the rejected folks of the world and to sinners, while Jesus was on the Earth as a flesh and bone human being like us, He showed us why it was important to be part of His Kingdom. By His example of self sacrificing love and acceptance of the sinners and outcasts of His culture, Jesus witnesses to us how to live and serve in His Kingdom. Because of His Ascension God has a human face.

We are called to further and promote Jesus’ Kingdom of God here and now so that we can enjoy Him and His Kingdom fully when we’re done with this life. May we always serve Him in the ones who need us on the Earth, so that we may enjoy living with Him in His Kingdom for eternity.

Peace,
Fr. Chuck