“So then the Lord Jesus, after He had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.”
—Mark 16:19
On this holy solemnity, the Church gazes upward—not merely with our eyes, but with our hearts. Ascension Day marks the moment Christ returned to the Father in glory, forty days after His Resurrection. But it is not a farewell. It is a promise.
The Ascension is a mystery of hope. It reveals the destiny Christ has prepared for all who love Him: union with God in eternal glory. It is the completion of His earthly mission and the beginning of our mission as His Church.
For the apostles, the sight of Jesus rising into heaven must have been overwhelming—joy mingled with sorrow, awe overshadowing uncertainty. But even in their wonder, the Lord’s final command echoed in their hearts: “You will be My witnesses… to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
Christ’s Ascension Is Our Calling
Ascension Day reminds us that Jesus did not rise to leave us behind. He ascended to draw us upward—to lift our minds and hearts to heaven. As the Catechism teaches, “Jesus Christ, the head of the Church, precedes us into the Father’s glorious kingdom so that we, the members of His body, may live in the hope of one day being with Him forever” (CCC 666).
In a world weighed down by grief, anxiety, and confusion, the Ascension is our anchor in the heavens. Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father, not distant, but interceding. Not gone, but glorified. He is both our High Priest and our brother—divine, yet forever human.
Heaven Is Not Far
The saints teach us that heaven is not simply a place but a state of being—in perfect communion with God. And so, we do not wait idly for eternity to begin. We live it now, by grace. We ascend in our daily fidelity: in prayer, in the Sacraments, in acts of charity and humility.
St. Augustine once said, “Today our Lord Jesus Christ ascended into heaven; let our hearts ascend with Him.” We do this whenever we choose God over self, whenever we forgive, whenever we suffer with trust, and whenever we hope against despair.
A Time to Lift Our Eyes
In these days between Ascension and Pentecost, the Church waits, just as Mary and the apostles did in the upper room. It is a sacred pause—a time of prayerful expectation. We are not alone. The Spirit is coming. The Lord is reigning. And the kingdom is already unfolding among us.
So today, lift your eyes. Christ has gone before you. He has not abandoned you—He has prepared a place for you.
Let your heart ascend with Him.
Prayer for Ascension Day:
Lord Jesus Christ, You ascended into heaven to prepare a place for us and to send us Your Holy Spirit. Lift my heart from the distractions and burdens of this world, and help me to live with my eyes fixed on heaven. May I bear witness to Your love in my words, my actions, and my daily cross. Be near to me always, and lead me home to the Father’s house. Amen.
