“He ascended into heaven…” Many of us have recited these words about Jesus hundreds of times since childhood in the Apostles’ Creed. Today (Thursday, 5/9) is the church calendar celebration of our Lord’s Ascension—forty days after Easter morning.
Though it seems like kind of an on-the-side fact, the early church and framers of the creeds knew Jesus’ ascension was a central reality in our faith. It’s easy to see why the Resurrection gets most of the attention, but a closer look reminds us:
The Ascension shows the glorious nature of the Risen Christ. The same resurrected Jesus who humbly cooked breakfast for his friends on the beach (Jn 21:9) can also literally float up (blast off!) into the heavens. Further, his ascension to “the right hand of God” (Mk 16:19) identifies his sovereign lordship over all things. Jesus, the Seaside Chef and King of the Universe is the friend you want to have in your corner!
The Ascension paves the way for another “person” of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, to be with and within all of Jesus’ friends at the same time. The day of Pentecost (as recounted in Acts 2) arrives ten days after the ascension, just as Jesus had promised in John 16.
The Ascension also reminds us that Jesus said he was going away to prepare a place for his friends (Jn 14:2) and that he would come back to take us there! (Jn 14:3) We can scarcely imagine the setting he is creating for the wonders and adventures that await… New heavens! New earth! New us! (Rev 21:1).
So while “The Ascension” may sometimes fall through the cracks of our awareness – I encourage you to give this event, so pregnant with meaning, a generous slice of your attention today. And if you have not yet welcomed him as a friend—the friend—in your life, I can commend nothing finer or more beautiful for you.
All shall be well,
Owen