A Homily for the Solemnity of the Ascension
(This homily was not given at Mass, but simply prepared for your reflection.)
Today we celebrate the Ascension of the Lord — the moment when Jesus, after appearing to his disciples for forty days following the Resurrection, was taken up into heaven. Now I don’t know about you, but over the years, I’ve sometimes felt that the Ascension can seem like one of the quieter feasts in the Church year. It doesn’t quite have the wonder of Christmas, the drama of Easter morning, or the fire of Pentecost. It can feel like Jesus has simply finished his work and is now saying goodbye.
But the truth is, the Ascension is not just about Jesus leaving. It’s not a farewell; it’s a fulfillment. It’s not an ending; it’s a new beginning — for him, and for us. There are two important things the Ascension teaches us: first, about who Jesus truly is, and second, about who we are — and who we are becoming — in him.
1. Who Jesus Truly Is
The disciples must have been full of questions. After all, they had seen Jesus rise from the dead. He had spoken to them, eaten with them, and comforted them. Naturally, they wondered, “Lord, is this the time when you’re going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” In other words — is now the time when you’ll set everything right?
But instead of taking up a throne on earth, Jesus ascended to heaven. And in doing so, he wasn’t stepping away from his mission. He was stepping into his glory.
The Ascension is Jesus’ coronation day. It’s the moment when the Father places him at his right hand — not just as the Messiah of Israel, but as the King of all creation. The suffering servant who humbled himself, who walked with us in our weakness and bore the weight of the cross — that same Jesus is now enthroned in majesty. He didn’t take the devil’s shortcut to power. He took the long road of love and obedience. And now, he reigns forever.
This is the Jesus we pray to. Not a distant figure in the clouds, but a risen and glorified Savior who knows every sorrow, every temptation, and every fear we carry — because he carried them first. And now he reigns, not just in heaven, but over our lives, our hearts, and our journey home to God.
2. Who We Are in Jesus
But here’s the truly amazing part — and perhaps the one that speaks most deeply to those of us who’ve walked a long road in faith: when Jesus ascended into heaven, he didn’t leave behind his humanity. He took it with him. He carried us — our flesh, our frailty, our joys and struggles — right into the heart of the Trinity.
Jesus didn’t just come down to walk among us for a time and then shed his humanity like a coat. No — he kept it! He brought it home. That means that right now, a human heart — one that has loved, suffered, bled, and been raised — beats at the center of heaven.
And that tells us something profound about our destiny.
As St. Paul says, “If we have died with him, we shall also live with him… if we endure, we shall also reign with him.” His Ascension is a promise of what lies ahead for all who belong to him. As we age, as we feel the wear and tear of life on our bodies and minds, we are NOT fading away. We are being prepared. We are being drawn into that same glory.
The Ascension tells us where we’re headed. Not simply to a peaceful resting place, but INTO THE VERY LIFE OF GOD — into communion, into joy, into a love that never ends.
A Quiet Hope
Dear friends, many of you have been walking with the Lord for a long time. You’ve seen life’s sorrows and its beauty. You’ve carried burdens, and you’ve known blessings. Maybe you’ve wondered, as the disciples did, “Lord, is now the time when you will set things right?” And Jesus, in his quiet, patient way, reminds us: Yes — it is coming. Step by step, day by day, he is drawing us into his Kingdom.
And in the meantime, he has not left us alone. He has given us his Spirit, and he meets us again and again — especially in the Eucharist. Every time we come to Mass, we’re reminded of the Ascension. The priest says, “Lift up your hearts!” And we reply — not as a routine, but as a real act of faith — “We lift them up to the Lord.” That is where our hearts belong. That is where our future lies.
So today, let us lift our eyes — not to the sky, as if Jesus were far away, but to the heavenly kingdom where he reigns —very, very close to us — and where he is preparing a place for us. Let us have faith in this promise and so live the rest of our days in quiet hope, in trust, and in gratitude. Because where he has gone, we too shall follow.
And this, my friends, is the promise and the joy of the Ascension.
Amen.