The Feast of the Ascension is a feast of victory. It celebrates the fulfillment of God’s eternal plan: that the Son of God would become human, and that humanity—through Christ—would be lifted up and seated at the throne of God, above all creation. Today is the day when our human nature, taken up by Christ, is enthroned with God. This is why Scripture says, “God has gone up with a shout.”
The Psalmist urges us to sing because God has made us His own people: “He subdued nations under us, and peoples under our feet. He chose our inheritance for us, the beauty of Jacob whom He loved.” (Psalm 47:1–4)
The God who ascended is our Friend. He loved our beauty, chose us as His inheritance, and desires us to live with Him forever. His Ascension is our exaltation; His sitting at the right hand of the Father is the promise that we too will be seated with Him. Because Christ has accomplished this victory for us, it is right that we sing praises to God.
The Gospel reading today shows how this victory becomes visible in the life of the Church. Before ascending, the Lord “opened the minds” of His disciples so they could understand the Scriptures. This is a great gift. Christ cannot be understood apart from the Holy Scriptures. We recognize God’s eternal purpose in Christ only when we understand “the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms.”
If we do not listen to Moses saying, “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me; you shall listen to Him,” or Isaiah saying, “He has borne our sicknesses and carried our diseases,” or Ezekiel promising, “My servant David shall be king over them, and they shall all have one shepherd,” or Jeremiah proclaiming, “Judah will be saved… and she shall be called: The Lord is our righteousness,” or the Psalmist hearing God say to the Messiah, “Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies Your footstool,” then we cannot truly believe in Jesus Christ.
Some have tried to understand Jesus only as a teacher, a revolutionary, or an influential figure. But the disciples themselves—who followed Him for three years—could not understand Him until He opened their minds to the Scriptures. Only then could they grasp the great work God accomplished in Christ.
Our knowledge of Christ is measured by our knowledge of the Holy Scriptures—both the Prophets and the Apostles. If we are strangers to Scripture, we become strangers to Christ. To know the Lord, we must spend time with the Scriptures, and the Lord Himself will open our minds to understand them.
After opening their minds, Christ entrusted the disciples with the ministry of witness. The Church goes out to bear witness that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the Word made flesh. True witness is a great responsibility. It is not simply speaking well, having a platform, or being emotionally moved. Christ gave this ministry only after teaching the disciples for three years and opening their minds to the Scriptures.
Those who preach without knowing Christ through Scripture end up preaching themselves, or their social ideas, or their cultural opinions—not Christ. But to move the hearts of our friends, families, and children, we must become true witnesses like the Apostles.
As the Lord ascended, He lifted His hands to bless His disciples. This was not only a sign of love but also a sign of His priesthood. Just as the high priest in Sirach blessed the people after offering sacrifice, Christ blesses His Church as He ascends.
The Ascension does not separate Christ from the Church. Through the Holy Spirit, He remains present in the Church. His work of reconciling humanity to God continues through the Church for the whole world. The Church is His fullness.
As St. Augustine says: “He is in heaven, yet He is with us; and we are on earth, yet we are with Him. He is with us by His divinity, power, and love; and we are with Him by love. He ascended alone, but we also ascended with Him, for we are His Body.”
Now we stand before Him in the Divine Liturgy, asking in mercy to be united to Him. In love He invites us: “Come! Eat My Body and drink My Blood! Leave behind your old ways and live!”
In the Holy Eucharist, He becomes ours and we become His. His Ascension becomes our victory. Our witness becomes true, because we testify to what we know. And our lives reveal the hands of Christ—the hands that blessed the disciples—still at work in us.
Therefore, as the Psalmist says, “Sing praises!” And we, in turn, invite others to sing with us.
To the Father, who granted us this honor; through His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ; by the power of the Holy Spirit— glory and thanksgiving be forever. Amen.
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