The Ascension of the Lord: Christ Goes Before Us

This week, the Church celebrates the Ascension of the Lord, when Jesus returned to the Father forty days after his Resurrection. The feast comes near the end of Easter and prepares us for Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descends upon the Church.

Colmar - Unterlinden Museum - Altarpiece of the Dominicans, Childhood and Passion of Christ - Martin Schongauer (ca 1445-1491) & Atelier, ca 1480 - Oil on wood panel - Ascension of Jesus Christ

Over the course of the liturgical year, the Church “unfolds the whole mystery of Christ” — from his birth and earthly ministry to his Death, Resurrection, Ascension, and the promise of his return (CCC 1194). The Ascension is an important part of this journey through the Paschal Mystery and a reminder that Christ continues to lead and guide his people.

In the Acts of the Apostles, the disciples watch as Jesus is lifted up and taken from their sight. As they look toward heaven, angels tell them that Jesus will return again (Acts 1:9–11). In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus blesses his disciples before ascending, and they return to Jerusalem “with great joy” (Luke 24:50–53).

At first glance, the Ascension can seem like a story about Jesus leaving, but it is really about Jesus entering fully into the glory of the Father while remaining united to his people. The Catechism explains that Christ’s Ascension marks “the definitive entrance of Jesus’ humanity into God’s heavenly domain” (CCC 665).

This matters because Jesus does not only go to heaven himself; he goes before us. The Catechism affirms that Christ, the head of the Church, has entered the Father’s glory so that we, the members of his Body, may live in the hope of following where he has gone (CCC 661).

The Ascension also reminds us that the Church lives in hope and expectation. After Jesus ascended, the disciples did not stand still looking at the sky. They waited prayerfully for the coming of the Holy Spirit and prepared to continue Christ’s mission in the world. As Pope John Paul II once reflected, the Ascension calls the Church to trust in the Spirit and to live faithfully as witnesses to Christ.

For Catholics today, the feast offers several simple but important reminders:

• Christ remains with his Church even though we do not see him visibly.

• Our lives have a purpose and a destination in God.

• The Church continues to move from Easter joy toward Pentecost and the mission of proclaiming the Gospel.

The Ascension teaches us how to live between Christ’s Resurrection and his return in glory: with hope, faith, prayer, and trust that the Lord who has gone before us continues to guide his people.