The Ascension of the Lord commemorates Jesus Christ's bodily ascent into heaven forty days after His Resurrection, signifying the completion of His earthly mission and His enthronement at the Father's right hand.
The Feast of the Ascension of the Lord, observed forty days after Easter, marks Jesus Christ's glorious bodily ascent into heaven, where He assumed His rightful place at the right hand of God the Father, thereby concluding His public ministry on earth. This fundamental event in salvation history signifies Christ's ultimate victory over sin and death, His glorification, and His role as perpetual intercessor for humanity in the heavenly sanctuary, while also paving the way for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Liturgically, it is a solemn feast that bridges the Paschal Mystery with the coming of the Spirit, reinforcing belief in Christ's divine sovereignty and His promise to return, and it is a Holy Day of Obligation in many places, emphasizing its profound theological importance.
The Feast of the Ascension of the Lord marks a pivotal moment in salvation history, commemorating the bodily ascent of Jesus Christ into heaven forty days after His glorious Resurrection. This profound event, witnessed by His apostles and disciples on the Mount of Olives, signaled the completion of His earthly public ministry and the beginning of a new phase in His divine plan for humanity. As described in the Acts of the Apostles, after giving His final instructions and promising the Holy Spirit, Jesus was lifted up and a cloud took Him from their sight, leaving the disciples gazing heavenward until two angels appeared to reassure them of His eventual return. This feast, therefore, is not merely a historical remembrance but a vibrant celebration of Christ's triumph and His enthronement at the right hand of God the Father, a truth central to Christian belief as articulated in the Nicene Creed.
On the slopes of the Mount of Olives, beneath the vast Judean sky, a small band of disciples gathered, their hearts a mixture of awe and apprehension. Forty days had passed since the tomb was found empty, forty days of unexpected appearances and profound teachings from their Risen Lord. Now, He stood among them once more, His voice resonating with final instructions, commissioning them to be His witnesses to the ends of the earth, beginning in Jerusalem and reaching even to the remotest parts of the world.
5th century AD
The mystery of our salvation, dearly beloved, which the Divine Mercy has arranged, is maintained by various solemnities, and its celebration is so distributed throughout the circle of the year, that the events which are recorded in the Gospel history, may occupy the minds of the faithful at their proper seasons, and the understanding of them may be drawn out by their continuous observance. Hence the Paschal feast has but just gone by, and the days of the Resurrection have shed their gladness upon our hearts, when the Ascension of the Lord Jesus into heaven is celebrated, and that which was not only an object of sight, but also of faith, is recalled to our minds. In this, dearly beloved, not only is the fact that Christ is ascended into heaven brought before us, but we are also taught that through Him we ascend, if we live a life of faith and obedience. For although that which was visible in our Redeemer has passed away, yet His presence with us in the Sacrament has not been withdrawn; and therefore the power of His Majesty is not diminished, so that He, who was then ministering to the Father at His right hand, is not still in His completeness with His whole Church. For in many ways the Son of Man is ever with His own, and that not only in the way of sacramental grace, but also of efficacious power, seeing that He Himself, as He sits at the Father’s right hand, dispenses and orders all things, and is not removed from the work of our salvation.
When therefore the Lord Jesus had completed the forty days which He had appointed for testifying to His Resurrection by many proofs, and by His frequent presence and conversation, and had given all His disciples a full insight into the mysteries of the kingdom of God, He completed the work of our instruction and began to ascend in the sight of them all, and was received in a cloud, and carried up to heaven. The Disciples’ hearts were not saddened by this departure, but they were filled with such joy that no shade of sorrow dimmed their happiness, and with most confident faith they doubted not of His return, who had in such a manner ascended. For they had received an earnest of His love, and that by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, which was to make them despise all the adversities of the world, and to rejoice in the freedom of their minds, no longer in the presence of the Lord’s body, but in the power of His majesty.
This indeed was a dispensation, dearly beloved, which was very full of divine Providence, that the things which were aforetime done by the Son of Man, should be exalted by the Son of God, and that the faith of all Christians should be more strong and more enlightened, when they understood that it was not by the visible presence of Christ, but by His invisible power, that the Church was to be gathered together and increased. For that which had been more clearly made known by visible tokens, was now to be accepted by faith, and was to be confirmed by the understanding of the mind, and not by the eye of the body. Hence arose a greater gain to faith and love, because that which had been an object of sight, was now to be adored in spirit, and the minds of the faithful, being now cleansed from all carnal thoughts, would be more fully possessed by the Spirit of God. For it would have been less suitable for the faith that the Lord should have remained on earth, and that His visible presence should have been continued, because the true faith would thereby have become weaker, and the hope of the faithful would have been less fervent, if they had not been able to reach that which they believed by their own spiritual eyes.
And therefore the disciples, who had at first been saddened by the Lord’s departure, were filled with joy when they saw Him ascend. For they had been taught that He was not to be seen by them in the body, but that He would be present to them in spirit, and that by His grace, He would be with them in a more excellent and more powerful way. And this was the reason why the Lord had said to them, “It is expedient for you that I go away, for if I go not away, the Paraclete will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you.” John 16:7 For as long as the outward presence of the Lord remained, the disciples’ minds seemed to cling to that, and they had not yet fully embraced the spiritual nature of Christ. But when Christ ascended, and the Holy Spirit was poured forth, then the disciples were able to understand that which they had not understood before, and they were able to preach that which they had not preached before.
Therefore, dearly beloved, let us rejoice with spiritual joy, and let us celebrate with fitting devotion the Ascension of the Lord, by which the ineffable mystery of our salvation is completed. Let us fix our thoughts on high, and let us not be held back by earthly desires. Let us follow Him in heart and mind, whither He has gone before us in body. Let us not doubt that what has been done in Christ, will also be done in us, if we have a true faith and a sincere love. For He is our Head, and we are His body. And as the Head has ascended, so also the body will ascend. Let us therefore live in such a way that we may be worthy to follow our Head, and to attain to that glory which He has prepared for us. For He has gone to prepare a place for us, that where He is, there we may be also. John 14:3 This is the hope of our calling, this is the fruit of our faith, that we may be united to Christ in glory, and that we may reign with Him forever and ever. Amen.
Observing the Feast of the Ascension as a Holy Day of Obligation, requiring attendance at Mass, though in some ecclesiastical provinces, particularly in the United States, the solemnity is transferred to the following Sunday.
The profound theological significance of Christ's bodily ascent into heaven and His enthronement at the right hand of the Father warrants its observance as a primary feast in the liturgical calendar.
The blessing of crops, fruits, or first harvests, often performed in processions or during Mass, particularly in agrarian communities.
Connects the feast to prayers for a bountiful harvest and divine blessing upon creation, reflecting Christ's dominion over the earth and the hope for heavenly fruits.
The removal of the Paschal Candle from the sanctuary after the Gospel reading or at the conclusion of the Mass on Ascension Day.
Symbolically represents Christ's bodily departure from earthly sight and His return to the Father, indicating the end of His post-Resurrection appearances.
Historically, in medieval times, churches would sometimes use mechanical effigies or statues of Christ that would be 'lifted' through an opening in the church ceiling during the Ascension Mass.
A dramatic visual representation to help the faithful understand and experience the mystery of Christ's physical ascent into heaven.
It was a widespread tradition in several European countries to consume poultry, such as chicken, goose, or pheasant, on Ascension Day.
The consumption of birds, which ascend into the sky, was seen as a symbolic representation of Christ's ascent into heaven. The German name for Ascension Day, 'Himmelfahrt' (Heaven's Journey), reinforces this connection to the sky.
In some regions, particularly in Italy, it was traditional to eat fava beans or other fresh legumes.
This tradition is likely tied to the seasonal availability of these crops in late spring, coinciding with the feast day, rather than a direct symbolic link to the Ascension itself, reflecting a celebration of first harvests.
Celebrations often include dishes made with the first available spring vegetables and fruits, reflecting the time of year and the blessing of agricultural produce.
The timing of the feast in late spring aligns with the beginning of various harvests, and the blessing of crops was historically associated with Rogation Days leading up to Ascension, thus celebrating the bounty of the earth given by God.