HOMILY FOR THE SOLEMNITY OF ASCENSION OF THE LORD YEAR A.
THEME: His Ascension: A Sneak Peek at Our Future.
BY: Father Anthony O. Ezeaputa, MA.
The Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord into heaven is the culmination of the Paschal mysteries of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is the day that the Catholic Church celebrates the exaltation and glorification of her founder after his earthly mission. It also serves as an opportunity to have a quick look at what awaits us after our earthly mission if we remain in the friendship and grace of God to the end.
The Ascension of the Lord is one of the feast days in the liturgical year that most people find strange. “It seems too closely bound up with a mythical vision of the world that we have long since been unable to share,” Cardinal Ratzinger observed. For instance, “What is the meaning of the phrases in the creed, such as “ascended into heaven”, descent into hell,” and “sitting at the right hand of God?”
By the way, heaven is not a place above us (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1021–1029), hell is not a mythical underworld below our feet (CCC 1033–1037), and descent into hell describes the application of the paschal mystery to those who have died before Christ (CCC 633). And God is not like a human king who sits on his throne while Jesus, his Son, sits at his right hand.
According to our first reading (Acts 1:1–11), “when he had said this, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight” (v. 9). Where did the cloud take Jesus if there is no localized heaven above the clouds? And what is the meaning of the phrases “the Lord’s going up” or “being exalted”?
The Bible, as well as the historical and social context of a liturgical celebration, are always the first steps in figuring out liturgical celebrations. The Bible, especially the Old Testament in this case, will help us interpret the account of the ascension of the Lord into heaven as recorded in the New Testament (The Acts of the Apostles).
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After all, Saint Augustine was correct in his famous explanation of the link between the Old and New Testaments. “The new is in the old concealed; the old is in the new revealed.” In essence, to understand events in the New Testament, we must trace them back to the Old Testament. This is what biblical scholars call historical criticism.
To begin with, the verbs “raise up” and “exalt,” which are used in the New Testament to describe ascension, are derived from the Old Testament. They were used in the Old Testament in the context of the “enthronement” of both God and kings.
The so-called “Enthronement Psalms” (Psalms 47, 93, and 95–100) give us insight into the enthronement of God. Also, the enthronement of King Solomon in 1 Kings 1:32–40 and King Joash in 2 Kings 11:4–20 are good examples of the enthronement of kings. Thus, a good grasp of the ceremony of enthronement in ancient Israel helps to understand the ascension and the heavenly reign of Jesus Christ.
In his scholarly article entitled “King of Kings: The Enthronement of Yahweh,” Jeremy J. Stewart summarizes the enthronement ceremony. He writes, “First, they were elevated to a divine status through anointings and pronouncements; second, not only were they presented before the gods, but they were chosen by God Himself and then presented to the people; and finally, the new king was enthroned and received kingly power.”
Thus, when the origin of the Ascension of the Lord into heaven is traced to the enthronement ceremony of ancient Israel, its meaning becomes more obvious. His ascension into heaven is a celebration of his exaltation, glorification, and enthronement by God, the Father, following his victory over death. It is a public testimony that the crucified man Jesus now exercises God’s sovereignty over the world.
Above and beyond, the Acts of the Apostles (1:1–11) recounts the “ascension into heaven” using passive verbs. First, it says that Jesus is “lifted up” (v. 9), and then later, it adds that he is “taken up” (v. 11). In other words, it reaffirms that the ascension is a mighty act of God, who brings Jesus to himself following his earthly mission.
Additionally, the cloud used to describe the ascension is a symbol of the divine presence in the Old Testament. “And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night” (Exodus 13:21).
Also, the “place” where the cloud took Jesus, which is taken from Psalm 110:1, is often described as “sitting at the right hand of the Father”. It refers to the participation of Jesus Christ in God’s dominion over the world.
To conclude, today’s celebration marks the crowning of the paschal mysteries of Christ. It is an expression of our belief that in Christ, human nature, which we all share with Jesus Christ, has entered the inner life of God in an entirely new and unprecedented way.
The Ascension of the Lord is both a revelation and an exhortation. It reveals to us ahead of time that we have an eternal home with God in heaven; it gives us insight into what will happen to us after our earthly mission if we continue to love God and our neighbor. And finally, it exhorts us to remain in God’s friendship until the end, so that we may be raised up, glorified, and exalted like Jesus Christ.
Today, let us take some time to reflect on our lives, particularly on the things that may prevent us from ascending to heaven like Jesus Christ after his earthly mission, and commend them to God through prayer and the Sacrament of Reconciliation. May Our Lady, assumed into heaven in body and soul, pray for us. Happy Ascension!!
Father Anthony O. Ezeaputa, MA.
Homily for the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord, Year A
May 21, 2023
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