[ Today's Readings ]
Then he led them out as far as Bethany,
raised his hands, and blessed them.
As he blessed them he parted from them
and was taken up to heaven.
LORD, you mount your throne today. Help us to join in the shouts of joy!
When he had said this, as they were looking on,
he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight.
You are taken from our sight but not from our presence. This is counter-intuitive because you become more present to the human race at the incarnation when you are first made visible. But the ascension is not a reversal of the incarnation. It is not a reversion to something old but rather the inauguration of something entirely new. You yourself are and remain the Word made flesh. You yourself are the union of the human and the divine. And you now bring this union to the throne of heaven and to the Father's breast. You are not more distant from us. You are even closer.
And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age (see Matthew 28:20).
You enter the sanctuary not made by hands to offer yourself crucified and risen before the Father. You take the offering of perfect obedience which only you could make and you bring it behind the veil and into the sanctuary. We are united with you. You are the head of the body. And so we also now enter heaven.
Therefore, brothers and sisters, since through the blood of Jesus
we have confidence of entrance into the sanctuary
by the new and living way he opened for us through the veil,
that is, his flesh
Hence it is said that our citizenship is in heaven (see Philippians 3:20). The truth of the Ascension is that although our bodies remain bound to the earth our souls now achieve a proximity to God closer than anything ever possible before. The union they achieve need not experience the variance caused by the trials and circumstance of time. This is what we celebrate!
Jesus you know that we need help to live from this point of view.
And behold I am sending the promise of my Father upon you;
but stay in the city
until you are clothed with power from on high.
Only when we are filled with the Holy Spirit do we truly take full advantage of the promise of the Ascension.
While meeting with them,
he enjoined them not to depart from Jerusalem,
but to wait for “the promise of the Father
about which you have heard me speak;
for John baptized with water,
but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.
Paul prays that our hearts may be enlightened to know the full hope of this call, the immense riches of glory, and the unspeakably great inheritance among the holy ones which we receive.
Jesus you are seated the right hand of the Father. You are now far above all principalities, authorities, powers, and dominions. And you bring us with you in the power of your Spirit. You make this reign available to us in prayer and sacrament and fellowship by the Spirit at work in the world. Far from an un-incarnation, this is the incarnation made superabundant!
For king of all the earth is God;
sing hymns of praise.
God reigns over the nations,
God sits upon his holy throne.
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