Reflection From

Fr. John

June 1, 2025

This Sunday, we celebrate the Ascension of the Lord. Jesus, in the presence of His disciples on the Mount of Olives near Jerusalem, ascended into heaven.

This marked the end of His earthly ministry and His enthronement with the Father in Heaven. St. Luke in the first chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, describes the Ascension of our Lord in the presence of His Apostles. St. Luke mentions, “When he had said this, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight.” (Acts 1:9) Today, the site of Jesus’ Ascension is marked by the Chapel of the Ascension located at the summit of the Mount of Olives.

The Apostles stayed looking at the sky and an angel appeared to them saying, “Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking at the sky? This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven.” (Acts 1:11) For the Apostles, they must have been wondering, “How is it that we are going to lose Our Messiah for a second time?” They had already lost Jesus during His Passion and Death, now He was leaving them for a second time. Jesus explains to them, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem…” (Acts 1:8) If Jesus hadn’t been assumed into heaven, the Holy Spirit would never have come. Though the Apostles would no longer see Jesus physically, Christ would always be present to them through the gift of the Holy Spirit. If Jesus had never ascended to the Father, He would never have been able to send the Holy Spirit and the Church would never have been born.

The same is true for us today. Jesus is more present to us now because of the sending of the Holy Spirit than He was during His time on earth. The fullness of who God is, Father, Son and Holy Spirit has been revealed to us. Jesus is present to us through the transformation of the bread and wine into His Body and Blood. He is present in His Church through the forgiveness offered during the Sacrament of Reconciliation. If Jesus had never ascended into heaven, the Church would never have been born or come to its fullness. This week, as we celebrate the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord, let us remember and call to mind that even though the earthly ministry of Christ was completed with His Ascension, He continues to be present to us now through the Church and her ministers.

Father John

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