The Ascension of Our Lord

The Ascension of Our Lord, May 17, 2026

Acts 1:1-11; Ephesians 1:17-23; Matthew 28:16-20

(Image courtesy: Google)

Years ago, a fishing fleet went out from a small harbour on the east coast of Newfoundland. In the afternoon there came a great storm. When night settled down, not a single vessel of all the fleet had found its way into the port.  All night long, wives, mothers, children and sweethearts paced up and down the beach, wringing their hands and calling on God to save their loved ones. To add to the horror of the situation, one of the cottages caught fire. Since the men were all away, it was impossible to save the home.  When the morning broke, to the joy of all, the entire fleet found safe harbour in the bay. But there was one face with a picture of despair – the wife of the man whose home had been destroyed. Meeting her husband as he landed, she cried, oh, husband, we are ruined. Our home and all it contained was destroyed by fire.” But the man exclaimed, “Thank God for the fire. It was the light of our burning cottage that guided the whole fleet into port.”

The feast of the Ascension of the Lord speaks to us about a similar moment in the life of the Church. Jesus completed His earthly mission and returned to the Father, but before ascending, He entrusted His mission to His disciples. The work was not finished. The Gospel had to reach every nation. Hearts had to be transformed. The world had to hear the message of salvation. And so Jesus handed over the mission to ordinary men and women who often felt weak, fearful, and unworthy.

The Ascension is not the story of Jesus leaving the world behind. It is the story of Jesus entrusting the world to His disciples. Sometimes people think of the Ascension as Jesus going far away from us. But the feast actually reminds us that Christ remains present in a new and powerful way. He is no longer limited to one place or one group of people. Through the Holy Spirit and through the Church, Christ continues His work in every corner of the world.

In the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles, Jesus spends forty days with His disciples after the Resurrection, speaking to them about the Kingdom of God. Before ascending into heaven, He gives them a mission and a promise. The mission is to be His witnesses to the ends of the earth. The promise is that they will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon them. The disciples are still thinking in limited ways. They ask Jesus if He will now restore the kingdom to Israel. Their minds are focused on political success and earthly expectations. But Jesus lifts their vision higher. He tells them that their mission is much greater than they imagine. They are to become witnesses of God’s love and salvation for the entire world.

Then Jesus ascends before their eyes. As the disciples stand looking up toward heaven, angels appear and ask them, “Why are you standing there looking at the sky?” In other words, the disciples cannot remain frozen in fear or wonder. They have a mission to continue. Faith is not about standing still. Faith sends us into action. This message is important for us today. Many Christians admire Jesus, pray to Him, and celebrate Him, but hesitate to continue His mission. We sometimes limit our faith to personal devotion while forgetting that every baptized person is called to witness to Christ in daily life.

The second reading from the Letter to the Ephesians reminds us of the greatness of Christ who is seated at the right hand of the Father, above all powers and dominions. St Paul prays that the eyes of our hearts may be enlightened so that we may understand the hope to which we are called. The Ascension is therefore not a farewell filled with sadness. It is a celebration of hope. Christ is glorified, and because He is glorified, we too are called to share in His life. Jesus ascends not to abandon humanity but to open heaven for humanity.

St Paul wants Christians to realize the immense dignity they have received in Christ. Too often we live with discouragement, fear, or spiritual mediocrity. We forget that we are children of God and members of Christ’s body. The Ascension reminds us that our destiny is not earthly success alone. Our destiny is eternal communion with God.

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus gives His final command to the disciples. “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.” These are not merely instructions for priests or missionaries. This mission belongs to the whole Church.

Notice that Jesus sends imperfect disciples. Some of them worshipped Him, but the Gospel also says that some doubted. Yet Jesus still entrusted them with His mission. God does not wait for perfect people before working through them. He works through ordinary people who are willing to trust Him. Jesus asks His disciples to teach, baptize, and proclaim His message to all nations. Christianity is not meant to remain hidden inside church walls. The Gospel must enter homes, workplaces, schools, and society itself.

Jesus also gives one final assurance. “I am with you always, until the end of the age.” These words are the foundation of Christian courage. The disciples would face persecution, suffering, rejection, and martyrdom, yet they would never be alone. The risen Lord would remain with them.

The same promise is given to us today. In moments of weakness, Christ is with us. In moments of confusion, Christ is with us. In moments when we feel unworthy or incapable, Christ is with us.

There are three important life messages for us on this feast of the Ascension.

First, every Christian has a mission. Faith is not something private that we keep only for ourselves. Jesus sends each of us to become witnesses through our words, actions, and way of life.

Second, we should not be afraid of our weaknesses. The disciples themselves were imperfect and doubtful, yet Jesus trusted them. God works through humble and willing hearts.

Third, our hope must always remain fixed on heaven. The Ascension reminds us that earthly life is not the final destination. We are created for eternal life with God.

Today the Church celebrates not an ending but a beginning. Jesus ascends to the Father, and the disciples begin their mission. The Gospel message continues to spread because generation after generation of believers have courageously carried forward the work of Christ.

At the beginning, we heard the story of Leonardo da Vinci handing over an unfinished masterpiece to his student. The student felt incapable and unworthy, yet the master encouraged him by saying, “Will not what I have done inspire you to do your best?”

In the same way, Jesus has entrusted His mission to us. The Kingdom of God is the unfinished masterpiece. Christ has shown us the way through His life, death, and Resurrection. Now He places the mission into our hands. We may feel weak, sinful, or inadequate, but the example of Jesus should inspire us to give our best.

The Ascension reminds us that Christ believes in us enough to entrust His work to us. May we never stand merely looking toward heaven while ignoring the mission on earth. Instead, strengthened by His presence and guided by the Holy Spirit, may we continue the work of Christ with faith, courage, and hope.

Happy Sunday