In the Catechism of the Catholic Church we read the following very significant words: “The Father’s power ‘raised up’ Christ his Son and by doing so perfectly introduced his Son’s humanity, including his body, into the Trinity. We are pilgrims here on planet earth.Īnother lesson we glean initially from our Lord’s Resurrection, and ultimately from his Ascension, is the incredibly profound meaning of the the ultimate destiny of the human body.

Take a look at your Passport: I hope it says “Citizen of Heaven.” Heaven is your true home. To truly understand the meaning of life we must get this principle straight. Saint Paul says it beautifully: “Our citizenship is in Heaven” (Philippians 3:20). Therefore, the absolute true meaning of life is Heaven. He, Jesus, is the first born of many brethren (Romans 8:29). One lesson we clearly glean from our Lord’s Ascension is that the entire trajectory of Jesus’ earthly life was Heaven. I picture Jesus returning to the Father in Heaven, saying, “ Father, Mission Accomplished,” and then saying, “Father, let us breathe forth our Holy Spirit upon the world through my risen and Glorified body.” It was good, then, for Jesus to ascend back to the Father so that the Holy Spirit could be given to us to guide us, likewise, to our heavenly home.“If I go ,” says Jesus, “I will send him to you” (John 16:7).

Jesus’ Ascension establishes humanity’s true destiny in Heaven. In the Ascension, then, we see in the clearest terms that Jesus is Lord, or rather the Lord-God. Only Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father, “far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come” (Ephesians 1:21). In the Ascension Jesus is lifted up, is raised higher and higher, until we can see that He is above all else! If there are earthly powers, if there are heavenly powers, if there are demonic powers, Jesus is “Lord of the cosmos” and all creation is subject to him (see CCC 668), for “to which of the angels did God ever say, ‘Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet’?” (Hebrews 1:13).

Christ ascension into heaven