IN OLD TESTAMENT and
Intertestamental Literature, voyage from earth to heaven is a widespread motif . The journey of Enoch, Moses, Elijah, Baruch,
and Abraham easily comes to mind. The
Book of Enoch, for instance, recounts how this son of Jared was taken up into
the heavens, and was appointed guardian of heavenly treasures, chief of the
archangels, and attendant upon God’s celestial throne. Of course, in ancient religions, we even find
a detailed account of the voyage through the seven spheres of heaven with their
gates, hostile spirits and other obstacles.
But the Christian understanding of the ascension of Jesus is quite
different. In Luke, for example, it
signifies the end of Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem and his earthly ministry, a
beginning of his exaltation, and a new way of his presence among us.
To stress that the ascension marks the end of Jesus’
journey to Jerusalem and of his earthly ministry, it may be noted that with his
account of Jesus’ ascension (Luke 24:50-53), Luke’s narrative on the journey to
Jerusalem comes to a close. In Luke
9:51, Jesus, whom the Samaritans did not welcome, resolutely determined to
journey to the city, where the ultimate rejection awaited him. Here in the farewell scene, that journey is
completed, as Jesus blesses his disciples.
At the same time, this sets the end of Luke’s account of the story of
Jesus, for just as it began in Jerusalem, with Zechariah unable to bless the
people gathered in the temple (Luke 1:21-22), so it ends in Jerusalem, with the
disciples praising God in the temple, after Jesus blessed them (Luke
24:52). The ascension, therefore, marks
the end of Jesus’ earthly ministry. In
ascending, Jesus entered into God’s presence.
This is the essential meaning of “going up” or “ascending far above all
heavens” (Eph 4:10).
This, of course, is only one side of the coin. The other is that it signifies the beginning
of Jesus’ exaltation: “God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name
that is above every other name” (Phil 2:9).
“God exalted him at his right hand as leader and savior” (Acts
5:30a). It also indicates the start of
his glorification and his enthronement at God’s right hand: “Was it not
necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and enter into his
glory?” (Luke 24:26); “Jesus Christ who
has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities,
and powers subject to him” (1 Pet 3:21c-22).
As a high priest, he passed through the heavens (Heb 4:14) and entered
the heavenly sanctuary (9:24). These
images and meanings are, of course, related to Jesus’ coming into God’s
presence.
But what about his relationship to us? Since Jesus is now an exalted and glorified
Lord, the mode of his presence changed.
Jesus entered into a new form of presence with his disciples, with us,
and in the world. He is present to his
disciples on earth in a spiritual way.
With us, he is especially present in his signs—in his word, in his minister,
in the assembly, in the Eucharist and the sacraments, and among others, among
the poor. But his presence among us and
in the world is the beginning of the parousia.
This has been initiated into the world, but in a hidden form. For this reason, ascension serves as a
principle of hope, an anticipation of glory for those who proclaim his death
and resurrection in their lives. His
invisible presence in his signs will be disclosed definitively in his return in
glory. The preface proper to the feast
puts it this way: “Mediator between God and man, judge of the world and Lord of
hosts, he ascended, not to distance himself from our lowly state, but that we,
his members, might be confident of following where he, our Head and Founder,
has gone before.”
What does this mean in simple language? That Jesus must ascend—this brought sorrow to
his disciples. But they were assured of
his presence of another kind. Of course,
life is a series of arrivals and departures.
After graduating from high school, one goes to college. One says good-bye to bachelorhood when he
enters into marriage. But the transition
from one term to another is never easy.
Some individuals get married, but their mentality remains that of a
bachelor. Yet, one cannot appreciate the
stage of life one enters unless there is a change in mind-set. Some parents find it difficult to realize
that their sons and daughters are no longer children: they simply cannot let
go. The same may be said of faith. That Jesus is seated at the right hand and no
longer present to us in the way he was physically present to his disciples
during the public ministry—this is not necessary a disadvantage for us. On the contrary, we must ever rejoice because
of it, even as the disciples were filled with joy as they witnessed the
ascension.
Today, his presence to us
who believe in his power is no less real than his presence to his
disciples. And that experience of his
presence is the beginning of the parousia.
If we have an intimate relationship with him, we are assured of the
final revelation of that participation when he returns in glory. The final transition will occur, and what
Jesus is, we will experience and share.
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