“There are three Thursdays in the year that shine brighter than the sun: Holy Thursday, Corpus Christi, and the Ascension of the Lord.” This ancient saying, still vivid in the memory of many Christians, reminds us of one of the most significant feasts in the liturgical calendar: the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord, which the Church celebrates forty days after Easter Sunday, faithful to the account of the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 1:3).

Although in many countries this solemnity has been moved to the following Sunday to facilitate the faithful’s participation, its true meaning remains intact: Jesus Christ, after rising from the dead, ascends to heaven, body and soul, sitting at the right hand of the Father, thus culminating his visible presence on earth. It is not a farewell, but the beginning of a new form of presence.

A Feast of Hope and Mission

The Ascension is not a flight or escape from the world, but a promise. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church (nos. 665-667) points out, the Lord ascends to heaven as Head of the Church, opening the way for us so that one day we may be with Him. From on high, Christ intercedes for us and sends the Holy Spirit, who will transform the disciples into courageous witnesses of the Gospel to the ends of the earth (cf. Acts 1:8).

This feast reminds us that Christian life is not confined to earthly nostalgia, but is projected heavenward. “Seek what is above, where Christ is,” Saint Paul exhorts us (Col 3:1). To live the Ascension is to live with our feet on the ground, but our hearts in heaven, knowing that our final destination is not this world, but eternal communion with God.

A Church that Goes Out

Before ascending, Jesus pronounces a promise and a command: “You will receive power from the Holy Spirit… and you will be my witnesses” (Acts 1:8). The Ascension inaugurates the time of the Church, the time of evangelization, charity, and daily holiness. It is the Lord who sends, but it is also the Lord who accompanies.

As Pope Francis reminds us, “Jesus has not abandoned us: he ascended into heaven, but he has not left us alone. Indeed, thanks to the gift of the Holy Spirit, we can feel him even closer. He is with us, in our midst” (Angelus, May 24, 2020).

Celebrating the Ascension is, therefore, a renewing of our faith in the glorious Christ and our willingness to be His instruments in the world. It is a celebration that inspires us to look to heaven while continuing to work on earth, bringing the message of salvation to all.