Happy feast day! It’s the day of the Ascension of Our Lord. This is one of the Ascension homilies included in the book Living the Mysteries: A Guide for Unfinished Christians, which I co-authored with Scott Hahn.

Pope St. Leo I (the Great)
Ascend with Jesus

Christ’s ascension marked the exaltation of our human nature. We saw ourselves divinized when our nature rose to glory in the person of Jesus.

Amidst these miracles, when the disciples were troubled by anxieties, the Lord appeared in their midst and said, “Peace be with you” (Jn 20:26). So that what was passing through their hearts might not remain. For they thought they saw a ghost, but He showed that their thoughts were wrong. He showed their doubting eyes the marks of the cross still in His hands and feet, and invited them to touch Him with careful scrutiny. For the traces of the nails and spear had been kept in order to heal the wounds of unbelieving hearts. Thus, not with wavering faith, but with steadfast knowledge, they might understand that the nature that had lain in the tomb was soon to sit on God the Father’s throne.

So, dearly beloved, throughout this time that passed between the Lord’s resurrection and ascension, God’s providence had this in mind, taught this, and impressed it upon both the eyes and hearts of His people: that the Lord Jesus Christ might be recognized as truly risen, just as He was truly born, truly suffered, and truly died. That’s why the blessed Apostles and all the disciples — fearful as they had been at His death on the cross, and hesitant in believing His Resurrection — were so strengthened by the clear truth that, when the Lord entered the heights of heaven, not only were they untouched by sadness, but were even filled with great joy.

The cause of their rejoicing was truly great and indescribable when, in the sight of the heavenly multitude, our human nature ascended above the dignity of all heavenly creatures, passing the ranks of the angels and rising beyond the archangels’ heights. This ascension was unlimited by any elevation, till our nature was received to sit with the Eternal Father, joined to the throne of His glory, as His divine nature was joined to human nature in the Son.

Since then, Christ’s ascension is our exaltation. For there is hope that the body will be raised to the glory where the head has gone before. So, dearly beloved, let us rejoice with delight in our holy thanksgiving. For on the day of the ascension we have not only been confirmed as possessors of paradise, but in Christ we have even pierced through to the heights of heaven. We have gained much greater things through Christ’s indescribable grace than we had lost through the devil’s malice. Those whom our raging enemy had driven away from the bliss of our first home, the Son of God has made members of Himself and placed at the right hand of the Father, with whom He lives and reigns in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever. Amen.

Take It to Prayer

• We have gained much greater things through Christ’s indescribable grace than we had lost through the devil’s malice.

• When Jesus ascended to heaven, our human nature rose above the dignity of all heavenly creatures, passing the ranks of the angels and archangels.

• Our nature was received to sit with the Eternal Father, joined to the throne of His glory, as His divine nature was joined to human nature in the Son.

Learn It by Heart

• Christ’s ascension is our exaltation. For there is hope that the body will be raised to the glory where the head has gone before.

Apply It to Your Life

• Meditate often on heaven. Now that you are divinized in Christ, it is your one true home. A child of God, you can find rest only in the life of the Trinity. Yet that life begins now, in mystery, in the sacraments. You rise to heaven when you confess the sins that weigh you down. Your Communion is in heaven when you go to Mass.