Celebrating the Ascension in Modern Times

Feast of the Ascension

Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”

He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
—Acts 1:6-9, NRSVUE

Imagine a world without hot air balloons, airplanes, rocket ships, or views of Earth from miles beyond the atmosphere. Imagine a world where the tallest buildings would not have surpassed a mountain, and climbing a mountain would be an arduous trek up uncertain terrain and uncontained vegetation, though with splendid views. 

When Jesus ascended into heaven, the disciples could not comprehend the concept of human flight. In fact, this image might give you a better idea of how the people understood earth and heaven in the Book of Acts and the Gospels.

When Jesus left the disciples for the “chambers in heaven,” they were instructed to spread the gospel “to the ends of the earth.” Over two millennia have passed since then, and our understanding of the world has changed. Exercising our holy imagination, we can ask ourselves questions that would help us understand what it was like to watch Jesus leave. Just float away and be hidden by a cloud. We have centuries of people sharing the stories of miracles, the spread of good news, and caring for others. Centuries of testimony, written, translated, brought out to us all. The truth of the good news is not limited to how humans scientifically understand the Earth
and the cosmos. It is Good News regardless of the Earth being round or covered by a dome. 

For the scientifically minded child, the idea of Jesus disappearing can bring up more questions than answers. How did Jesus go up to the clouds? Is heaven in the clouds or the stars? Is it outer space? When my children come to me with questions I cannot answer, I resort to asking more questions. It’s a little like taking cues from Zootopia, when Nick tells Judy how to do an interview, “Answer their question with your own question and answer that one instead.” Is this a way that Jesus shows how he is fully God? How big does this tell us God is? What did Jesus ask us to do while he is in heaven? 

The key point of the ascension is not to fixate on the manner of Jesus’ leaving, but rather on the instructions he gave before he left.

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
 —Matthew 28:18-20, NRSVUE

This is the work we are doing as parents, making disciples, teaching them to obey the commands of Christ, and reminding them of the constant love with which God loves us. Society has changed, governments have risen and fallen, scientific discoveries have given us new awareness about the intricacies of Creation, and yet, the good news remains true. The Holy Spirit is with us, we are the living body of Christ, continuing to work towards compassion and justice in the world. 

So let’s apply this holy imagination to our modern times. What does it mean to love our neighbor in 2025? How does the vastness of the universe remind us of the immensity of God’s love? When Jesus does return, will we be found opening his commands?

[Image Credit: Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons]