Thursday, 14 May 2026 – Solemnity of the Ascension
Acts 1:1–11; Eph 1:17–23; Mt 28:16–20
H O M I L Y
Already on the morning of the third day, the day of the Resurrection, an angel, through the women who had come to the tomb, sent the disciples back to Galilee, that is to say, to their usual occupations. It was there that Jesus would meet them. In Luke’s account of the Ascension at the beginning of the Acts of the Apostles, the angels who appear to the Apostles give them the same message: ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven?’ They are once again sent back to their everyday lives.
Jesus’ death had been a profound tragedy for the disciples, and particularly for the Apostles. This tragedy had affected not only Jesus himself, but had deeply affected them too. It is not easy for us to grasp what this – apparent – failure meant to them. They had placed all their faith, all their hopes, in this young prophet. To follow him, they had given up everything – not only the few material possessions they might have had, but their families, their livelihoods, and above all their other dreams. They had staked everything on him, and now everything was crumbling. It seems to me that the phrase that best conveys what their attitude might have been is that of the disciples of Emmaus: ‘We thought that he was the one who was to set Israel free… and now…’.
The many appearances of Jesus in the weeks following his death and Resurrection were like a period of transition granted to them. A time to come to terms with the loss of all their human expectations. Jesus, as a wonderful teacher, was gradually helping them to get used to his absence. But there had to be one final appearance. The beginning of the Acts of the Apostles clearly shows that this final appearance of Jesus marked the end of this period of mourning (not mourning for Christ, but mourning for their all-too-human expectations) and the beginning of a new era. The beginning of the Church.
Of the four Evangelists, Luke is, in fact, the only one to mention an ascension, that is to say, a physical movement by which Christ is taken from the presence and sight of the Apostles. The other Evangelists simply mention that, after the Resurrection, there was an appearance of Jesus to his disciples which was the last. (The account of the Ascension in Mark is a later addition to his Gospel, borrowed from Luke).
The passage from Matthew that we have just read recounts Jesus’ words during his final appearance: he first tells his disciples that ‘all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me’. At first glance, it is surprising to hear Jesus speak in this way of ‘power’, when throughout his earthly life he rejected power and, above all, refused to exercise it. But the paradox of the Gospel is precisely that it is the one who humbles himself who is exalted. As the beautiful Christological hymn, taken up by Saint Paul in his letter to the Philippians, so aptly puts it: “He emptied himself, becoming obedient unto death… therefore God exalted him and gave him the name of Kyrios, of Lord”, the name of God. He therefore has full authority over his disciples and sends them out, just as the Father had sent him. “Go therefore”.
Their mission is “to make disciples of all nations, baptising them and teaching them to observe all the commandments He had given them”. How will they do this? Essentially by being His witnesses through their lives. This is what we heard in the passage from Acts: “You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Where will they find the strength to fulfil this mission? In the simple promise Jesus makes to them: ‘I am (not “I will be”, but “I am”) with you always, even to the end of the age.’
This mission entrusted to the disciples is also ours. Whatever our particular vocation within the Church – whether we are married, monks, priests, etc. – we are all called to be witnesses to the Risen Christ through our Christian lives. Let us therefore ask the Lord during this Eucharist to remain ever faithful to this mission, strengthened by the certainty that he is always with us – present in our world, in our Church and in each of our hearts.
Armand VEILLEUX