The Meaning and Mystery of Ascension Day
Each year, forty days after Easter Sunday, the Church gathers, sometimes quietly, sometimes in celebration, to mark a turning point in the story of Jesus and the life of the Church: Ascension Day. Rooted in scripture, filled with theological meaning, and shaped by tradition, the Feast of the Ascension invites us into a mystery that reminds us that Jesus did not abandon his followers but was exalted in glory, filling all things, and sending us out into the world as his witnesses.
Ascension Day is more than a Thursday between Easter and Pentecost. It is a feast of joy, power, and purpose. It proclaims that Christ reigns, that the Church is his body, and that the Spirit will guide us forward. Whether we celebrate with incense and song, with quiet prayer, or simply by remembering it in our hearts, we join with Christians throughout the ages who have pondered the meaning and mystery of the Ascension of Christ.
The Ascension is recorded most directly in Acts 1:1–11 and Luke 24:44–53, both written by the author of the Gospel of Luke. After forty days of resurrection appearances, during which Jesus opened the minds of the disciples to understand the scriptures and the promise of the Holy Spirit, Jesus is “lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.” This is rich with biblical imagery, clouds signifying divine presence, ascension evoking the lifting of the righteous to God, and the commissioning of the disciples reflecting earlier prophetic callings.
In Episcopal theology, the Ascension is not an afterthought but a central event in the mystery of Easter, connected with the Resurrection and Pentecost. As Jesus ascends, he promises the coming of the Holy Spirit, which will empower the disciples to be his witnesses “in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). The Ascension, then, is both an ending and a beginning, the end of the resurrection appearances and the beginning of the Church’s mission in the world.
It also reminds us of the already-but-not-yet tension of Christian life. Christ is already exalted, and yet the fullness of God’s kingdom is not yet complete. We live in that in-between time, shaped by hope, commissioned by Christ, and sustained by the Spirit.
The Ascension affirms that the risen Christ is no longer bound to one place or time. His presence is now universal, and his reign is eternal. As the Book of Common Prayer explains, Jesus “ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father” to “intercede for us, and to receive us unto himself at the last day”
The collect for Ascension Day found in the Book of Common Prayer beautifully holds the theological ideas behind the celebration of the Ascension together by saying, “Almighty God, whose blessed Son our Savior Jesus Christ ascended far above all heavens that he might fill all things: Mercifully give us faith to perceive that, according to his promise, he abides with his Church on earth, even to the end of the ages…”
Ascension Day can feel abstract, with clouds, glory, and thrones, but its meaning touches everyday discipleship. Christ is not gone; he is glorified. Jesus is not absent; he is present in a new way: through the Spirit, through the sacraments, and through the Church. In the Eucharist, we lift up our hearts, joining our prayers with angels and archangels, as we are united to the ascended Christ who intercedes for us.
The question the angels ask in Acts: “Why do you stand looking up toward heaven?”, echoes to us today. The Ascension calls us to lift our eyes not in passive waiting but in active witness. As we look to heaven, we are also sent into the world. We are a people in mission, bearing Christ’s Peace, proclaiming his Justice, and embodying his Love.
Kevin+