Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord
“Today our Lord Jesus Christ ascended into heaven; let our hearts ascent with him. Listen to the words of the Apostle: ‘if you have risen with Christ, set your hearts on the things htat are above where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God, seek the things that are above, not the things that are on earth.’ For just as he remained with us even after his ascension, so we too are already in heaven with him, even though what is promised us has not yet been fulfilled in our bodies.
“Christ is now exalted above the heavens, but he still suffers on earth all the pain that we, the members of his body, have to bear. He showed this when he cried out from above: ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’ and when he said: ‘I was hungry and you gave me food.’
“Why do we on earth not strive to find rest with him in heaven even now, through the faith, hope and love that unites us to him? While in heaven he is also with us; and we while on earth are with him. He is here with us by his divinity, his power and his love. We cannot be in heaven, as he is on earth, by divinity, but in him, we can be there by love.”
(From a sermon by Saint Augustine, bishop, From the Second Reading, Office of Readings, Liturgy of the Hours)
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Art for this post on the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord: Ascension, Giotto (1266-1337), undated, PD-US author’s life plus 100 years or less, Wikimedia Commons.
