Introduction
The Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord recalls the moment when the risen Christ, forty days after the Resurrection, was taken up into heaven in the presence of his disciples. This mystery marks the completion of his earthly mission and the beginning of his glorification at the right hand of the Father. From there, Christ intercedes for us and prepares a place for his Church, drawing our hope toward our own heavenly destiny.
From ancient times, the Ascension has been associated with the fortieth day after Easter, reflecting the scriptural account given in the Acts of the Apostles. Traditionally, it falls on the Thursday of the sixth week of Easter. In many regions today — including much of the United States — it is transferred to the following Sunday, a pastoral decision permitted by the Holy See so that a greater number of the faithful may share more fully in this central mystery of the faith. In each locale, the day on which the Ascension occurs is kept as a holy day of obligation.
The Ascension has held a place in the Church’s life since at least the fourth century. Saint Augustine noted that it was regarded in his time as having apostolic origins and was already universally known and kept throughout the Church. This long and continuous tradition underscores the Ascension’s importance within the liturgical year, reminding us that Christ’s return to the Father is inseparable from the Church’s mission on earth and her hope of sharing in his glory.
1st Reading – Acts 1:1-11
In the first book, Theophilus,
I dealt with all that Jesus did and taught
until the day he was taken up,
after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit
to the apostles whom he had chosen.
He presented himself alive to them
by many proofs after he had suffered,
appearing to them during forty days
and speaking about the kingdom of God.
While meeting with the them,
he enjoined them not to depart from Jerusalem,
but to wait for “the promise of the Father
about which you have heard me speak;
for John baptized with water,
but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
When they had gathered together they asked him,
“Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”
He answered them, “It is not for you to know the times or seasons
that the Father has established by his own authority.
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you,
and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem,
throughout Judea and Samaria,
and to the ends of the earth.”
When he had said this, as they were looking on,
he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight.
While they were looking intently at the sky as he was going,
suddenly two men dressed in white garments stood beside them.
They said, “Men of Galilee,
why are you standing there looking at the sky?
This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven
will return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven.”
Today’s first reading provides the Church’s most explicit narrative account of the Ascension. This moment, both a farewell and a commissioning, marks the turning point at which the work of Christ is entrusted to his Church.
In the first book, Theophilus, I dealt with all that Jesus did and taught until the day he was taken up, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen.
Saint Luke begins Acts by deliberately presenting it as a sequel to his gospel account. By addressing Theophilus again and referring to the “first book,” the author makes clear that Acts continues the same narrative, shifting the focus from the words and deeds of Jesus during his earthly ministry to the continuation of his saving work through the apostles after his resurrection.
Theophilus, whose name means “lover of God” or “friend of God,” is most likely a real individual of high social standing (cf. Luke 1:3). Yet his name also carries symbolic meaning: he represents every reader who seeks to understand God’s saving plan and the fulfillment of his promises.
He presented himself alive to them by many proofs after he had suffered,
Here, the Greek word paschein is translated as “suffered,” although it is usually translated as “passion” and refers to Jesus’ integral passion-death experience.
Luke emphasizes that the resurrection was not merely spiritual or symbolic. Jesus truly rose bodily from the dead and gave the apostles convincing proofs of this reality.
appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.
The apostles were instructed both before and after the resurrection. During these forty days, the risen Jesus prepared them to understand the kingdom more fully and to carry on his mission.
The number forty likely carries both historical and symbolic significance. In Scripture, forty often marks a period of preparation, purification, or transition: the great flood lasted forty days (Genesis 7:17), Moses remained on Sinai for forty days (Exodus 34:28), Elijah journeyed forty days to Horeb (1 Kings 19:8), and Jesus fasted forty days in the wilderness.
Thus, the forty days described here place this event within the pattern of Israel’s history and show that this new stage of salvation was unfolding according to God’s providential design.
While meeting with them, he enjoined them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for “the promise of the Father about which you have heard me speak; for John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
Jesus instructs the apostles to remain in Jerusalem, because it is there they will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.
This is deeply significant. Isaiah had foretold that the word of the Lord would go forth from Jerusalem (Isaiah 2:3). Launching the apostle’s global mission from Israel’s sacred city is an important fulfillment of this prophecy and reinforces the continuity of the Church with God’s covenantal promises to Israel.
When they had gathered together they asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”
Many Jews associated the outpouring of the Spirit with the last days because of prophecies such as Joel 2:28-29. It was therefore natural for the disciples to wonder whether the final restoration of Israel and the full manifestation of God’s kingdom were about to occur.
Their question still reflects an incomplete understanding of how the kingdom would unfold. The kingdom would indeed be restored, but not as a merely political or national kingdom. Rather, it would be established through Christ’s reign, the gift of the Spirit, and the gathering of all nations into the Church.
Their misunderstanding presents an opportunity for the risen Jesus to instruct them one last time.
He answered them, “It is not for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has established by his own authority.
See also Mark 13:32; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-3. The timing of these events related to the end of the world is within God’s control and is not for them to know.
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
The coming of the Holy Spirit that Jesus is referring to is not indicative of the end of the world. Rather, it is the dawning of the new messianic age, the time between the resurrection and the time of ultimate fulfillment of God’s kingdom.
The messianic age is both a present reality and a future hope, as Christians are called to participate in the kingdom of God through faith in Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit, while also looking forward to the ultimate fulfillment of God’s plan of redemption when Jesus returns.
These last words from Jesus redirect them away from speculation about the future and toward their true vocation: to bear witness to him. Empowered by the Spirit, they will proclaim the Gospel first in Jerusalem, then in Judea and Samaria, and finally to the ends of the earth.
When he had said this, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight.
The actual account of the ascension itself is very brief. When their responsibilities had been sufficiently explained, Jesus was taken from their sight; a visible departure.
Clouds are often used in scripture to represent the presence and power of God (Exodus 13:21-22, 1 Kings 8:10-11, Matthew 17:5). The image of a cloud also conveys a sense of mystery, awe, and divine transcendence.
While they were looking intently at the sky as he was going, suddenly two men dressed in white garments stood beside them.
Two mysterious men appear. Their sudden appearance and their white clothing suggest that they are angels, although this is not actually stated.
These two closely resemble the two men who were at the tomb and announced the resurrection (Luke 24:4-5).
They said, “Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking at the sky? This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven.”
This is not a rebuke, but a summons. It marks the end of a specific moment and the beginning of a mission.
The apostles are not meant to linger in nostalgia or awe. The promise of Christ’s return anchors their hope, while the call implicit in the angels’ words turns them back toward the world they are sent to serve.
Jesus has not vanished into absence or abandonment; the angelic reassurance insists that it is this same Jesus, risen and recognizable, who has been taken up and who will return. Between that going and that coming lies the time of the Church.
2nd Reading – Ephesians 1:17-23
Brothers and sisters:
May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory,
give you a Spirit of wisdom and revelation
resulting in knowledge of him.
May the eyes of your hearts be enlightened,
that you may know what is the hope that belongs to his call,
what are the riches of glory
in his inheritance among the holy ones,
and what is the surpassing greatness of his power
for us who believe,
in accord with the exercise of his great might,
which he worked in Christ,
raising him from the dead
and seating him at his right hand in the heavens,
far above every principality, authority, power, and dominion,
and every name that is named
not only in this age but also in the one to come.
And he put all things beneath his feet
and gave him as head over all things to the church,
which is his body,
the fullness of the one who fills all things in every way.
While our first reading from Acts described how the Ascension is experienced by the disciples, our second reading from Ephesians reflects on its theological meaning.
The risen Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father, exalted above every power and made head over all things for the sake of the Church. The Ascension, therefore, is not Christ’s absence but his enthronement. From heaven he continues to guide, sustain, and fill his Body, the Church, with divine life.
May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation resulting in knowledge of him.
This passage is part of Saint Paul’s great intercessory prayer for the Church. He asks God to grant believers spiritual wisdom and revelation so that they may more deeply understand the gifts they have received in Christ.
Notice how Christ has become the central reference point of salvation history. In the Old Testament, God revealed himself as “the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” Now he is revealed definitively through and in his Son: “the God of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Within this Christ-centered framework, the title “Father of glory” takes on fuller meaning. Glory originates in God himself and is manifested in his saving work, above all in the incarnate, crucified, risen, and exalted Son.
May the eyes of your hearts be enlightened, that you may know what is the hope that belongs to his call, what are the riches of glory in his inheritance among the holy ones, and what is the surpassing greatness of his power for us who believe,
He asks that believers come to know three realities more deeply:
- the hope contained in God’s call,
- the riches of the inheritance shared among the saints, and
- the immeasurable greatness of God’s power at work in those who believe.
The verb forms Paul uses indicate that these blessings are already inaugurated through Christ. Christians are called not to create them, but to recognize and live more fully in what God has already accomplished.
in accord with the exercise of his great might, which he worked in Christ, raising him from the dead and seating him at his right hand in the heavens,
Paul calls upon the power of God to accomplish these things — the same power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him at God’s right hand in heaven.
far above every principality, authority, power, and dominion,
Paul marvels at Christ’s exaltation. To sit at the right hand of the Father is to share uniquely in divine authority and honor (Psalm 110:1).
The “principalities,” “authorities,” “powers,” and “dominions” likely refer to ranks of angelic and cosmic powers mentioned elsewhere in Paul’s writings (cf. Romans 8:38; Colossians 1:16). Christ reigns above them all.
and every name that is named not only in this age but also in the one to come.
Christ is above not only the angels but every power, present or future. His reign is universal: it is eternal and extends over all.
And he put all things beneath his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body,
Here Paul introduces the profound image of the Church as the Body of Christ. Christ is the head; believers are united to him as members of his Body.
Because the Church shares in Christ’s life, she also shares in his victory and exaltation.
the fullness of the one who fills all things in every way.
From his exalted place at the Father’s right hand, Christ continues to fill the Church and the whole creation with his divine presence and life.
Today the Church glorifies the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ, enthroned at God’s right hand, as we wait in joyful expectation for the coming of his Spirit on Pentecost.
Gospel – Matthew 28:16-20
The eleven disciples went to Galilee,
to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them.
When they saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted.
Then Jesus approached and said to them,
“All power 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,
teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.
And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”
The Gospel of Matthew concludes without narrating the event of the Ascension itself. For that reason, our gospel reading in Year A, the “Year of Matthew,” is taken from Matthew’s closing scene, where the risen Christ speaks his last words to the apostles.
This passage, known as The Great Commission, focuses not on Jesus’ departure but on the mission he entrusts to the Church.
The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them.
The reference to only eleven disciples acknowledges the tragic defection of Judas Iscariot, who had taken his own life after betraying Jesus (Matthew 27:5).
In the verses immediately preceding this passage, the risen Jesus instructs the disciples to meet him in Galilee (Matthew 28:7,10), the place where much of his public ministry began. Returning there underscores the continuity between the earthly Jesus they had followed and the risen Lord now standing before them.
The specific mountain in Galilee where this occurred is not known, but Matthew’s mention of a mountain is significant. Throughout his Gospel, mountains are places of divine revelation and authority.
When they saw him, they worshiped,
A remarkable moment: This is the first time in scripture that the apostles worship Jesus, an act appropriate to God alone.
Others in Matthew’s Gospel had already rendered Jesus this kind of homage, including the Magi (Matthew 2:11), the disciples after Jesus calmed the sea (Matthew 14:33), and the women at the empty tomb (Matthew 28:9). But here the apostolic community as a whole worships the risen Christ.
but they doubted.
The Greek word distázō can mean “hesitated,” “wavered,” or “doubted.” The same word appears in Matthew 14:31 when Peter falters while walking on water.
The apostles believe and worship, yet their understanding is still incomplete. Their hesitation does not negate faith; rather, it reflects the struggle of finite human beings encountering the overwhelming reality of the Resurrection.
This honest detail gives hope to modern Christians who believe sincerely while still wrestling with weakness or uncertainty.
Then Jesus approached and said to them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
Jesus declares the universal authority foretold in Daniel 7:13-14, where the Son of Man receives everlasting dominion from God. The Resurrection publicly confirms his divine authority over all creation.
For Matthew’s largely Jewish audience, this is crucial: Jesus’ authority is not opposed to Israel’s God but proceeds from him. The promises made to Israel are fulfilled in Christ.
Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations,
Employing the divine authority that he just declared, Jesus now sends the apostles to all peoples. The mission of the Church is universal: all are called to Christ regardless of ethnicity, social class, gender, or location.
The universality of this commission has challenged Christians from the very moment it was given.
For eleven ordinary Galileans, such a mission would have seemed impossible. Yet the command rests not on human strength but on Christ’s authority and presence.
Jesus explains that this mission will be carried out through baptizing and teaching.
baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,
Jesus entrusts the apostles with the sacrament of Baptism, by which people are incorporated into Christ and into his Church, forgiven of sin, and given new life through the Holy Spirit.
This Trinitarian formula is one of the clearest expressions of the mystery of the Trinity in the New Testament: one God in three divine Persons — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
The formula also gathers together themes already present throughout the Gospel:
- The Father is revealed uniquely through the Son (Matthew 11:25-27)
- The Holy Spirit descends upon Jesus at his baptism (Matthew 3:16)
- Jesus acts in the power of the Spirit throughout his ministry (Matthew 12:28)
teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.
The apostles are commissioned not only to baptize but also to teach. Christian discipleship involves a transformed way of life shaped by obedience to Christ.
And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”
Fulfilling this overwhelming task of baptizing and teaching all nations is only feasible with Jesus’ promise of continual support.
Though Matthew does not explicitly mention the Holy Spirit here as John and Acts do, Christ’s abiding presence is fulfilled through the life of the Church and the gift of the Spirit (cf. John 20:22, Acts 2:1-4, Matthew 18:20).
This final verse of Matthew’s gospel beautifully echoes its beginning, where Jesus is called Emmanuel, “God with us” (Matthew 1:23). The Gospel, therefore, ends where it began: with the assurance that in Jesus, God remains with his people forever.
A more magnificent conclusion couldn’t be found.
Connections and Themes
Feast of the Ascension. The Ascension is not merely the story of Jesus leaving earth; it is the celebration of his exaltation, kingship, and continuing presence. In our first reading, the disciples watch Jesus ascend to heaven, but the angels immediately redirect their attention away from the sky and toward the mission ahead. The Ascension marks a transition: Christ’s earthly ministry is complete, and the age of the Church is beginning.
Our second reading reveals the deeper meaning of this event: Christ is enthroned at the Father’s right hand above every power and authority. The Ascension is therefore a feast of victory and glorification. The crucified and risen Christ now reigns over all creation and fills all things.
In the gospel, Jesus sends the disciples to all nations while promising, “I am with you always.” Thus, today’s feast celebrates both absence and presence — Christ is no longer visible in the old way, yet he remains powerfully present in and through his Church until the end of the age.
The enthronement of Christ. In the gospel reading, Jesus openly declares his authority: “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” This is the language of kingship and divine rule, and it becomes the foundation of the Church’s mission.
Acts portrays this enthronement through the image of Jesus ascending into heavenly glory. The disciples are not losing their master; they are witnessing his exaltation.
In Ephesians, Saint Paul explains that Christ now reigns above every earthly and spiritual power, with all things placed beneath his feet.
The Ascension therefore reveals that history is ultimately governed not by Caesar, violence, or death, but by the crucified and risen Christ who reigns forever.
The new body of Christ. Strikingly, Jesus entrusts his mission to fragile human beings and continues his work through them. The disciples in Matthew and Acts are still weak and imperfect, yet Jesus sends them to evangelize the world. Our second reading explains why: the Church is now the body of Christ, with Jesus as its head. Through the Church, Christ still teaches, heals, forgives, and gathers people into communion with God.
The Ascension, then, is not the story of Jesus abandoning humanity. It is the story of Christ expanding his presence through the Church. We are not left on our own; we are united to one another in him. The same Lord who ascended into heaven continues to act in the world through his body, the Church, until the end of the age.
Sunday Readings 