Feast of the Ascension: Transforming the world
Why are you standing there looking into the sky?
As we approach the feast of the Ascension of the Lord, Caroline Stanton from CAFOD’s Theology team reflects on what Jesus’ return to the Father means for us and how we can prepare for the coming feast of Pentecost.
“He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.”
This is a familiar statement, repeated week after week in the Nicene Creed at Mass, but perhaps not often pondered. Fortunately, each year bring us a fresh opportunity to reflect on these words and what they mean for our lives, as forty days after Easter we celebrate the feast of the Ascension of the Lord.
Explore our family prayer ideas for the feast of the Ascension
The dramatic account of Acts of the Apostles is filled with wonder and hope. Jesus assures his disciples that the Holy Spirit will come and give them power to witness to the end of the earth. Then he is lifted up and taken from their sight.
“Why are you standing there looking into the sky?”
As Jesus’ followers gaze upwards, two angelic figures ask them: “Why do you stand looking into the sky?”
It struck me, at first, as a strange question. After the incredible sight, gawping upwards at the heavens in astonishment seems a natural reaction. However perhaps these messengers were saying that it was time to stop staring at the clouds and instead to look at the world around them. To follow their mission to receive the Holy Spirit and to proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom. To be living witnesses of God’s presence, healing and love.
This is our mission too. As St Teresa of Avila put it in her beautiful prayer:
Christ has no body now but yours.
St Teresa of Avila
No hands, no feet on earth but yours.
Yours are the eyes through which he looks compassion on this world.
Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good.
Yours are the hands through which he blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,
yours are the eyes, you are his body.
Christ has no body now on earth but yours.
The coming of the Spirit
The disciples gather in the upper room and devote themselves to prayer as they wait for the promised coming of the Holy Spirit. These nine days between the Jesus’ ascension and the coming of the Spirit at Pentecost are often considered to be the first novena.
This year we have produced a novena, starting the day after Ascension, 19 May, and ending on the vigil of Pentecost on 27 May. Join us, as we pray that the Holy Spirit will empower us to carry out Jesus’ work of healing, justice and liberation in our world today.
“I am with you always, yes, to the end of time”
May our celebration of the Ascension, open our hearts to the truth of this promise of Jesus’ enduring presence with us.
May we allow the gift of the Spirit to fill us with God’s longing for the flourishing of all people and all creation.
And may we not be content with ‘looking up’ but turn outward as we embrace our mission to be the hands, feet, eyes and voices of Christ, who trusts us to play our part in transforming the world around us.
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