The Ascension of the Lord

by Fr. Benny  |  05/17/2026  |  From the Clergy

The Ascension of the Lord recalls how Jesus ascended to heaven forty days after his glorious resurrection. The mystery has more to it than a mere remembrance of an event. Our Lord’s Ascension invites us to reflect on those forty days He spent with his disciples before ascending to heaven.

Upon starting his mission of leading God’s people, Moses spent forty days on Mount Horeb. It was a time of preparation for receiving God’s Law. Before His ascension into heaven Jesus prepares his disciples to continue his mission. He could have ascended when he rose from the dead, but he chose to spend time with his disciples.

His Passion, Death and Resurrection had left the apostles sad and confused. They could not understand the mystery in its depth though they had spent three years with Him. So, our Lord did not want to leave them in that confused and lost state. He stayed with them for forty days reprimanding them, correcting them, enlightening them, and training them for a greater mission.

Then He ascended into heaven. Again, that was not an abandonment; it was another preparation for something yet to happen. After strengthening their faith Jesus went up to heaven to send them the Holy Spirit, the constant help and protection for all the future missionary activities the apostles were ever to undertake.

This shows how much our Lord cares about us. He never leaves us at a loss. When we are in need of his help, he walks by our side; when we grow weaker, he holds our hands; when we go astray, he brings us back to the right track. So the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord is the Solemnity of God’s constant care and support. This Solemnity shows how attentive, thoughtful, and considerate our good God is to our needs. Ascension is a reminder for all of us that whenever we need him, he is there by our side with his hands stretched out towards us. All that we need to do is to let him hold our hands and lead us through.

Happy Feast to all!

Fr. Benny