The Second Glorious Mystery- The Ascension of Jesus Christ

The Second Glorious Mystery- The Ascension of Jesus Christ


Luke 24:50 and following; Acts 1:1-14

In the Catholic Church, we celebrate the Ascension ( a Holy Day of Obligation) 40 days after Easter, which would always fall on a Thursday. In some Dioceses, the Bishops have moved the observation of the Ascension to the following Sunday.

Put yourself in the place of one of the disciples. ( after all, that is the best way to meditate on the mysteries!)  Remember back to the events of Holy Week- the Palm Sunday entrance into Jerusalem, the last days with Jesus, the Last Supper.- and think about the horror of that Friday. Recall the devastating loss of Christ, the feeling of abandoning him.... the emptiness of Holy Saturday.

Then the triumph of Easter Sunday! Imagine the joy they felt, how good it was to have Jesus with them again, how he offered them his PEACE.

And now- he is leaving...again?  I went looking for an image that summed up how I have always imagined the event. Surprisingly, most classical art of the Ascension shows Jesus' followers cowering. I've always imagined it like this:

In my mind, I think they would be unwilling to let him go so easily. Two more images with interesting perspectives:

  Yep. Just the feet. Sure lets you know what is happening.

But THIS- this one is my favorite! What a perspective! THIS artist thinks about the mysteries the way I do, putting himself/herself right there, being a part of it....  get ready to say WOW.

Yeah- I know- no nail marks. Or wound in his side. But isn't it an incredible point of view??

So, how would you feel at that moment? I'd probably be reaching up, "Get back here!"  And we know the disciples stood there, waiting, looking into the clouds...because two angels came and said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand here looking up at the skies? This Jesus who has been taken from you will return, just as you saw him go up into the heavens." (Acts 1:11)

In other words, "He gave you your marching orders. Get to it!"

And what had Christ told them, the instant before he ascended?

"You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes down on you; then you are to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, yes even to the ends of the earth."

And those words are for us, too. We have work to do, witnessing to Christ in word and deed...because we cannot hold on to the temporary things of this earth. There is so much more waiting for us!


...And that is the lesson of the Second Glorious Mystery.