6 May 2027 · Syro-Malankara Rite
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“While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven.” Luke 24:51
Forty days after his Resurrection, Jesus leads his disciples out to Bethany, “and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven.” The last earthly sight of Jesus is of hands raised in blessing. He goes, but he does not stop blessing his Church.
The Ascension is not Jesus leaving us; it is our humanity entering heaven. The Son of God, who took our flesh, now takes it to the right hand of the Father. St Mark says: “he was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.” Where the Head has gone, the body hopes to follow. Our true home is with him.
The angels ask the disciples: “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus… will come in the same way as you saw him go.” The Ascension is not a time for gazing at the sky but for mission: “Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation… And they went out and proclaimed the good news everywhere, while the Lord worked with them.”
As Elijah was taken up and Elisha received his mantle and spirit, so Christ ascends and pours out his Spirit on his Church. Jeremiah's promise will be fulfilled at Pentecost: “I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts.” Like the disciples, who “returned to Jerusalem with great joy and were continually in the temple blessing God”, we now enter ten days of prayer for the Spirit.
Theme: “He was carried up into heaven, blessing them.”
Forty days after his Resurrection the Lord ascends. It is not a farewell of absence but of glory: our human nature, in Christ, enters heaven, and the Church is sent to the ends of the earth.
“As they continued walking and talking, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them, and Elijah ascended in a whirlwind into heaven.” 2 Kings 2:11
“Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven.” Luke 24:50–51
Apply: Receive the final blessing at every Qurbono as Christ's own blessing.
“The LORD says to my lord, “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool.”” Psalm 110:1
“So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.” Mark 16:19
Apply: Lift your heart to heaven each day: “Lord, draw me to where you are.”
“When the company of prophets who were at Jericho saw him at a distance, they declared, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.”” 2 Kings 2:15
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8
Apply: Begin the novena to the Holy Spirit with Mary, from tomorrow until Pentecost.
The Ascension is the feast of our hope: our humanity is in heaven with Christ.
Let us return like the apostles “with great joy”, praying with Mary for the Spirit.
Take-home resolution: Pray the novena to the Holy Spirit from the Ascension to Pentecost.
Dear brothers and sisters, forty days after Easter Jesus leads his disciples out to Bethany. He lifts up his hands and blesses them, and while he is blessing them he is carried up into heaven. The last picture the disciples have of Jesus is of hands raised in blessing. He has never lowered them.
The Ascension does not mean that Jesus has gone far away. It means that our human nature, which he took from Mary, now sits at the right hand of the Father. Where he, our Head, has gone, we, his body, hope to follow. Heaven is our home.
But the angels say: “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven?” The Ascension is not a time for gazing at the sky; it is a time for mission. Jesus said: “Go into all the world and proclaim the good news.” And they went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them.
Elijah was taken up, and Elisha received his mantle and his spirit. Jesus ascends, and he will send his Spirit upon us at Pentecost. Like the apostles with Mary, let us spend these ten days in prayer: Come, Holy Spirit. And at every Qurbono, when we hear “Lift up your hearts,” let us truly lift them up to him. Amen.
Children, today Jesus went up to heaven! He took his friends to a hill, raised his hands and blessed them, and then went up into the sky until a cloud hid him.
Jesus is now with God the Father, but he still blesses us and loves us. And he promised to send the Holy Spirit to help us.
For the next ten days, let's pray every day: “Come, Holy Spirit!”
Lord Jesus Christ, ascended into heaven, you raised your hands to bless your disciples and took our humanity to the Father's right hand. Bless us from heaven, lift up our hearts to you, send us to proclaim your Gospel, and pour out your Spirit on your Church. Amen.