Scripture Reflections for the Ascension of the Lord

Year B, Lectionary 58


We can limit the significance of the Ascension of Jesus into Christ going up into heaven and no longer seeing him. But we are meant to see how we are opened up to a relationship with the Holy Trinity. We are offered to enter into communion with God by Jesus, fully human and fully divine, entering the divine realm. Uniting Heaven and Earth in the process. Like those early disciples we are not meant to stand looking up at the sky but to go on mission through the Holy Spirit of gathering others into this relationship with God.

Hate feeling lost on Sundays at church? Searching for a better explanation of the Bible than what you hear from your pastor's sermon? Check out the following collection of audio, video, and text commentaries from various Christian experts for a better understanding of today's scripture that deal with: AscensionBaptismCalmCloudDescendDescribeDiscipleEnvironmentExpandExperienceGatherGloryHeavenHoly SpiritHopeIncarnationJoyKingdomMissionMotherPresencePriestProclaimSalvationSightTimeVocation

Acts 1:1-11
U.S. Catholic magazine • May 09 ʼ24

“Through the Holy Spirit we receive power not to be passive onlookers staring at the cloud but to become an active cloud of witnesses and ministry with the living Christ who is among us”


Grace Ji-Sun Kim
Catholic Productions • May 18 ʼ20

“If you read the New Testament in light of the Old Testament you'll notice that the number 40 is a very significant number and whenever you see the number 40, especially 40 days and 40 nights, it always refers to two things: it's a time of transition and it's a time of purification and preparation”


Brant Pitre in "The Ascension: Why 40 Days?"
Psalm 47:2-3, 6-9
Ephesians 4:1-13 or
Ephesians 1:17-23
Catholic Productions • Jun 29 ʼ22

“what Paul is trying to say here in Ephesians 1 is that when Christ ascended into heaven he wasn't simply vindicated as the Messiah, he was also exalted in his humanity, this is really crucial, above all of the angels”


Brant Pitre in "Human Nature and the Angelic Powers"
Overall Readings
Holy Name of Jesus Church & Loyola Ministry • May 12 ʼ24

“Jesus wants to grow in your heart but it's going to require that you let go and stay open, let Jesus smash the walls of the box that we put him in today so that he can grow larger for tomorrow”


Fr. Mark E. Thibodeaux, SJ in "Your Jesus is too small…"
May 05 ʼ24

“Will Hunting knew the theory, he had the words but not the experience. The first disciples of Jesus had the opposite problem. They had the experience, but they struggled to put that experience into words.”


Fr. Geoffrey Plant in "The Lord Jesus was taken up into heaven"
Holy Name of Jesus Church & Loyola Ministry • May 16 ʼ21

“we are called to follow him, we are called to ascend as well, ascend to the heights and in order to do that we must let go of the past manifestation of Jesus and receive the new manifestation of Jesus even in our own lives”


Fr. Mark E. Thibodeaux, SJ in "FIVE TO ONE AT HNJ"
Bellarmine Chapel • May 12 ʼ24

“So Church family remember at every moment of your life ‘I have a mission’ and let that influence your interactions with the world, which is to love”


Fr. Damian Torres-Botello, SJ
St. Teresa of Avila - DC • May 12 ʼ24

“God wants to take us from resentment to love, from being hurt into being healed. God wants us to take us from having a grudge to saying ‘I forgive you.’”


Monsignor Raymond East
May 06 ʼ24

“the life of Christians in the Acts of the Apostles mirror the life of Jesus in the Gospel according to Luke”


Fr. Emmanuel Ochigbo
St. Teresa of Avila - DC • May 16 ʼ21

“Church, your destiny is glory, your destiny, your final destination is to be where Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father”


Monsignor Raymond East
May 12 ʼ24
Fr. Tony Ricard
Catholic Women Preach • May 16 ʼ21

“The readings from Acts says that Jesus presented himself alive by many proofs. What proofs will we offer the world to show that Christ is alive in us?”


Megan Effron
Catholic Women Preach • May 02 ʼ18

“What influence do I have in the society as a Christian using the skills and opportunities God has given me?”


Elizabeth Ngami