The Feast of the Ascension is celebrated 40 days after Easter, commemorating Jesus Christ’s bodily ascension into heaven following His resurrection from the dead. Fr. Kyle Doustou, a priest of the Diocese of Portland, sees the Ascension as an allegory for growing up and letting go. His own experience of leaving home for seminary highlighted the necessity of letting go and growing in faith. Ascension Thursday is a joyous feast day for believers, but Doustou imagines the disciples of Jesus must have felt a sense of loss as they watched Him ascend into heaven. They had walked with Him, learned from Him, and their worlds had been shattered by His death and restored by His resurrection.
Witnessing the resurrected Christ would have been a profound experience, but the disciples had to come to terms with Jesus ascending into heaven. This departure symbolizes the necessity of letting go of the physical presence of Jesus in order to grow as believers. The disciples had to release their attachment to Jesus in the way they were accustomed to in order to fulfill the work He had entrusted to them. This work included spreading His teachings, baptizing, engaging in works of mercy, and celebrating the Eucharist, ultimately making the Lord known to all peoples for all generations.
The Ascension invites believers to reflect on what they may be holding onto that hinders their growth in faith. This could be a bad habit, sinful behavior, or attachment to people or things that prevent them from fully living out their faith. In order to proclaim Jesus risen from the dead and pass on the faith to future generations authentically, believers must be willing to let go of what is transient and hold onto what is eternal. The Ascension of the Lord serves as a reminder to release what is passing away and embrace what endures eternally, in order to truly grow in faith and continue spreading the message of Christ throughout the world.
Reflecting on the Ascension can help believers consider what they may need to relinquish in order to mature in their faith. By releasing any barriers that prevent them from fully committing to their faith, believers can step into the work that has been entrusted to them by Christ. It is through this process of letting go and embracing the eternal truths of the faith that believers can continue living out the teachings of Jesus and passing on the message of salvation to future generations. The Ascension of the Lord serves as a moment for believers to pause, reflect, and reevaluate what they are holding onto that might hinder their spiritual growth, so that they can fully embody the message of Christ in the world.
