Feast of the Ascension B-06 & 07

The life of Jesus is the Incarnation of the Son of God.

It can be marked by the following stages:

It began with the Immaculate Conception,

when his future mother Mary was conceived

in her mother’s womb without inheriting the original sin.

It continued with the Annunciation,

when the angel asked Mary to become

the Mother of the Son of God and she agreed.

She gave birth to the Son of God and they called him Jesus.

This is the Nativity and we celebrate it at Christmas.

Then followed for Jesus thirty years of hidden development. During that time

he grew up to be a man of prayer, wisdom and knowledge.

He prepared himself for his role as the Messiah,

Redeemer and Saviour of mankind.

His Baptism marked the beginning of his three year ministry of healing and teaching by word and example.

He showed us what God is like and how we should live.

At the Last Supper he instituted the Eucharist

that we celebrate at every Mass.

His Passion and Death was the sacrifice that redeemed us.

His Resurrection was the victory over death

that opened the way to heaven for all of us.

His Ascension to heaven –which we celebrate today –

marked the end of his physical presence among us,

but not the end of his involvement with us.

He is the Head of the Body that is the Church

to which we belong.

Through the sacraments of the Church we are united to him.

He communicates with us also through the Holy Spirit,

because we are spiritual beings.

The Spirit enlightens us and shows us the truth.

He also left us in charge of the work he began,

to tell the whole world – by word and example –

that the Kingdom of God is at hand.