Nebraska Synod ELCA

Rev. H. Ashley Hall, Associate Pastor for Adult Faith Formation, Kountze Memorial Lutheran Church

This festival is a commemoration of the saving work of Jesus Christ, the “Word made flesh.” As such, the Ascension stands alongside the Annunciation, Christmas/Epiphany, and Holy Week in importance for our liturgical calendar. The Ascension occurs forty days after Easter Sunday (so it is always on a Thursday) to celebrate, as we say in the Nicene and Apostles creeds, that the risen Jesus “ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father” (Luke 24:51, Acts 1:9).

In celebrating the Ascension, we are not celebrating the departure or the absence of Jesus. Instead, the Ascension celebrates the completion and culmination of Jesus’ work of salvation. Just as he “descended” from the right hand of the Father (“emptying himself”) for our sake, he now, having conquered death, returns to the Father (Philippians 2:1-11). Though we grant that “descend” and “ascend” is metaphorical language (heaven is not literally “beyond the clouds”), the words no less proclaim the truth of the gospel: the Triune God has acted for the salvation of the cosmos! Likewise, Christians throughout the long tradition have affirmed that the “right hand of God” is not a literal place (confined, as it were, to heaven) but another metaphor (with apologies to left-handed people!) for wherever God’s saving work is active.

Finally, by commemorating the Ascension, we give thanks for and anticipate the next chapter: the Feast of Pentecost. Jesus pledged, “I will not leave you orphaned” (John 14:18) and promised to send the Holy Spirit to guide the remaining Apostles in their commission to preach the good news (Luke 24:49 and Acts 1:8). And so, just as Jesus is not absent, the work of the Church is not “once upon a time” but a living, vibrant proclamation to a hurting, hungry world.

The Feast of the Ascension is often moved to Sunday. Whether we celebrate on Thursday or Sunday, it is a joyous time to celebrate the good news of the Triune God’s universal (and ongoing!) work of salvation. As we do, the festival presents an opportunity of us to give common witness with our Episcopalian, Methodist, Presbyterian/Reformed, and United Church of Christ neighbors (our full communion partners) to the “one holy catholic and apostolic Church” already made one through Baptism. It is not too early to start planning for next year’s shared celebration!