# Lifestyles & Discussion > Peace Through Religion >  The Ascension of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ

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_Today is 40 days after Pascha, and the Church from time memorial celebrates the Day of the Ascension.  A blessed day to all!
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*Thursday of the Ascension*

On this day, the Thursday of the sixth week of Pascha, we celebrate the Ascension of our Lord, God, and Savior, Jesus Christ.

*Verses*
Thou didst sit at the right hand of the Father, O Word,
Granting unto Thine initiates a most steadfast faith.



Synaxarion
When Christ was with the Disciples before His Passion, He promised them the coming of the All-Holy Spirit, saying: For if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you. And again: When He is come, He will teach you all the truth. For this reason, after His Arising from the dead, being seen of them for forty days, not always eating and drinking with them, but at intervals, He gave them firmer proof of His Resurrection. Finally, after making many promises concerning the Kingdom of God, He commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but await there the coming of the All-Holy Spirit, since they were to be baptized through Him. He commanded them to remain in Jerusalem, so that in that place the preaching of the Gospel might be first confirmed, lest in going to foreign parts they should become easy prey for slander, and because it was necessary for them to be equipped, like soldiers, with the weapons of the Spirit, and go thus into battle against the enemies of Christ.

When the time for the Ascension was at hand, He led them forth to the Mount of Olives (it is called by this name, because it was planted with a great many olive trees), and conversed with them about His proclamation to the ends of the earth, and also about His perpetual Kingdom to come. When He saw that they were going to ask Him what they should do, and since His immaculate Mother was also present there, He drew their attention to the Angels, who indicated His ascent to Heaven. And while they beheld, He was taken up from their midst, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. Being thus escorted by the Angels, who exhorted each other to lift up the heavenly gates and were astonished that His flesh was reddened with blood, He ascended and sat at the right hand of the Father, deifying the flesh, andI make bold to sayputting it on a level with God. For through the flesh we were reconciled to God and the ancient enmity was destroyed. The Angels stood before the Apostles in the form of men, saying: Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye in amazement, gazing up into Heaven? This Jesus, Whom ye saw as God in the flesh, will come again thus, that is, in the flesh; save not as before, in poverty and gentleness, but with great glory, as ye behold Him now escorted by Angels.


Then the Apostles, wearied by their gazing, returned from the Mount of Olives. This is very close to Jerusalem, by a distance of two thousand and forty paces. This is the Way of the Sabbath. Thus was it enjoined on Moses to walk so many paces on the Sabbath, because this was the distance from the Tabernacle of witness to the camp of the Jews. It was permitted for worshippers to go out there on the Sabbath, but not to extend their journey any further. For this reason it was called the Way of the Sabbath. Hence, it seems to some that the Ascension of Christ took place on the Sabbath, but this is rather improbable.

When they returned, the Apostles went up to the upper room, in which they remained, together with the Myrrh-Bearing Women and the Mother of the Word, occupying themselves in fasting, prayer, and supplications and awaiting the advent of the All-Holy Spirit, according to the promise.

O Christ our God, Who didst ascend in glory, have mercy on us. Amen.


*Apolytikion in the Fourth Tone*

Thou hast ascended in glory, O Christ our God, and gladdened Thy disciples with the promise of the Holy Spirit; and they were assured by the blessing that Thou art the Son of God and Redeemer of the world.
*
Kontakion in the Plagal of the Second Tone*

O Christ our God, upon fulfilling Your dispensation for our sake, You ascended in Glory, uniting the earthly with the heavenly. You were never separate but remained inseparable, and cried out to those who love You, "I am with you and no one is against you."
*
Megalynarion*

We magnify Thee, O Life-giver Christ, and we honor Thy divine Ascension with Thy most pure flesh into heaven.

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*THE ASCENSION*

*Of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ*


by

Protopresbyter George Dion. Dragas, PhD, DD, DTh

_
«And while he was blessing them, he departed

and started to ascend to heaven»  (Luke 24:51)_


*The Ascension as the pinnacle of the Feasts of the Lord:* How bright and wonderful is this Feast! It is the pinnacle of all the Feasts of the Lord, because with it the sacred and saving purpose of the Divine Incarnation and Inhomination of the Word of God is completed. For what purpose did the Son and Word of God become man, and underwent the passion, the death, the resurrectionand the ascension?  All these events took place so that the human nature might not remain below on the earth, but be raised to heaven, become deified and glorified according to the Creators original design.  This, then, was the purpose for which the Son of God condescended to assume within his super-godly person (hypostasis) our human nature, which had fallen from its original condition, in order to renew it with his Crucifixion and Resurrection and to raise it to the heavenly heights with his glorious Ascension, presenting it to God the Father as the super-brilliant trophy of his victory.

*The Ascension as the triumph of the human nature:* At the Ascension of Christ God the Father accepted the first-fruits of our humanity, and was well pleased not only for the worthiness of Him who offered it, but also for the purity of the offering. This, then, is the perfect victory against sin.  This is the triumph of the human nature. The human nature could not have descended to a lower point than that at which it arrived after the fall of Adam, but neither could ascend to a higher point than that at which the New (or Last) Adam raised it with his Ascension!

*The Ascension as the final benefit offered by God to man:* What mind could grasp the real dimensions of this event? The forsaken and feeble human nature, the nature which run away from God and was exiled from paradise, the low, miserable, condemned and captured nature of human beings becomes today more glorious than that of the angels, is made to sit with Christ at the bosom of the Father and is worshiped by every visible and invisible creation! What language could praise the magnitude of this celebration, or to present worthily the enormity of the beneficence of God to human beings? Today the entry into the longed for paradise, the heavenly Jerusalem, is opened to Adams exiled descendants. Today, the restoration of the new Israel in the Promised Land is accomplished.

*The Ascension as the final victory of Christ for man:* Today, on the Mount of Olives Heaven and earth kiss each other and angels and human beings are united. Here the chorus of the Apostles greets their sweet Teacher with joy on his departure from them, and the Orders of the Angels salute the King of the Heavens with ineffable elation and joy. Here the captivity, which the victor of death captivated with his ascension to the heights, i.e. the souls of the just who have been redeemed, have their eyes on their Redeemer with feelings of exhilaration and joy.  Here also, His Mother, the most pure Virgin, greets and sends off her beloved Son who is ascending into Heaven, where God the Father welcomes his Only-begotten Son and makes him sit on his right. Here too, at the prestigious Mount of Olives, we are called to ascend with our minds and become eye-witnesses to the great and wondrous events which take place, having as our guide Luke the theologian, who alone among the Evangelists narrates with brevity but also with priestly and solemn fashion the glorious Ascension of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ.

*Why did the Ascension take place 40 days after and not immediately after the Resurrection?* The leader of life, who loosened the bonds of death by his Resurrection, met with his disciples for 40 days and confirmed his Resurrection to them by means of several proofs. He did not ascend into heaven on the day he rose again, because such an event would have raised doubts and questions. Had he done that, many of the unbelievers would be in a position to project the argument that the Resurrection was one more dream of pious aspirations which easily emerge and more easily disappear. For this reason, then, Christ remained for 40 days on the earth, and appeared to his disciples repeatedly, showing them the marks of his wounds, explaining to them the prophesies which he fulfilled in his life and sufferings as man, and even eating with them.

*Why did the Risen Christ eat broiled fish and honey?* The Gospel for todays Feast tells us that the Risen Christ asked for and ate a piece of broiled fish and from honey of a honeycomb (Luke 24:42). Why is this detail mentioned? According to the church tradition this detail has a very important allegorical meaning. As regards the fish, we know that although it lives in the salty sea, it is not salty, but sweet. In the same manner Christ, who lived in the salty sea of sin of this world, he did not commit any sin, and no guile was found in his mouth (Is. 53:9). Also, Christ remained even more voiceless than the fish when he endured his saving passion and received unheard-of torture and unmentionable insult. As regards the honey and the beeswax, we know that the honey is sweet and the beeswax is illuminative, and for this reason they are considered to be symbols of the spiritual pleasure and illumination which the Risen Christ transmits to the faithful. Also, honey and beeswax symbolize, the former, the cure of the great bitterness of sin which is symbolized by the gall that was offered to the Lord at his passion and, the latter, the diluteness of the dense darkness of sin which was symbolized by the darkness which took place at the Lords crucifixion.

*Why did the Ascension take place on the Mount of Olives?*  Once Christ had confirmed his Resurrection from the dead to his disciples through his mellifluous teaching, and enlightened their minds and warmed their hearts by his presence, he led them on the 40th day after the Resurrection to the Mount of Olives which lies east of Jerusalem. The Ascension ought to take place from this Mount, because according to an ancient tradition, it is here that the Lord will return bodily and with glory on the last Day when he will judge the world. It is here that the righteous will receive the great mercy and here also that the sinners will grieve with an inconsolable lamentation. These two opposite conditions of humanity are denoted by the name of this Mount, because its peaks are called Mount of Olives and its foot Valley of Wailing. This is also what was pre-signified by the oracle of the prophet Zachariah which explicitly states:   

*Why the Apostles and the Theotokos had to be present at that time?* The Lord led his disciples on this Mount and the Theotokos who gave birth to him as man, so that they could see with their own eyes his glorious Ascension. His Mother after the flesh had to be present at that great glorification of her Son, so that she who had been gravely wounded in her soul for his passion above all others, might commensurably rejoice by seeing her Son ascending into heaven with glory, being worshiped as God by the Angels and being seated on the throne of the Most High above all principalities and authorities. The divine Apostles had to be there also, that might become eye-witnesses of the Lords Ascension, be informed that their Divine Teacher who is now ascending into heaven, had initially come down from there and that he will wait for them there as the true Son of God and Savior of the world.
*
How did this utterly unfamiliar and unique event of the Ascension of Christ occur?* They had already arrived at the middle peak of the Mount. The city of Jerusalem stretched in front of them. The hole where the Cross had stood was still open. So was also the entrance to the Grave of the Savior, since the great stone that had been used to seal it was still lying on the ground. And then, the Savior turns his back to the ungrateful city of Jerusalem and his glance looks to the East, as David joyfully sings in one of his psalms:  Sing to the Lord who is going up to the heaven of the heaven towards the East. (Psalm 67:34). And as he takes leave of his Disciples he raises his immaculate hands and blesses them for the last time  those hands with which he recreated the man whom he created at the beginning, and which he stretched on the cross out of love for humanity and united those that had been severed, i.e. those which had been diversified. Just as the eyes of the disciples could not be satisfied enough in seeing the divine and mellifluent face of their Lord, suddenly he began to ascend into heaven. Their glance remained nailed, as it were, on that paradoxical and inexplicable display of the bodily Ascension of the Lord, until he was concealed by the luminous cloud.

*How utterly unfamiliar and unique was the majesty of this Ascension!* Elijah had also ascended into heaven, as Scripture relates; but this ascension took place by means of a fiery chariot and fiery horses, because Elijah was a mere man and needed help in order to ascend above the earth. Christ, however, was a God-man and ascended by himself, by virtue of his own omnipotence. As regards that cloud, it had to do with the Holy Spirit, just as it happened with the transfiguration of Christ. Just as his descend and becoming man were wrought through the Holy Spirit, according to the message of Archangel Gabriel (The Spirit of the Lord will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you, Luke 1:35), so now he co-ascends with him (the Holy Spirit) because He follows him and coexists with him, being coessential (homoousion) with him and being worship and glorified with him.

*Why were those two anthropomorphic and white-dressed Angels sent?*  While the holy Apostles were gazing with astonishment at the heavenly sight, two men appeared to them dressed in white garments. These two men were angels, who had assumed a human form in order to avoid scaring the disciples. They were dressed in white so that their chastity might be manifest, as well as the enlightening and joyous message which they were sent to deliver. They were sent by Christ on his Ascension, in order to console them at the moment of their sorrow for his departure, but also to enlighten them that their Lord who is now invisible is seating at the right side of God the Father and that he will descend on the earth once again in order to judge all human beings, the living and the dead.

*What is the message of the Angels dressed in white?* Men of Galilee, they told them, why do you stand with your gaze ailed on the sky? This Jesus, whom you see today being taken up, will return to judge the world and his return will be the same with his Ascension. In other words, he will come from heaven wearing the same immaculate Body, which he assumed from the bloods of the pure Virgin, and which will bear upon it the marks from the wounds which he received at his passion. Right now it is only you who see him ascending to heaven, but when he returns, all the races of the earth will see him descending from there with glory upon the clouds. His glorious condescension will become the cause of blessedness and joy for those who lived righteously. For the sinners, however, it will be the cause of sorrow and calamity.

*What was the impact of the Ascension for the Apostles and the small flock of the first Church?* Having heard this message, the Apostles worshiped the Savior on his Ascension and, then, joyfully returned to Jerusalem. Their joy was great, because they had definitely learned that their divine Teacher was true God who ascended into heaven, not because he abandoned the earth, but in order to unite it with heaven. Their joy was also great because they received the blessing of their Savior on his Ascension. It was with this blessing that the numerically small Church of the disciples greatly increased its numbers in a relatively short space of time and, having received the grace of the Spirit, was established as the great Church throughout the earth.

*What was the impact of the Ascension on the orders of the Angels in heaven?* While these things occurred on the earth because of the Ascension, the Angels mounted a great celebration in heaven. The Angels which served the Savior on the earth and now accompanied him on his ascension called out the orders above to open the heavenly gates for the King of Glory to enter in. As David sings, Lift up your heads, O gates, and be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of Glory may come in (Ps. 23:7). Since through his saving passion Christ the Savior became more glorious and highly exalted as the Apostle Paul actually puts it, Having humbled himself and having become obedient unto death, indeed a death by crucifixion, God exalted him highly and granted him the name which is above all (Phil. 2:9) for this reason the gates of heaven ask to become higher in order to welcome him more fittingly. Also, because the glory of the victor of Hades and death, which could not be contained by the small space of the earth, but filled the heavens, the Angels ask that they too be expanded on his appearance! At the same time, the heavenly hierarchies of the Angels, seeing the human body to be transferred above them, were seized by dazzle and amazement; because, just as a human being is seized by amazement of fear on seeing an angel on the earth, so the bodiless Angels, seeing a body to be raised on a cloud, seek with amazement to learn about this paradoxical display, and to be twice assured about the identity of this King of Glory. Hearing, then, that he is the Lord, who is powerful in battles, who fought the devil and defeated him and who is now ascending into heaven, they wonder how this superbly luminous body is dressed in royal purple and ask, Who is this that comes from Edom, in crimsoned garments from Bosor, who is glorious in his apparel (Is. 63:1)?  In other words, who is this earthly person, who comes wearing a flesh which is like a superbly bright, royal purple dress? Because, Edom means earthly and Bosor means flesh, and the point of reference here is the glorified Body of Christ the King which appeared to be red in his Ascension into heaven due to the marks of the wounds on his immaculate side, his hands and his feet.
*
Why were the marks from the wounds retained on the Risen Body of Christ?*  How was it that the wounds on that incorruptible body were visible? This was a matter of economy, and its purpose was to manifest the ineffable and excelling love for man of the God-man. He consented not only to receive these wounds, but also to retain them after his Resurrection on his incorruptible body in a paradoxical manner and to show them on his Ascension to the world of the Angels as the symbols of his passion and as the indelible proofs of his love for us human beings. In addition, he retained the wounds of his incorruptible body, in order to persuade us that we should never forget his passion, but keep it always before us, so that our heart might overflow with gratitude and sacred feelings towards him.  Northing else, says St. John Chrysostom, can beget inside us these saving results as seeing God carrying the traces of the Cross as far as the throne of his Majesty. According to St. Augustine, the God-man preserved his wounds in heaven in order to show that he will not forget us even in the condition of his glory which, in any case, is also affirmed by the head-prophet: Behold on my hands I inscribed your walls, so that they remain in front of me for ever (Is. 49:16). In other words, he will never forsake us, because he has written our names on his hands and will intercede for us before God the Father. He may have also retained his wounds in order to teach us that only through sufferings and sorrows will be able to enter the kingdom of heaven. If the God-man was exalted through suffering crucifixion, and if he was glorified by an ignominious death, then, how can we enter into this glory without walking on the narrow path of virtue, and without enduring sorrows and temptations in fighting the good fight? This is quite impossible.
*
The Ascension as a universal joy embracing heaven and earth.* We see, then, that in todays Feast of the Ascension of Christ, the joy is universal because it extends to both heaven and earth. The Angels rejoice in heaven, because they welcome their King.  Human beings also jubilate on the earth, because their entry into the heavenly Jerusalem is now allowed. All nations clap your hands, shout with a loud voice of elation unto God (Ps. 46:2). Let us rejoice today, on the day of universal joy, seeing our Lord ascending where he was not before and opening once for all the gates of the heavens so that our human nature, which he bought with his most precious blood, may enter in with him. What a great comfort this is in our hearts, seeing Him who became for us life and light, faithful friend and powerful protector, who truly loved us and shed his Blood for us, and sat at the throne of the Godhead, and gave us the assurance that he will come again sometime in the future in order to take us there too! He himself gave us with his Ascension the confirmation of this truth and the living hope that we too will ascend there and we will never again be separated from him. Our union with him will be like that of the members of a body with its head, since we are the members of his body and he is the Head of us all.  If he was resurrected bodily, we too will be resurrected bodily if we so wish. If he was glorified which being in the flesh, we too will be glorified with the flesh and will walk there, where our Lord is, provided that we behave prudently.

*The implications of the Ascension of Christ for the Christians:*

*a)* Christians ought to be united with Christ, loving him and keeping his commandments.  Since the joy for the gifts of Christ granted to us is true, and the hope that we too will enter into that dwelling place of light and live the blessed life is also assured, we  ought to be united with him already in this life, knowing that he is the source of light and life. There is no other way for us to achieve this, except to love him with all our soul, and to keep his saving commandments. When we do this we become Gods dwelling place and begin to experience the true joy of life, recognizing the benefits of his grace and realizing that our joy will be completed when we too participate in his ascension and the glory of his presence and co-reign with him for ever. And this is not all, because we will also sit on the throne of his divine Majesty, as this was explicitly revealed by the truthful mouth of our Savior, which said: To him who wins, I will grant him to sit with me at my throne, just I won and sat with my Father at his throne (Rev. 3:21). This is the glory that we will receive if we conquer the passions. We will rise and arrive where the Savior led today his nature, which is related to us, namely, his human bodily existence.

*b)* Christians ought to live on earth as citizens of heaven. Who, then, would deny, that even if we had a thousand souls and lives, and had to suffer a thousand deaths, would should accept these with absolute eagerness, in order to enjoy even one day of that ineffable glory? Which earthly benefit could constrain our hearts on this earth, which our Savior left, since our citizenship is in heaven and since the ineffable glory awaits us there? Our Lord ascended into heaven, and we here can follow him, remaining united with him through faith and virtue. Certainly, much labor is required of us if we are to ascend to that great height. We are encouraged, however, by the fact that our Lord who ascended there supplies us with strength so that we can succeed. The only thing that he expects of us is to have a willing disposition, and he admonishes us to turn a deaf ear to anything earthly, so that we can be more transportable in our journey above. This means that we are called to leave earthly things on the earth, and to take off our coats of skin, which we put on account of our sin. As the Prophet Elijah threw off his woolskin when the time came for him to ascend to heaven, so should we shake off every agonizing, material endeavor and be detached from a servile attachment to the earth, so that we can easily ascend to the heavenly places.  How can we worthily prepare ourselves to rise to the clouds and to go out to meet with our Lord, when he comes with all his royal glory?  On that great and celebrated Day, all human beings will be resurrected. Not all of them will be snatched by clouds to go out to meet the Lord in the air. This will happen only to those who kept the commandments of Christ and loved him with all their heart (I Thess. 4:16-17); because only these Christians will be deemed worthy to enjoy such a glory, and only to them will be granted to enjoy that eternal and ineffable blessedness.

*The true celebration of the Feast of the Ascension of Christ.* Todays happy Feast of the Ascension of our Lord invites us all who wish to celebrate it truly to do what the holy Apostles did after the Ascension.  They worshiped their Teacher on his ascension and returned to Jerusalem (Luke 24:52), i.e. to the house of peace (because this is the meaning of the name Jerusalem). Likewise, we too should return to our homes and make peace with all. The Apostles were in the temple glorifying God and waiting for the descent of the Holy Spirit (verse 53). We should thank our Savior because he gave us the opportunity to celebrate his Ascension and to beseech him from the depths of our heart to make us worthy to celebrate the holy Pentecost as well and be renewed with the grace of the Holy Spirit.  It is with this grace that we shall be able to continue the struggle for virtue and to do works which are worthy of our heavenly calling and finally to enter into the great joy of the coming of our Lord.

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*The Glorious Ascension of Our Lord and the Prayer of the Heart*


*The Glorious Ascension of Our Lord: A Guide to the Neptic Activity of Prayer of the Heart*

COME, all ye feast-loving Faithful! Let us spiritually celebrate, with enthusiasm and clapping our hands, the marvelous ascent of our Lord and God and Savior from the earth to Heaven.

Today we celebrate the most glorious Epilogue to the most exquisitely beautiful, most salutary, and universal discourse of the Economy of God the Word for our sake.1

Now is the time of ineffable gladness and jubilation, because our corruptible and mortal nature ascends in Christ, incorruptible and immortal and with indescribable glory, to Heaven.

Let us radiantly rejoice and let us celebrate, reflecting that our substance, which descended into the abyss of Hades, ascends today above the Angels, Archangels, and Principalities; above the Authorities and Powers and Dominions; above the Seraphim, Cherubim, and the Thrones.2

Let us take godly delight in that Christ our Savior, having raised our erring nature together with His own Divine Flesh, lifted it on His shoulders; and, having ascended, goes3 to offer it to God the Father with God-befitting joy and to seat it on the right hand of the Majesty on high, at the right hand of the Throne of God.4

And together with the God-inspired Hymnographer of Damascus, let us chant from the heart and with compunction:

By the power of Thy Cross, O Christ, do Thou make steadfast mine understanding, that I may hymn and glorify Thy saving Ascension.5

* * *

BUT WHY should our understanding be made steadfast by the power of the Cross and not of the Resurrection? Because the glory of the Ascension came after the abasement, the Cross, and the Passion:

He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him and given Him a Name which is above every name.6

Thus will it turn out for those who love Christ: All who have crucified sin through repentance and the evangelic life before death will become partakers of the glorious Ascension of our Lord, says St. Gregory Palamas.7

And why should our understanding be made steadfast and not our tongue or our lips? Because repentance and the keeping of the holy commandments of our Lord call for unceasing vigilance; that is, watchfulness, force, and preparedness:

Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning.8

The Neptic Fathers say that the noetic loins and waist are the mind of man, which bears the entire burden of the soul.9

The Holy Apostle Paul enjoins us: Stand, having your loins girt about with truth:10 to gird our noetic loins, that is, our mind, as much with the truth of right dogma and faith as with the truth of our virtuous life.11

But the Holy Apostle Peters also most clearly exhorts us:

Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the Grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.12

Our understanding, that is, our mind, which is the governor and emperor of the passions, must not be loose and ungirded, or be diffused by means of the five senses and passionately attach itself to vain and sensible things, defiled and sinning and darkened.

On the contrary, the governing mind must put on a girdle, be tightened and restrained. And what is the girdle of the mind and understanding?
The Neptic Fathers tell us that the girdle is attention and the forcible return of the mind to the heart.14

Bind tightly, they exhort us, and gather your entire mind in your heart with mighty force and great strength. With attention, as if with a girdle, and with the holding of the breath, one must bind ones mind tightly and keep it in the heart, without contemplating any sensible or noetic object, but solely the Name of God and of Jesus Christ through noetic prayer and prayer of the heart.15

* * *

PRECISELY for this reason, the Holy Damascene entreats Christ: By the power of Thy Cross, O Christ, do Thou make steadfast mine understanding.16

For, when our understanding, when our mind, is made steadfast in the neptic activity of the Prayer of the Heart, then we will be noetically illumined by the Light of the Comforter; and we are sure to acquire the Divine illumination in our heart, abiding enhypostatically within us, for the illumination of the Holy Spirit, according to the Neptic Fathers, is called hypostatic light, which is both personal and enhypostatic, since it abides in those who are illumined.17

And by this enhypostatic illumination abiding in our heart, we may perhaps at some point be vouchsafed, by the Grace of God, to be caught up in revelations of the Divine and unutterable Mysteries of the Future Age.

This, then, is the order and the way: firstly, the mind and heart must be cleansed; secondly, they must be illumined; and, thirdly, the mind must be caught up in God. For without the enhypostatic illumination of the heart, it is impossible for the mind to be caught up in God.

* * *

*ALL YE who love the feasts and Christ, let us celebrate the Ascension of our Savior! Gird up the loins of your mind; let us be vigilant! And praying in the heart, let us accept the enhypostatic illumination! And thus may we become participants of the most glorious Ascension of our Lord!*

Notes
1. St. Nicodemos the Hagiorite, Ἑορτοδρόμιον [Commentary on the Great Feasts], p. 455.
2. Ibid.
3. St. John 16:28.
4. Hebrews 1:3 and 12:2.
5. First Canon of the Ascension, Ode Three.
6. Philippians 2:8-9.
7. St. Gregory Palamas, Patrologia Græca, Vol. CLI, col. 296C.
8. St. Luke 12:35.
9. St. Nicodemos the Hagiorite, Interpretation of Ephesians 6:14.
10. Ephesians 6:14.
11. See note 9.
12. I St. Peter 1:13.
13. St. Nicodemos the Hagiorite, Interpretation of Ephesians 6:14 and I St. Peter 1:13, on the basis of St. Gregory Palamas.
14. Ibid.
15. See note 5.
16. St. Nicodemos the Hagiorite, Ἑορτοδρόμιον, pp. 643-644.
17. Ibid.

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*And Ascended Into Heaven...*



_by V. Rev. George Florovsky, D.D._
*"I ascend unto My Father and your Father, and to My God, and Your God"* (John 20:17).

In these words the Risen Christ described to Mary Magdalene the mystery of His Resurrection. She had to carry this mysterious message to His disciples, "as they mourned and wept" (Mark 16:10). The disciples listened to these glad tidings with fear and amazement, with doubt and mistrust. It was not Thomas alone who doubted among the Eleven. On the contrary, it appears that only one of the Eleven did not doubt - St John, the disciple "whom Jesus loved." He alone grasped the mystery of the empty tomb at once: "and he saw, and believed" (John 20:8). Even Peter left the sepulcher in amazement, "wondering at that which was come to pass" (Luke 24:12).

The disciples did not expect the Resurrection. The women did not, either. They were quite certain that Jesus was dead and rested in the grave, and they went to the place "where He was laid," with the spices they had prepared, "that they might come and anoint Him." They had but one thought: "Who shall roll away the stone from the door of the sepulcher for us?" (Mark 16:1-3; Luke 24:1). And therefore, on not finding the body, Mary Magdalene was sorrowful and complained: "They have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid Him' (John 20:13). On hearing the good news from the angel, the women fled from the sepulchre in fear and trembling: "Neither said they anything to any man, for they were afraid" (Mark 16:8). And when they spoke no one believed them, in the same way as no one 'had believed Mary, who saw the Lord, or the disciples as they walked on their way into the country, (Mark 16:13), and who recognized Him in the breaking of bread. "And afterward He appeared unto the Eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them who had seen Him after He was risen' (Mark 16:1O-14).

From whence comes this "hardness of heart" and hesitation? Why were their eyes so "holden," why were the disciples so much afraid of the news, and why did the Easter joy so slowly, and with such difficulty, enter the Apostles' hearts? Did not they, who were with Him from the beginning, "from the baptism of John," see all the signs of power which He performed before the face of the whole people? The lame walked, the blind saw, the dead were raised, and all infirmities were healed. Did they not behold, only a week earlier, how He raised by His word Lazarus from the dead, who had already been in the grave for four days? Why then was it so strange to them that the Master had arisen Himself? How was it that they came to forget that which the Lord used to tell them on many occasions, that after suffering and death He would arise on the third day?

The mystery of the Apostles' "unbelief" is partly disclosed in the narrative of the Gospel: "But we trusted that it had been He which should have redeemed Israel," with disillusionment and complaint said the two disciples to their mysterious Companion on the way to Emmaus (Luke 24:21). They meant: He was betrayed, condemned to death and crucified. The news of the Resurrection brought by the women only "astonished" them. They still wait for an earthly triumph, for an external victory. The same temptation possesses their hearts, which first prevented them from accepting "the preaching of the Cross" and made them argue every time the Saviour tried to reveal His mystery to them. "Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?" (Luke 24:26). It was still difficult to understand this.

He had the power to arise, why did He allow what that had happened to take place at all? Why did He take upon Himself disgrace, blasphemy and wounds? In the eyes of all Jerusalem, amidst the vast crowds assembled for the Great Feast, He was condemned and suffered a shameful death. And now He enters not into the Holy City, neither to the people which beheld His shame and death, nor to the High Priests and elders, nor to Pilate - so that He might make their crime obvious and smite their pride. Instead, He sends His disciples away to remote Galilee and appears to them there. Even much earlier the disciples wondered, "How is it that Thou wilt manifest Thyself unto us, and not unto the world?" (John 14:22). Their wonder continues, and even on the day of His glorious Ascension the Apostles question the Lord, "Lord, wilt Thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?" (Acts 1:6). They still did not comprehend the meaning of His Resurrection, they did not understand what it meant that He was "ascending" to the Father. Their eyes were opened but later, when "the promise of the Father" had been fulfilled.

In the Ascension resides the meaning and the fullness of Christ's Resurrection.

The Lord did not rise in order to return again to the fleshly order of life, so as to live again and commune with the disciples and the multitudes by means of preaching and miracles. Now he does not even stay with them, but only "appears" to them during the forty days, from time to time, and always in a miraculous and mysterious manner. "He was not always with them now, as He was before the Resurrection," comments St John Chrysostom. "He came and again disappeared, thus leading them on to higher conceptions. He no longer permitted them to continue in their former relationship toward Him, but took effectual measures to secure these two objects: That the fact of His Resurrection should be believed, and that He Himself should be ever after apprehended to be greater than man." There was something new and unusual in His person (cf. John 21:1-14). As St John Chrysostom says, "It was not an open presence, but a certain testimony of the fact that He was present." That is why the disciples were confused and frightened. Christ arose not in the same way as those who were restored to life before Him. Theirs was a resurrection for a time, and they returned to life in the same body, which was subject to death and corruption - returned to the previous mode of life. But Christ arose for ever, unto eternity. He arose in a body of glory, immortal and incorruptible. He arose, never to die, for "He clothed the mortal in the splendor of incorruption." His glorified Body was already exempt from the fleshly order of existence. "It is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body" (I Cor. 15:42-44). This mysterious transformation of human bodies, of which St Paul was speaking in the case of our Lord, had been accomplished in three days. Christ's work on earth was accomplished. He had suffered, was dead and buried, and now rose to a higher mode of existence. By His Resurrection He abolished and destroyed death, abolished the law of corruption, "and raised with Himself the whole race of Adam." Christ has risen, and now "no dead are left in the grave" (cf. The Easter Sermon of St John Chrysostom). And now He ascends to the Father, yet He does not "go away," but abides with the faithful for ever (cf. The Kontakion of Ascension). For He raises the very earth with Him to heaven, and even higher than any heaven. God's power, in the phrase of St John Chrysostom, "manifests itself not only in the Resurrection, but in something much stronger." For "He was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God" (Mark 16:19).

And with Christ, man's nature ascends also.

"We who seemed unworthy of the earth, are now raised to heaven," says St John Chrysostom. "We who were unworthy of earthly dominion have been raised to the Kingdom on high, have ascended higher than heaven, have came to occupy the King's throne, and the same nature from which the angels guarded Paradise, stopped not until it ascended to the throne of the Lord." By His Ascension the Lord not only opened to man the entrance to heaven, not only appeared before the face of God on our behalf and for our sake, but likewise "transferred man" to the high places. "He honored them He loved by putting them close to the Father." God quickened and raised us together with Christ, as St Paul says, "and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus" (Ephes. 2:6). Heaven received the inhabitants of the earth. "The First fruits of them that slept" sits now on high, and in Him all creation is summed up and bound together. "The earth rejoices in mystery, and the heavens are filled with joy."

"The terrible ascent...." Terror-stricken and trembling stand the angelic hosts, contemplating the Ascension of Christ. And trembling they ask each other, "What is this vision? One who is man in appearance ascends in His body higher than the heavens, as God."

Thus the Office for the Feast of the Ascension depicts the mystery in a poetical language. As on the day of Christ's Nativity the earth was astonished on beholding God in the flesh, so now the Heavens do tremble and cry out. "The Lord of Hosts, Who reigns over all, Who is Himself the head 'Of all, Who is preeminent in all things, Who has reinstated creation in its former order - He is the King of Glory." And the heavenly doors are opened: "Open, Oh heavenly gates, and receive God in the flesh." It is an open allusion to Psalms 24:7-10, now prophetically interpreted. "Lift up your heads, Oh ye gates, and be lifted up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of Glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty...." St Chrysostom says, "Now the angels have received that for which they have long waited, the archangels see that for which they have long thirsted. They have seen our nature shining on the King's throne, glistening with glory and eternal beauty.... Therefore they descend in order to see the unusual and marvelous vision: Man appearing in heaven."

The Ascension is the token of Pentecost, the sign of its coming, "The Lord has ascended to heaven and will send the Comforter to the world'

For the Holy Spirit was not yet in the world, until Jesus was glorified. And the Lord Himself told the disciples, "If I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you" (John 16:7). The gifts of the Spirit are "gifts of reconciliation," a seal of an accomplished salvation and of the ultimate reunion of the world with God. And this was accomplished only in the Ascension. "And one saw miracles follow miracles," says St John Chrysostom, "ten days prior to this our nature ascended to the King's throne, while today the Holy Ghost has descended on to our nature." The joy of the Ascension lies in the promise of the Spirit.' "Thou didst give joy to Thy disciples by a promise of the Holy Spirit." The victory of Christ is wrought in us by the power of the Holy Spirit.

"On high is His body, here below with us is His Spirit. And so we have His token on high, that is His body, which He received from us, and here below we have His Spirit with us. Heaven received the Holy Body, and the earth accepted the Holy Spirit. Christ came and sent the Spirit. He ascended, and with Him our body ascended also" St John Chrysostom). The revelation of the Holy Trinity was completed. Now the Spirit Comforter is poured forth on all flesh. "Hence comes foreknowledge of the future, understanding of mysteries, apprehension of what is hidden, distribution of good gifts, the heavenly citizenship, a place in the chorus of angels, joy without end, abiding in God, the being made like to God, and, highest of all, ,the being made God!" (St Basil, On the Holy Spirit, IX). Beginning with the Apostles, and through communion with them - by an unbroken succession - Grace is spread to all believers. Through renewal and glorification in the Ascended Christ, man's nature became receptive of the spirit. "And unto the world He gives quickening forces through His human body," says Bishop Theophanes. "He holds it completely in Himself and penetrates it with His strength, out of Himself; and He likewise draws the angels to Himself through the spirit of man, giving them space for action and thus making them blessed." All this is done through the Church, which is "the Body of Christ;" that is, His "fullness" (Ephesians 1:23). "The Church is the fulfillment of Christ," continues Bishop Theophanes, "perhaps in the same way as the tree is the fulfillment of the seed. That which is contained in the seed in a contracted form receives its development in the tree."

The very existence of the Church is the fruit of the Ascension. It is in the Church that man's nature is truly ascended to the Divine heights. "And gave Him to be Head over all things" (Ephesians 1:22). St John Chrysostom comments: "Amazing! Look again, whither He has raised the Church. As though He were lifting it up by some engine, He has raised it up to a vast height, and set it on yonder throne; for where the Head is, there is the body also. There is no interval of separation between the Head and the body; for were there a separation, then would the one no longer be a body, nor would the other any longer be a Head." The whole race of men is to follow Christ, even in His ultimate exaltation, "to follow in His train." Within the Church, through an acquisition of the Spirit in the fellowship of Sacraments, the Ascension continues still, and will continue until the measure is full. "Only then shall the Head be filled up, when the body is rendered perfect, when we are knit together and united," concludes St John Chrysostom.

The Ascension is a sign and token of the Second Coming. "This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven" (Acts 1:11).

The mystery of God's Providence will be accomplished in the Return of the Risen Lord. In the fulfillment of time, Christ's kingly power will be revealed and spread over the whole of faithful mankind. Christ bequeathes the Kingdom to the whole of the faithful. "And I appoint unto you a Kingdom as My Father has appointed unto me. That ye may eat and drink at My table in My Kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel" (Luke 22:29-30). Those who followed Him faithfully will sit with Him on their thrones on the day of His coming. "To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne" (Rev. 3:21). Salvation will be consummated in the Glory. "Conceive to yourself the throne, the royal throne, conceive the immensity of the privilege. This, at least if we chose, might more avail to startle us, yea, even than hell itself" (St John Chrysostom).

We should tremble more at the thought of that abundant Glory which is appointed unto the redeemed, than at the thought of the eternal darkness. "Think near Whom Thy Head is seated...." Or rather, Who is the Head. In very truth, "wondrous and terrible is Thy divine ascension from the mountain, 0 Giver of Life." A terrible and wondrous height is the King's throne. In face of this height all flesh stands silent, in awe and trembling. "He has Himself descended to the lowest depths of humiliation, and raised up man to the height of exaltation."

What then should we do? "If thou art the body of Christ, bear the Cross, for He bore it" (St John Chrysostom).

"With the power of Thy Cross, Oh Christ, establish my thoughts, so that I may sing and glorify Thy saving Ascension."


_Originally published in St Vladimir's Seminary Quarterly, Vol. 2 # 3, 1954._

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## TER

. . . throughout this time which elapsed between the Lords Resurrection and Ascension, Gods Providence had this in view, to teach and impress upon both the eyes and hearts of His own people that the Lord Jesus Christ might be acknowledged to have as truly risen, as He was truly born, suffered, and died.  And hence the most blessed Apostles and all the disciples, who had been both bewildered at His death on the cross and backward in believing His Resurrection, were so strengthened by the clearness of the truth that when the Lord entered the heights of heaven, not only were they affected with no sadness, but were even filled with great joy.  And truly great and unspeakable was their cause for joy, when in the sight of the holy multitude, above the dignity of all heavenly creatures, the Nature of mankind went up, to pass above the angels ranks and to rise beyond the archangels heights, and to have Its uplifting limited by no elevation until, received to sit with the Eternal Father, It should be associated on the throne with His glory, to Whose Nature It was united in the Son.  Since then Christs Ascension is our uplifting, and the hope of the Body is raised, whither the glory of the Head has gone before, let us exult, dearly-beloved, with worthy joy and delight in the loyal paying of thanks.  For to-day not only are we confirmed as possessors of paradise, but have also in Christ penetrated the heights of heaven, and have gained still greater things through Christs unspeakable grace than we had lost through the devils malice.  For us, whom our virulent enemy had driven out from the bliss of our first abode, the Son of God has made members of Himself and placed at the right hand of the Father, with Whom He lives and reigns in the unity of the Holy Spirit, for ever and ever.  Amen.

_- St. Leo the Great_

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## TER

By Sergei V. Bulgakov

This Feast is celebrated on the 40th day after Pascha, which always comes on Thursday of the 6th week. It has received its name from the commemoration and event glorified on this day, the Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ in the flesh to heaven (Мark. 16:16-20; Luke 24:50-53; Acts 1:4-12). On the last day of His visible stay on earth the Lord Jesus Christ revealed Himself to all the apostles who had gathered together and commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the coming of the Holy Spirit on them that was promised by Him. He has "led them from the city of Jerusalem to Bethany" on the Mount of Olives (1). While on the way He talked with them about the organization of His Church on earth. On the top of the Mount of Olives the Lord, explaining to the Holy Apostles what their purpose will be, said to them: "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the ends of the earth". And when He had said this, the Savior lifted up His divine hands and blessed His disciples. "And when He blessed them (2), He receded from them, and went up again into heaven". The Apostles reverentially bowed to the Lord, Who blessed them, and with trembling and amazement watched Him ascend to heaven while, finally, a cloud took Him out of their sight. But the Lord was not slow to comfort His disciples with such an unexpected and regrettable separation. Behold two men in white clothes revealed themselves to the Apostles. They were Angels whom the ascended Savior as Lord and Master of the Angels sent to earth to the Apostles. The Angels said to them: "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who ascended from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw Him go into heaven". Having heard from the angels such a comforting message, the apostles, filled with the deepest joy, left the Mount of Olives and returned to Jerusalem. So glorious was the visible ascension of Jesus Christ to heaven, which His Disciples told us. But His further invisible Ascension to an eternal divine kingdom to His Father was much more glorious, as this is described in the church hymns in the present day, in accordance with the prophecies of the Old Testament prophets.

The angels with the sound of the trumpet met the Lord who has gone up and accompanied Him (Ps. 46: 6). The Holy Spirit ordered the heavenly Powers to open the gates of the eternal kingdom of glory for the Redeemer: "Raise your gates, you princes, and be lifted up, you everlasting gates: and the King of Glory shall come in" (Ps. 23:7). And our Savior, "went up to heaven, from where He also had come", as the Son of God, Only-begotten of God the Father, has received that divine glory which He had by the Father before the creation of the world; went up to heaven, as the Son of Man, having exalted mankind in His person "far above all rule and authority and power and dominion " (Ephesians 1:21). The very God the Father with love expected and received to Himself His beloved Son, the theandric Jesus Christ Who Himself sat on His right hand as it has still been described in the Old Testament by the Holy Psalmist: "The Lord said to my Lord: Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet" (Ps. 109:1; refer to Rom., 8:34; Heb. 8:1). Thus, our Savior not only has ascended to heaven, but also sits on the right hand of God the Father (3) i.e. as the God-man and Redeemer of the world, He has taken on all authority, greatness and glory even in His human nature, which belong to Him in His divine nature, as well as He, after His Resurrection, told the apostles: "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me" (Mt. 28:18).

The Feast of the Ascension of the Lord is great in its own meaning, as it verifies the fulfilling of the divine plan in us about the salvation of man and all the world and about the highest glorification of the human nature, which in the person of Jesus Christ is raised higher than the light-bearing spirits and who are seated on the throne of divine glory. And this assures all of us that from now on the entrance*into heaven opens for those born on earth, where Jesus has gone as a Forerunner on*our behalf (Heb. 6:20) and where His journey to heaven becomes a path for all His true followers (4). Together with this "the present feast", the Blessed Augustine says, "reveals to us in Jesus Christ the mystery of man and God," witnessing to the undivided and unbroken union of the divinity and humanity in the person of Jesus Christ "Who ascended in both natures". In the Divine Services of this Feast, although they describe the sad thoughts that the Apostles originally had, being orphaned, they mainly changed them into a high feeling of joy (5). For, as St. John Chrysostom teaches: "Today people have become like angels, men have been united with the bodiless ones, and from this relationship came a great union. The Lord of all, having ascended to heaven, has reconciled the race of man with the Father. We, who were deemed unworthy on earth, today have ascended to heaven with our own essence. And the nature, from which the cherubim protected*paradise, today itself sits upon the cherubim". That is why even the Holy Church in its hymns for this day, calling believers to sing the song of victory to the Lord Who ascended, and causing us to sit together with Him on the right hand of the Father, exclaims: "The earth exults, and heaven rejoices today at the Ascension of the Creator of creation"; "All the world, visible and invisible, celebrates. The angels exult, and men continually raise up doxologies". Calling her children to the joy of the Ascension of the Lord, the Holy Church at the same time according to the words of the angels said to the Apostles after the Ascension of the Lord (Acts 1:11), in its hymns for this day reminds us also about the second coming, strengthening us by this victory to lift up "our eyes and thoughts to the heights", to focus our sights "together with our mortal feelings to the heavenly gates" and to beg the Lord that He "spare our souls, granting remission of our sins". In agreement with this even Saint Gregory Dialogos in his homily on the day of Ascension teaches: "Let us make haste, beloved ones, with all our heart to follow Him to where He has ascended. Let us reject any predilection for earthly objects (6). Having a part in the inheritance of heavenly abodes with Him, let us not search for blessedness on earth. We should take care and think about how He, though now ascended to heaven with meekness, will at one time be revealed with fear and with a terrible presence, and with severity will demand from us all that He now teaches with meekness. Let no one resent the time given for repentance. Let no one neglect himself while there is time. The Savior on the dread judgment seat will demand an account more strictly from us than He would have patience with us now. Brothers, never forget this. Let your spirit in the middle of the present sea of life be stirred up by the mighty storm; soon you will reach a quiet haven in the heavenly fatherland; soon you will be in the light of the unapproachable glory. Now the Lord ascends to heaven for you. Let us reflect more often and more attentively to what our faith teaches us. If we have not become stronger in the deeds of faith and piety, if our physical powers are still weak, then, at least, let us follow our Savior in our readiness and love for Him". "And if we live piously," as Saint John Chrysostom teaches, "and that we remain unshakably pious, always with diligence multiplying this good; and if we are deprived of all boldness and we recognize in ourselves alone only sins; then we would be corrected to get that same boldness, and there together also with one mind to meet with due glory the King of Angels and enjoy this blessed joy of our Lord Jesus Christ".

The establishment of the feast of the Ascension undoubtedly goes back to the earliest times. Besides the importance of the commemoration of this event on this holiday, that they speak of it from the earliest times positively witnesses to its antiquity. So, already the Apostolic Constitutions prescribed it to be observed on the fortieth day after Pascha. St. John Chrysostom calls this feast a great and most important one and relates it to the category of feasts undoubtedly established by the apostles, that is with Pascha and Pentecost. The Blessed Augustine also calls it a most ancient and universal feast.



Notes:

1) According to the explanation of the Right Reverend Philaret, Metropolitan of Moscow, the Lord selected the Mount of Olives for His Ascension, as one may consider, that it was His favorite place before which He blessed with His repeated visits and prayer, and is where He began His special saving Passion for us, even unto death with spiritual grief, and His very difficult prayer, resulting in the outpouring of bloody sweat. Having returned to the place of the beginning of His sufferings, to the place where He completed His glorification, He through this has signaled that His suffering and glorification compose one harmonious structure of the salvation for us in the plan of God, one golden chain produced in the hearth of the wisdom of God, for the raising up again to heaven man who fell from paradise.

2) The evangelist did not say: "when you bless" but "when you have blessed", i.e. God blesses, and yet does not end His blessing, but continues to bless, and meanwhile ascends to heaven. According to the explanation of the Right Reverend Philaret, Metropolitan of Moscow, he specifically says that God does not want to end the blessing, but continues to endlessly bless the Church and all those believing in Him. Having received the blessing of Christ through the Apostles they distribute it to others, and thus, all those belonging to the Holy, Catholic (Sobornaia), Apostolic Church are made participants of the one blessing of Jesus Christ and His Father, "blessing us all in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens" (Ephesians 1:3). As the dew "of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion" (Psalm 132:3) this blessing descending on any soul rising above the passions and carnal desires is higher than the vanities and cares of the world. As the indelible seal, it marks those who are in Christ, so that at the end of the ages according to this sign He will pronounce to them from the midst of all the human race: "Come, receive the blessing"!

3) The Right Reverend Philaret, Metropolitan of Moscow, teaches: "Having heard that the ascended Lord 'sits at the right hand of God' should not present to the mind anything corporal and sensual, but should think only that Christ has the same authority with the Father Almighty, is one in glory with him, one in the ruling consideration for all the world, and especially for the Church that is saved. In general, do not boldly turn the tested ideas at this immense height to flight: there is 'unapproachable light' (1 Tim. 6:16). If before the created light of the visible sun you have blinded your eyes, how is the uncleanness from the mud in the eyes of your mind not removed before the eternal light of the Sun of the spirits, before Which even the highest of the Angels close before the Person? And the Apostolic eyes from nearby could follow the Lord Who is ascending; the cloud took Him and hid Him from them. And as they during this time 'worshiped Him': so even you, after a modest look to heaven in faith, fall down, son of ashes, humbly into the ashes, even before the inscrutable greatness in almost silent awe."

4) The Ascension of the Lord, similar to His death and resurrection, includes the most precise paradigm in the plan of our salvation, and therefore was predicted and celebrated, in all its greatness even by the Prophets. And the Holy Apostle Peter, after the Descent of the Holy Spirit, in the hearing of all the Judeans asserted that "Heaven must receive Christ Jesus until the time for establishing all" (Acts 3:21), i.e. up to the end of the world. The time for the humiliation of the Lord has forever ended in His cross and tomb. After the resurrection the acceptance of all Authority by Him on earth and in heaven (Matthew 28:18), the time of glorification has essentially come to Him. But our earth, rough, corrupted by our sins, gravitating under the curse, obviously, is not a place of rest and glorification, but of temptation and wandering. The earth serves as a dwelling place only for those who are from the earth. But the Son of Man, "Who descended from Heaven" (John 3:l3), did not belong to the earth. To tell the truth, "having shared in our flesh and blood" (Heb. 2:14), He had a body from the earth. But how long this body was similar to ours was as long as He lived on earth similar to us. In the resurrection His body changed and has accepted such properties that was visible, and at the same time became invisible, was tangible, yet passed through closed doors, accepted food, and was not subject to change. The resurrected Savior was on earth for forty days; but during this time He has been seen only when He revealed Himself to the Holy Apostles. Where and how He spent His other time is not known. But, obviously, the earth could not be still His dwelling place. For a body immortal, glorified and deified, it is much more natural to dwell in heaven than on earth. Already immediately after the resurrection from the dead the Savior tried to ascend to the most heavenly world, to the Father (John 20:17). And if He still remained on earth, then it is because of special love for the disciples and for the need to continue His conversations with them, "speaking of the Kingdom of*God" (Acts 1:3). And when also this need has been satisfied, and when these holy chains begin to have power, then the Savior was glorified for His extreme effort on the cross for humanity. Similarly the fragrant incense is directed from the Mount of Olives to the eternal Sun. There, where all is in compliance with His purity and glory, and where He should be until that time, so that by His action and by His power all will be cleansed and enlightened and filled, and the very earth will be divested of its roughness and curses. Then the earth will be able to become the*place of the visible eternal dwelling of God with men (Rev. 21:3). This was demanded also with new, great applicability of the Son of Man after His resurrection. As in the situation of humiliation He was forced to be an offering for all, so that in the situation of His glorification it fell to Him to become the manager and the head of all. But where ordinarily is the place for the head? Is it above the whole body? According to the same law (if the law is also necessary for the Lawgiver) returned and now: as the Head and the Ruler of the whole world, the God-man is seated "on the right hand" of God the Father, "in the heavens far above all rule and authority and power and dominion" (Eph. 1:20-21), that, in the expression of the Holy Apostle Paul "to unite all things" in Him "things in the heavens and*things on earth" (Eph. 1:10), to accept divine "worship from all knees" not only "on earth and beneath the earth", but also "in heaven" (Philip. 2:10), "to reign" over all in heaven and on earth, and over all worlds, "until He has put all his enemies under His feet" (1 Cor. 15:25, Heb. 1:13), that all visible and invisible, all tribes and tongues confess, "that Jesus Christ" is truly "Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Philip. 2:11), "King of kings and Lord of lords" (Rev. 19:16). If there were no Ascension to heaven and glorification of the God-man, then the matter of our expiation would remain incomplete, unfinished and uncrowned. Being raised upon the cross, the Savior took all to Himself only up to the height of a cross; meanwhile He took all even up to the height of heaven, even up to the throne of glory (John 14:3). Therefore, "having accomplished" on earth "the work which Thou gavest Me to do" Father, "yes created" (John 17:4), He ascends to heaven to draw all men to Himself (John 12:32), prepared a place for us in the mansions of the Heavenly Father (John 14:2). But the mansions of the Heavenly Father, which the Blessed One prepared for us, is open for all, but is not accessible to all. For the entrance into them it is required that we here on earth be clothed in appropriate dress, worthy of heaven. These clothes are prepared for us by the suffering of the God-man, adorned and sealed by His priceless blood; but under the divine plan of the management of our salvation, it belonged to the Most Holy Spirit to create our vestments in the "light and pure fine linen of righteousness" (Rev. 19:8). And the Son of God, after the end of His great work upon earth, i.e. after the forgiveness of people by His death, after His descent into Hades and after His resurrection, after His visible and solemn departure to heaven, so that His ascension opens the way to the invisible benefaction of the activity of the Comforter Spirit, only through whose assistance we can "put off the old man with its practices", and "to put on the new", with the primordial "righteousness and holiness" (Eph. 4:24, Col. 3:9-10). "It is to your advantage that I go away", the Savior told His Apostles, "for if I do not go away, the Comforter will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you" (John 16:7). And before the Descent of the Holy Spirit to earth "it was necessary for Christ to enter into His glory" (Luke 24:26) to receive "all authority in heaven and on earth" (Mt. 28:18) to ascend to heaven and "to sit on the right hand of the Father, (Mk. 16:19). For "the Holy Spirit was not yet" on earth while "Jesus was not yet glorified (John 7:39). Thus, in the trihypostatic council of God it follows that the fulfillment of the work of reconcilement, which remains with us on earth, is already not of the Redeemer Son of God, but of the Holy Spirit, Who, abiding in us, would regenerate in us a strengthened, consoled, spiritual life, and "helps us in our weakness (Rom. 8:26), also "intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words" (Rom. 8:26). But under the same plan of the management of our salvation it follows that also the Son of God "through the cross destroyed the enmity (Eph. 3:16 sic) between heaven and earth, went up to the heavenly saints who stand with Him before God the Father ever to decree peace to the world and to save those of the sinners, who, repenting of their sins, even up to seventy times seven (Mt. 18:22), again will come through Him to God with faith and a broken spirit. And our Lord Jesus Christ as the eternal High Priest, passed into heaven "now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf" (Heb. 9:24), "to make intercession for them"(Heb. 7:25), for us guilty before the righteous judgment of God, so that, "if any one does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous" (1 John. 2, 1). (See details in the Collected Works of Innocent, Archbishop of*Chersonese, vol. 1, pp 353-359; Words and speeches of Sophonius, Bishop of*Turkestan, vol. 1, pp. 15-23).

5) After the cloud hid the ascending Lord from the visible sight of the Holy Apostles, their hearts were filled with sadness, as before, when the Lord only told*them before about His going to the Father (John 16:6). The faith of the Holy*Apostles still could not reach the end of the Ascension of the Lord (John 14:25,*16:7); they now only saw that the Lord will no longer live on earth and they will no*more see His corporal eyes. But their reception, then, of the message being*revealed to them by the Holy Angels was for their faith to the end of what they*could not reach, or, at least, to what their intellectual insight was not now directed.*This message distracted them from their sad thoughts that the Lord will probably*not be present any more among them, to talk with them, but has poured into their*hearts faith and hope that the Lord who disappeared from their visible sight has*ascended in divine glory, as well as He Himself told them before, that He will*come again in the glorious image in the opening of the eternal kingdom of glory.*And the Holy Apostles "returned to Jerusalem with great joy". Metropolitan*Philaret of Moscow said, "They rejoice now because their faith opened their mind*to the perfect understanding of the mystery of Christ: they believe and know that as*Christ through His resurrection shattered the gates of Hades and opened the exit from it for the believer, so through His ascension opened the gates of heaven and*the entrance into it for the believer. They rejoice because their love is perfect. It is*delightful for them that their beloved Savior ascended to heaven in blessedness and*glory, though they remained on earth for ascetical feats and suffering. They rejoice*because their hope is perfect. They wait for and feel that the ascended Lord,*according to His promise, will soon send them another Comforter, the Holy Spirit.*And that, finally, according to the angelic announcement, 'This same Jesus, who*ascended into heaven, will so come' (Acts 1:11). And that He may come to keep*His other promise: 'I will come again and receive you to Myself' (John 14:3)." And this holy joy as the Right Reverend Demetrius, Archbishop of Chersonese teaches,*remained forever the inalienable property of the souls of the Holy Apostles, the*inexhaustible treasure of their heart, the plentiful source of comfort for all their*subsequent life. Nothing in the world could take away from them this holy and lifecreating joy of the Lord. As they seem lonely and helpless in the world, 'like*lambs among the wolves', how many are surrounded by their enemies and*persecutors, how they met their 'trouble in the cities, trouble in the deserts, trouble*from the pagans, trouble from relatives, trouble from malevolent brothers'. They*always and incessantly rejoiced in the Lord, rejoiced in the work and ascetical feats*of the annunciation of the Gospel of Christ, rejoiced in temptations, troubles and*misfortunes, rejoiced amidst slander and intrigues, prosecutions and persecutions*from the Jews and the pagans, rejoiced even in the very suffering for the name of*Christ.

6) If we do not vainly carry on ourselves the all holy name of Christ, if for*this we were buried with Him through baptism into death (Rom. 6:4), in order to*live with Him for ever and ever; then it is already impossible for our souls to be*attached to anything terrestrial and temporal, it is impossible for our hearts to be*intimidated by this temporal dwelling. It would mean to renounce everything that*is made for us by the incarnation, death and resurrection of the Son of God. It*would mean to act contrary to the all-good counsel of God for us, contrary to our*own faith and belief. We believe that for this the Son of God came down to earth,*"that for us He will ascend to heaven"; for this also He arose and again ascended to*heaven in order to open the way even for us to ascend there, "where the forerunner*Christ went for us". Also what could attach our heart to the earth? Doesn't the earth*even when we water it return thorns and thistles to us? On earth aren't there passion*and vice, evil and untruth, poverty and sorrow, illness and suffering, crying and*tears? Aren't our ancestors and parents, relatives and acquaintances, in the earth,*and doesn't it also swallow up our body and transform it into corruption and ashes?*Sooner or later we should leave it necessarily. Death will overcome and place us*before God in heaven. But what then will happen to us if we are infatuated with the*earth but be foreign to heaven? Can we live, so to say, in the heavenly abodes if we*do not now get used to ascending there in our mind and our heart, to live there in our*spirit, to breathe and feed on the heavenly air? Can we be installed in the*community of Holy Angels and the chosen of God if we are not one with them in*spirit and our heart? Can we not be pulled together with them in our thoughts and feelings, in our character and deeds? So, we need to draw near with the inhabitants*of heaven beforehand, to now get comfortably used to the paradigm of heavenly*life, to beforehand get accustomed to live with our spirit in heaven in order that*upon death we do not leave for the abyss of Hades. How will we achieve it? Certainly, we will not by own power and not by earthly means. "No one will enter*heaven, except those who go to heaven with the Son of Man, Who exists in*heaven". No one can even raise us to heaven, except Him. Only He has the strength*to lift up with Himself all who are attached to Him in faith, who love Him with all*their heart, with all their soul and all their mind, who turn themselves to Him*entirely and undividedly, with all their soul and heart, who with their entirety*and destiny will love eternal life in Him, who will make the first and main purpose*of all their activity the center of all their hope and desire, all intentions and*aspirations. Such He will attach to Himself by the power of His grace. He will lead*all the minds and hearts of those who, living in the flesh on earth, live in the spirit*in heaven higher to heaven: "for where your treasure is, there also will be your*heart", and where the heart is, there is the whole person, there is all his life and*activity. For the true Christian all treasure is hidden in Jesus Christ, who ascended*to heaven, and that is where his heart is, and where his life is (Philip. 3:20). If we*shall only think of heaven, to wish and search only for the heavenly, then neglecting all*the terrestrial, the fears for our earthly affairs, for our fleshly necessities and needs,*for our family and citizen duties are in vain! It is vain to think that all our affairs*will then come to extreme frustration! On the contrary, then all our earthly affairs*will accept a correct and successful course. All our work will be accompanied by*blessed success. All our pleasant occupations, which they neither were nor of what*they consisted, will be spiritualized and will be consecrated with the blessings of*God and will receive the God-pleasing vision of the God-fearing services to the*Lord, fulfilling His most holy will. If all the people with their mind and heart*would strive for God their Father, wishing to please Him, as His good and obedient*children, keeping His holy commandments, searching for heavenly blessings and*the high place of the fatherland with all their desire and would do everything for*the glory of God and for the salvation of their souls; if they would have expelled*all evil passions, which make people both malicious and unhappy, from human*societies, then would not human societies be truly blessed and happy? Would not*our earth also become a most abundant paradise blessed by the Lord? At least,*there would not be so much untruth and evil in it, tears would not pour so much,*and cries and groans would not be heard so much, there would not be so much*trouble and sorrow, which people create for themselves with vices and depravity,*with their evil and untruths, with their unquenchable thirst for carnal pleasures,*earthly treasures and contemporary honors. (See details in the Complete Collection*of Sermons of the Right Reverend Demetrius, Archbishop of Chersonese. vol. 1,*pp. 199-207).

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## TER

St. Cyril of Jerusalem on the Ascension of Christ


From Catechetical Lecture 4:

But when Jesus had finished His course of patient endurance, and had redeemed mankind from their sins, He ascended again into the heavens, a cloud receiving Him up: and as He went up Angels were beside Him, and Apostles were beholding. But if any man disbelieves the words which I speak, let him believe the actual power of the things now seen. All kings when they die have their power extinguished with their life: but Christ crucified is worshipped by the whole world. We proclaim The Crucified, and the devils tremble now. Many have been crucified at various times; but of what other who was crucified did the invocation ever drive the devils away?

Let us, therefore, not be ashamed of the Cross of Christ; but though another hide it, do thou openly seal it upon your forehead, that the devils may behold the royal sign and flee trembling far away. Make then this sign at eating and drinking, at sitting, at lying down, at rising up, at speaking, at walking: in a word, at every act. For He who was here crucified is in heaven above. If after being crucified and buried He had remained in the tomb, we should have had cause to be ashamed; but, in fact, He who was crucified on Golgotha here, has ascended into heaven from the Mount of Olives on the East. For after having gone down hence into Hades, and come up again to us, He ascended again from us into heaven, His Father addressing Him, and saying, "Sit on My right hand, until I make Your enemies Your footstool."

From Catechetical Lecture 14:

The course of instruction in the Faith would lead me to speak of the Ascension also; but the grace of God so ordered it, that you heard most fully concerning it, as far as our weakness allowed, yesterday, on the Lord's day; since, by the providence of divine grace, the course of the Lessons in Church included the account of our Saviour's going up into the heavens ; and what was then said was spoken principally for the sake of all, and for the assembled body of the faithful, yet especially for your sake. But the question is, did you attend to what was said? For you know that the words which come next in the Creed teach you to believe in Him Who rose again the third day, and ascended into Heaven, and sat down on the right hand of the Father. I suppose then certainly that you remember the exposition; yet I will now again cursorily put you in mind of what was then said. Remember what is distinctly written in the Psalms, "God is gone up with a shout;" remember that the divine powers also said to one another, "Lift up your gates, you Princes," and the rest; remember also the Psalm which says, "He ascended on high, He led captivity captive;" remember the Prophet who said, "Who builds His ascension unto heaven;" and all the other particulars mentioned yesterday because of the gainsaying of the Jews.

For when they speak against the ascension of the Saviour, as being impossible, remember the account of the carrying away of Habakkuk: for if Habakkuk was transported by an Angel, being carried by the hair of his head , much rather was the Lord of both Prophets and Angels, able by His own power to make His ascent into the Heavens on a cloud from the Mount of Olives. Wonders like this you may call to mind, but reserve the preeminence for the Lord, the Worker of wonders; for the others were borne up, but He bears up all things. Remember that Enoch was translated [Hebrews 11:5]; but Jesus ascended: remember what was said yesterday concerning Elias, that Elias was taken up in a chariot of fire [2 Kings 2:11]; but that "the chariots of" Christ "are ten thousand-fold even thousands upon thousands:" and that Elias was taken up, towards the east of Jordan; but that Christ ascended at the east of the brook Cedron: and that Elias went "as into heaven;" but Jesus, into heaven: and that Elias said that a double portion in the Holy Spirit should be given to his holy disciple; but that Christ granted to His own disciples so great enjoyment of the grace of the Holy Ghost, as not only to have It in themselves, but also, by the laying on of their hands, to impart the fellowship of It to them who believed.

And when you have thus wrestled against the Jews  when you have worsted them by parallel instances, then come further to the pre-eminence of the Saviour's glory; namely, that they were the servants, but He the Son of God. And thus you will be reminded of His pre-eminence, by the thought that a servant of Christ was caught up to the third heaven. For if Elias attained as far as the first heaven, but Paul as far as the third, the latter, therefore, has obtained a more honourable dignity. Be not ashamed of your Apostles; they are not inferior to Moses, nor second to the Prophets; but they are noble among the noble, yea, nobler still. For Elias truly was taken up into heaven; but Peter has the keys of the kingdom of heaven, having received the words, "Whatsoever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." [Matthew 16:19] Elias was taken up only to heaven; but Paul both into heaven, and into paradise (for it behooved the disciples of Jesus to receive more manifold grace), "and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for man to utter." But Paul came down again from above, not because he was unworthy to abide in the third heaven, but in order that after having enjoyed things above man's reach, and descended in honour, and having preached Christ, and died for His sake, he might receive also the crown of martyrdom. But I pass over the other parts of this argument, of which I spoke yesterday in the Lord's-day congregation; for with understanding hearers, a mere reminder is sufficient for instruction.

But remember also what I have often said concerning the Son's sitting at the right hand of the Father; because of the next sentence in the Creed, which says, "and ascended into Heaven, and sat down at the right hand of the Father." Let us not curiously pry into what is properly meant by the throne; for it is incomprehensible: but neither let us endure those who falsely say, that it was after His Cross and Resurrection and Ascension into heaven, that the Son began to sit on the right hand of the Father. For the Son gained not His throne by advancement; but throughout His being (and His being is by an eternal generation) He also sits together with the Father. And this throne the Prophet Isaiah having beheld before the incarnate coming of the Saviour, says, "I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up" [Isaiah 6:1], and the rest. "For the Father no man has seen at any time" [John 1:18], and He who then appeared to the Prophet was the Son. The Psalmist also says, "Your throne is prepared of old; You are from everlasting." Though then the testimonies on this point are many, yet because of the lateness of the time, we will content ourselves even with these.

But now I must remind you of a few things out of many which are spoken concerning the Son's sitting at the right hand of the Father. For the hundred and ninth Psalm says plainly, "The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit on My right hand, until I make Your enemies Your footstool." And the Saviour, confirming this saying in the Gospels, says that "David spoke not these things of himself, but from the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, saying, How then does David in the Spirit call Him Lord, saying, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit on My right hand?" [Matthew 22:43] And the rest. And in the Acts of the Apostles, Peter on the day of Pentecost standing with the Eleven [Acts 2:34], and discoursing to the Israelites, has in very words cited this testimony from the hundred and ninth Psalm.

But I must remind you also of a few other testimonies in like manner concerning the Son's sitting at the right hand of the Father. For in the Gospel according to Matthew it is written, "Nevertheless, I say unto you, Henceforth you shall see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power" [Matthew 26:64], and the rest: in accordance with which the Apostle Peter also writes, "By the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, who is on the right hand of God, having gone into heaven." [1 Peter 3:22] And the Apostle Paul, writing to the Romans, says, "It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God." [Romans 8:34] And charging the Ephesians, he thus speaks, "According to the working of His mighty power, which He wrought in Christ when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand" [Ephesians 1:19-20]; and the rest. And the Colossians he taught thus, "If you then be risen with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God." [Colossians 3:1] And in the Epistle to the Hebrews he says, "When He had made purification of our sins, He sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high." [Hebrews 1:3[ And again, "But unto which of the Angels has He said at any time, Sit thou at My right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool?" And again, "But He, when He had offered one sacrifice for all men, for ever sat down on the right hand of God; from henceforth expecting till His enemies be made His footstool." And again, "Looking unto Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith; Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the Cross, despising shame, and is set down on the right hand of the throne of God."

And though there are many other texts concerning the sitting of the Only-begotten on the right hand of God, yet these may suffice us at present; with a repetition of my remark, that it was not after His coming in the flesh that He obtained the dignity of this seat; no, for even before all ages, the Only-begotten Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, ever possesses the throne on the right hand of the Father. Now may He Himself, the God of all, who is Father of the Christ, and our Lord Jesus Christ, who came down, and ascended, and sits together with the Father, watch over your souls; keep unshaken and unchanged your hope in Him who rose again; raise you together with Him from your dead sins unto His heavenly gift; count you worthy to be caught up in the clouds, "to meet the Lord in the air" [1 Thessalonians 4:17], in His fitting time; and, until that time arrive of His glorious second advent, write all your names in the Book of the living, and having written them, never blot them out (for the names of many, who fall away, are blotted out); and may He grant to all of you to believe in Him who rose again, and to look for Him who is gone up, and is to come again, (to come, but not from the earth; for be on your guard, O man, because of the deceivers who are to come Who sits on high, and is here present together with us, beholding the order of each, and the steadfastness of his faith. [Colossians 2:5] For think not that because He is now absent in the flesh, He is therefore absent also in the Spirit. He is here present in the midst of us, listening to what is said of Him, and beholding your inward thoughts, and trying the reins and hearts  who also is now ready to present those who are coming to baptism, and all of you, in the Holy Ghost to the Father, and to say, "Behold, I and the children whom God has given Me:"  To whom be glory for ever. Amen.

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## TER

The Five Joys of the Apostles after the Ascension of Christ

_By St. Silouan the Athonite_

As the Gospel tells us, after the Lord's Ascension the Apostles returned (to Jerusalem) "with great joy".

The Lord knows what joy He gave them: and their souls experienced this joy.

That they had known the true Lord Jesus Christ was their first joy.

Their second joy - that they loved Him.

Their third joy - that they had known life eternal in heaven.

And their fourth joy - that they desired salvation for the world, as for themselves.

And later on they rejoiced because they came to know the Holy Spirit, and witnessed the workings of the Holy Spirit in themselves.

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## TER

Tomorrow is the Feast Day of the Holy Ascension of Christ, forty days after His Resurrection. A blessed day to all!

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## TER

*SERMON ON ASCENSION DAY*

By Archpriest Andrew Phillips 

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. 

So we have come to the Feast of the Ascension of Our Lord. Thus we have come to the last day of Christ's physical presence on Earth. This marks the fulfilment of all things, since His Conception at the Annunciation to the Holy Virgin, His Birth and all the events of His earthly life, recorded for us in the Gospels.      

Christ came down from Heaven in order to destroy the power of Satan over mankind. Christ was crucified and rose from the dead in order to destroy death. Christ ascends into the skies in order to raise up fallen human nature to the heights of Heaven. But He ascends not as He came down. He ascends taking with Himself a human body, a human soul, a human mind, a human will, all the attributes of human nature, except of course for sin, for Christ's human nature is human nature as it was first intended to be, not fallen human nature, but human nature redeemed and made all comely. We should note, however, that all these victories of Christ over Satan, death and sin are accomplished in humility. 

At His Birth there was, as we would say now, no media.

 All happened in obscurity, lowliness and poverty, as the Saviour of mankind was born in a cave by the ox and the ass.

 At His Crucifixion also there was no glory: on the contrary, there was shame, thieves, reviling, mockery, bodily death, a lonely death.

 At His Resurrection, nobody saw anything. The women who saw the empty tomb were not even believed. Only a few dozen believers came to believe in the first few weeks after His Resurrection. 

So also at His Ascension the only witnesses were His Mother and the eleven disciples amid the obscure olives groves on the Mount outside the City.

 We see that all the great events, all the victories, of the life of Christ were accompanied by humility. 

This is because in the Church victory is humility. Every act of humility is a victory over the pride of Satan. 

And in order to grant us the opportunity for humility, at the last event of His physical presence amongst us, Christ gives us two things: 

Firstly, He comforts us and the disciples with the promise of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, Who will guide us into all truth, into all humility.

 Secondly, through His holy angels, He reminds us that as He ascends, so He will return, with angels and a cloud of glory. He reminds us that He will return in His Second and Glorious Coming to judge all the Earth. 

When He ascends, He promises us the Holy Spirit. 

When He descends at the Second Coming, He will come in glory as the Victor over death to judge all deathly acts, that is, all sins, for as the Apostle writes, the wages of sin are death. Thus God is victorious in humility.   Therefore the Orthodox Church and faithful Orthodox Christians are also victorious, but only in humility. God is the Merciful Saviour among us, granting us the Holy Spirit in order to guide us on our path to the victory of humility. As we have sung this day: 'I am with you and no-one will be against you'. God is the Righteous Judge among us, granting us His Coming again as the Judge of the Universe, guiding us on our path to the victory of humility: 

'I am with you and no-one will be against you'. 

Glory to Thee, O God, Glory to Thee!

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## TER

*THE ASCENSION: A DAY OF MOURNING OR A DAY OF JOY?*

Someone once asked me why the Feast of the Ascension is not a fast day. Perplexed, I inquired why he thought such a feast should be a fast day. He replied: Because the Lord left humanity on this day, so surely it is a day of sorrow. It later struck me how many others do not recognise how joyful and important the Feast of the Ascension of Christ is.

In ascending to the heavenly Father, our Lord took with Him our human nature which He assumed for our salvation. Because He shares in our humanity, we share in His divinity; He is the first to ascend to God the Father in the flesh, thus paving the way for all of us. Because He became our brother, we are children of His Father: 

*I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God. (John 20:17*)
*I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. (John 14:2-3).* 
Because Christ took flesh, died and rose in the body, and raised it up to heaven, we are able to follow Him to God the Father: 

*When You came down from heaven to things on earth, and as God raised up with You Adams nature which lay below in the prison of Hades, You brought it to heaven by Your Ascension, O Christ, and made it sit with You on Your Fathers throne, for You are merciful and love mankind. (Matins of the Ascension, Kathisma)*

As St. Paul writes: 

*Now this, He ascendedwhat does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things (Eph. 4:9-10).*
Far from being a day of sorrow, the Ascension is a feast of joy and eager anticipation. We cannot think of the Ascension without remembering that Christ is returning to the Father to pour the Holy Spirit upon us at Pentecost, ten days after Ascension Thursday:

*You were taken up in glory, Christ our God, giving joy to your Disciples by the promise of the Holy Spirit, when through the blessing they had been assured that you are the Son of God, the Redeemer of the world. (Apolytikion of the Ascension)

In ascending to heaven, O Lord, from where You also descended, do not leave us orphans; may Your Spirit come, bringing peace to the world; show to the sons of men Your powerful deeds, O Lord, for You love mankind. (Vespers for Ascension Thursday, first hymn of the aposticha)*
As our Lord said: 

*It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. (John 16:7)*
While the Ascension invites us to strengthen our preparation for Pentecost, at the same time it reminds us very strongly of our Lords Second Coming:

*Your Angels, O Lord, said to Your Apostles: Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up to heaven? This is Christ our God, who is taken up from you into heaven; He will come again in the same way that you have seen Him going to heaven [Acts 1:9-11]; serve Him in holiness and righteousness. (Vespers for Ascension Thursday, third hymn of the aposticha)*
This double preparation characterises the Feast of the Ascension: we prepare for the coming of the Holy Spirit while remembering also the Second Coming of Christ. As Christ ascends, not only are we reminded that He will come again, but through the Holy Spirit we are assured that I am with you always, until the end of time (Matt. 28:20):

*Abandoning on earth the things of the earth, leaving to the dust the things of the dust, let us now come to our senses and lift up our eyes and minds. O mortals, let our sight and all our senses fly to the gates of heaven. Let us imagine we are standing on the Mount of Olives, turning our gaze on the Redeemer, as He rides upon a cloud. For from where the Lord has hastened back to heaven, there too the Beneficent One has distributed His gifts to His Apostles, cherishing them as a father and confirming them, guiding them as sons and saying, I am not parting from you. I am with you, and there is no one against you. (Matins of the Ascension, Ikos)*
Posted by Vassilios Papavassiliou at 07:46

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## PierzStyx

"Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." Acts 1:11

With John the Revelator, I feel constrained to exclaim, "Even so, come, Lord Jesus." Come quickly, Lord!

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## TER

*The Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ 
*Posted on May 29, 2014 by Fr. Ted

The Feast of the Ascension of our Lord commemorates the events described in Acts 1:1-12.




_In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commandment through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. To them he presented himself alive after his passion by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days, and speaking of the kingdom of God. And while staying with them he charged them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, you heard from me, for John baptized with water, but before many days you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.

__So when they had come together, they asked him, Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? He said to them, It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth. And when he had said this, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.

__Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath days journey away;

_

The theme hymn (Troparion) for the Feast reads:

_O Christ God, You have ascended in Glory,__Granting joy to Your disciples by the promise of the Holy Spirit.__Through the blessing they were assured__That You are the Son of God,__The Redeemer of the world!
_


St. Silouan the Athonite (d. 1938AD) says:
_Since the days of my youth I have loved to reflect:_ _The Lord ascended into heaven__ and awaits our coming; but to be with the Lord we must be like Him, or like little children  lowly and meek  and we must serve Him. Then, according to the words of the Lord, Where I am, there shall also my servant be (John 12:26)  we, too, shall be with Him in the Kingdom of Heaven. . . . O, who shall sing me the song that I have loved since the days of my youth  the song of the Lords ascension into heaven, of His love for us, of the vigil He keeps for our coming? To this song would I hearken with tears, for my soul wearies on earth._
_What has befallen me? How came I to lose joy, and shall I attain to that joy again?
__Weep with me, all ye wild beasts and birds. Weep with me, forest and desert. Weep with me, every creature created of God, and comfort me in my grief and sorrow.

In this wise I reflect in my soul: if I who love God so little am so violently heartsick for the Lord, how exceeding great must have been the grief of the Mother of God when she was left on earth after the Ascension of her Lord. . . .

We cannot fathom the depth of the love of the Mother of God, but we know:

The greater the love, the greater the suffering of the soul.

The fuller the love, the fuller the knowledge of God.

The more ardent the love, the more fervent the prayer.

The more perfect the love, the holier the life.

__(Archimandrite Sophrony, ST SILOUAN THE ATHONITE, pp 365-366)
_
The Kontakion of the Feast:

_When You did fulfill the dispensation for our sake,__And unite earth to Heaven:__You did ascend in glory, O Christ our God,__Not being parted from those who love You,__But remaining with them and crying:__I am with you and no one will be against you._

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## TER

*The Incarnation and the Ascension*

Posted on May 28, 2014 by Fr. Ted




Hymns from the Feast of the Ascension of our Lord offer us a banquet table laden with Christian theology  opportunity to understand both our Creator God and what God offers to humanity. Consider for example the Kontakion hymn of the Feast:

_When You fulfilled the dispensation for our sake, and united earth to heaven, You ascended in glory, Christ our God, not being parted from those who love You, but remaining with them and crying: I am with you and no one will prevail against you!


_There is of course what I often consider the Byzantine playfulness of the hymn: Christ unites earth and heaven by leaving the earth and yet in his departure he is not separated from us but remains with us! Leaving and staying, parting and uniting all at the same time.




But within the is poetic language there is the theology of the Incarnation of God the Word. Our theology adamantly maintains that though Jesus Christ is fully human, He is also fully God. Though He resided on earth, He was never separated from heaven or from divinity. This is the mystery of the incarnation. But the incarnation is not just some divinely magical mystery. It is our salvation  it serves a purpose. It is the very reason why Christ, the Son of God, came to earth. As St. Athanasius and many others affirmed in one form or another: God became human so that humans might become divine.

God became human (John 1:14)  that is the incarnation, but the purpose of this is the salvation of humanity; namely restoring the union between God and humans. God became incarnate so that we humans could participate in the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4). The Ascension of Christ, the human risen from the dead, is the fulfillment of the second half of St. Athanasius statement for now in Christ humanity has been raised to the level of divinity. When materialistically minded people ask, How is this possible, is Jesus floating around in outer space somewhere?, we can only respond by helping people think outside of that limited, materialistic box. There is a divine mystery here, and we have to stop thinking so literally and materialistically to understand it. We are entering into the mystery of Gods own relationship to His creation. And, in the same way we cannot account for how it is possible for God to become human (to become incarnate, for God to become that which by nature is not God), we cannot fully comprehend how humanity can partake of the divine nature. Yet, we claim this is what God intended for humanity all along. At the Ascension we are encountering the other half of the truth of the incarnation; humanity now shares in divinity.

And since our humanity is now united with God in the incarnation, even if Christ is not physically present on earth, He remains united to our human nature. Salvation is that in Christ, we humans are united to Christ who shares our human nature. When we arebaptized into Christ, or when we receive Christ in the Eucharist we are united to Christ in heaven while simultaneously still being on earth.

Another hymn from the feast directs our attention to what we also suffer at the ascension of Christ:_
Ascending to heaven, from where you came, do not leave us as orphans, Lord. Let Your Spirit come, bringing peace to the world: show the children of mankind the works of Your power, Lord and Lover of mankind!
_
The ascension of Christ, His departure from earth and return to heaven, does leave us feeling abandoned. The hymns are bluntly honest about what the Ascension feels like. Wait, we dont want you to leave! Stay with us instead of leaving us! But the hymns also remind us that Christ in heaven is still fully human and never separated from our human nature. Additionally, we also receive the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and at our Chrismation. We are not abandoned by God but remain united to divinity.


And another hymn:

_Come, everyone who must return to the earth that which is of the earth, and yield ashes to ashes. Let us rouse ourselves and lift up our eyes and thoughts! Mortals, let us behold the heavenly gates with our eyes and understanding, imagining ourselves present on the Mount of Olives, and beholding the Deliverer carried upon the clouds, for the Lord ascended from there into the heavens, distributing His precious gifts to the apostles and consoling them as their Father, strengthening and instructing them as His children, saying to them: I am not parting myself from you! I am with you, and no one will prevail against you!
_
We mortals, humans who do die, are called at the Ascension of Christ to contemplate our humanity being permanently united to divinity for all eternity. We are united to Christ and He to us in such a way that we can never be separated from Him as long as we are human.

_The majesty of the One who assumed poverty by taking flesh has been taken up above the heavens in full view of all. Our fallen nature has been honored, seated together with the Father! Let us all celebrate and shout in harmony, clapping our hands in joy!
_
The Ascension reveals our salvation: God became human so that humans can partake of divinity. This is Christian theology. It reveals a great mystery about the Holy Trinity, the God who is Love.



As one of the Persons of the Trinity, Christ the Word of God, shared in the divine glory. Gods glory was Christs glory. Christ gave up that glory to become human (Philippians 2:4-9). Christ did not enter into the world in glory. He came into the world humbly, born in poverty in an animals cave and placed in a feeding trough. This is part of the mystery of God who by nature is humble and love. Gods glory does not prevent God from becoming human. Humanity is capable of bearing divinity. It was unexpected that God should come into the world, not in all His glory. But then, after being crucified on a cross  humbling himself to death on the cross  Christ the incarnated God ascends in glory. Christ reveals what human nature is capable of and what humans were intended for: complete union with God, partaking of the divine nature, and living in heaven. So we are not abandoned by Christ, nor are we separated from His glory, but we await fully participating in His glory.

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## eduardo89

Thank you for bumping this thread, TER. I was actually going to start one on this very topic

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## TER

*Ascension Day and the Great Commission* 


The feast of the Ascension is one of the major feast days of the Orthodox Church.  On this day our Lord Jesus Christ is taken up into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father.  This prepares the way for the coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost.


The feast of the Ascension is also significant because it is the day Christ gave the Great Commission to his apostles.


_And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.  (Matthew 28:18-20)_


The Great Commission can be viewed as an enthronement speech given by the suzerain (king) at his coronation.  In more modern terms the Great Commission is like the newly elected American president giving his inaugural address to the nation and the world.  In it he lays out the agenda and priorities for his administration.


The Great Commission passage is more than a collection of last words or parting instructions by Jesus before he goes away.  Matthew frames it using covenant language.  In the ancient Near Eastern treaties the suzerain (ruler) recounts his might deeds or his conquests to his prospective vassals (followers).  The accounts of healing, exorcisms, and signs and wonders in Matthew’s Gospel announces the mighty acts by the suzerain.  The passion narratives also recounts the mighty acts by the suzerain.  Jesus by his death and resurrection having defeated Death the last enemy now proceeds to reclaim what belongs to him (1 Corinthians 15:24-27).  He sends out his Apostles into the world as heralds of the kingdom of God who invite the nations to submit to the rule of Christ.  To become Christ’s disciple is to submit to his kingly authority.  Covenant initiation is done through baptism into the name of the Suzerain. This calls for fealty (personal relationship) between the vassal and the lord.  If a Reformed Christian attends an Orthodox baptism he will hear strong covenant language. The baptized joins himself to Christ and accepts Christ as king.  After baptism one is no longer one’s own person but Christ’s.


The baptismal formula has an interesting grammatical structure; “name” is singular but is followed by three subsequent names: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  This point to the doctrine of the Trinity: we are baptized into one God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  Another important grammatical aspect of the command to baptize is the collective pronoun “them,” a reference to the nations (ethne, εθνη).    While Christian baptism is profoundly personal, it also has a corporate dimension.  It is an affirmation of our unique ethnic identities.  The early Christians baptized families and social groups.  Paul baptized entire households (Acts 16:31-34, 18:8); later entire nations like the Russian people in the tenth century.  God’s redemptive work in Christ aims at the restoration of fallen humanity through union with Christ (Ephesians 1:10, 3:14-15).


People often misquote the Great Commission when they say: “teaching them everything I have commanded you,” when the actual words are “teaching them *to obey* everything I have commanded you” (NIV).  Christian discipleship is not about learning a set of doctrines as it is adopting a lifestyle based on Christ’s teachings.  The phrase “*everything* I have commanded you” is the basis for Holy Tradition which comprises *both* written and oral Tradition (2 Thessalonians 2:15).  That is why Orthodox catechesis emphasizes not just learning a system of doctrines but also learning a way of worship and a set of spiritual disciplines.


Jesus closes the Great Commission using eschatological language.  The phrase “I am with you,” echoes Haggai 1:13: “I am with you, says the LORD” and strongly implies Jesus’ divinity.  It also echoes Isaiah 7:14 which promised that through the promised Messiah God would be with his people.  Furthermore, when Jesus promised “I am with you *always*” he was asserting his divinity.  In Matthew 28:18 Jesus asserted the universality of his lordship across space, heaven and earth; here Jesus is asserting the eternality of his rule in time.  Many Christians today take for granted Jesus’ divinity but for early Christians, especially for Jews, this was astounding in its audacity.  Jesus’ divinity would become a major issue that would result in the convening of the First Ecumenical Council in Nicea in 325 and the Nicene Creed.




*The Orthodox Church and Missions*


The history of Orthodox Christianity can be viewed as a history of Christian missions.  In the first three centuries the Church evangelized the Roman Empire which gave rise to the emergence of a Christian civilization.  Following that the Gospel was brought to the Western frontiers of the Roman Empire.  Saint Boniface evangelized Gaul (France) and Saints Patrick and Columba evangelized Ireland and Scotland.  Saints Cyril and Methodius brought the Gospel to the Slavs in the tenth century.


More recently, Orthodox missionaries like Saint Herman and Saint Innocent brought the Gospel to the natives of Alaska in the eighteenth century.  Orthodox missions in the twenty first century has resulted in conversions among the Mayans in Central America and the Turkana peoples in East Africa.  There is a growing interest in Orthodoxy in the Philippines and in Indonesia.





There is a mistaken perception among Orthodox and non-Orthodox that the Orthodox Church does not do missionary work.  This is obviously not the case!


This Ascension Day celebration should be a reminder for Orthodox Christians to commit their lives to help bring the Gospel to all nations.  Fr. Luke Veronis wrote:


M_issions does not simply represent a “nice” task of the Church, but it summarizes the essence of who we are as Orthodox Christians, and it embodies the very nature of the Church. Archbishop Anastasios emphasizes this in another way, “Missions is a part of the DNA of the Church’s genetic makeup.”_


By Robert Arakaki

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## Sola_Fide

Out of respect for my religious faith, will you please stop posting pictures of Jesus?

Thank you, 
SF

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## TER

> Out of respect for my religious faith, will you please stop posting pictures of Jesus?
> 
> Thank you, 
> SF


 Sola!  I have already stated to you that I will gladly stop posting images of Christ when you can go a hundred posts without disrespecting other people's faith.  Let's begin now and round it to your 20,900th post.  Go!

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## eduardo89

*The Ascension: What’s In It For Me?*
MARCELLINO D'AMBROSIO, PH.D.


The celebration of the Ascension used to leave me a bit flat.  It was clear what Good Friday did for me.  And Easter Sunday’s benefits were indisputable.  But as for the Ascension, what’s in it for me?

Christianity is about a kind of love we call agape or charity.  It is love that looks away from itself to another and gives itself away for another.  The Divine Word did not become man or endure the cross because something was in it for Him.

Charity shares in the beloved’s joys and sorrows (Jn 14:28).  The first thing to remember about the Ascension is that it is about sharing in Jesus’ joy.  It is about celebrating his return to the heavenly glory to which he refused to cling (Phil 2:6-11).  It is about rejoicing that his crown of thorns has been replaced with the kingly crown, that the mocking crowd at Calvary has been replaced with myriads of adoring angels.  The Ascension is about Jesus’s triumph and glorification. If we get our attention off ourselves and allow the Holy Spirit’s love of the Son to animate our souls, we’ll experience greater joy than when we see our child hit a home run or graduate from college.

But the Ascension is not just about charity.  It is also a feast of hope.  Yes, there is something in it for us.  He goes to prepare a place for us (Jn 14:2).  We will also one day wear crowns made of gold instead of thorns.

The_Ascension 2For us to endure until that blessed moment, we need divine power.  That’s another reason we ought to rejoice in his Ascension.  He takes his place at God’s right hand so that he can pour out the promise of the Father, the Holy Spirit, upon his disciples (Eph 4:10).

As he ascends, he tells the disciples to wait for this power.  But notice that he does not tell them to wait passively for the rapture.  He does not instruct them to pour over Bible prophecies, debating about how and when he will return.  In fact in Acts 1:11, after the Lord ascends out of their sight, the angels ask why the disciples just stand there, staring into space.

The waiting is not to be a squandering of precious time.  It is waiting for a purpose, nine days of prayer (the first novena!) leading to empowerment.  Why empowerment?  Because they have challenging work to do.  “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations.”   (Matt 28: 16-20).

We used to think that evangelization was something that happened in mission countries far away, carried out by priests and religious.  But the Second Vatican Council told us that our own neighborhoods are mission territory, and that every single Catholic is called to be an evangelist.  Pope John Paul II proclaimed this as the “New Evangelization” because the place is new–right next door–and the missionaries are new since they include all us all.

I’m really not sure that St. Francis of Assisi ever said “Preach the Gospel always; when necessary, use words.”  But if he did, note this–Francis often thought it very necessary to use words.  His words could be heard in marketplaces, on street-corners, in Churches, wherever there were people.  Of course, preaching without an authentic witness of life is certainly counterproductive.  But forget about the idea that just the witness of our lives is enough.  It is not.  You may not called to preach on street corners, but Vatican II and subsequent popes, echoing 1 Pet 3:15, say that we all must be ready  to articulate what Jesus has done for us, what he means to us, and why he is the answer to the world’s problems.

Feel inadequate to the task?  You’re in good company. Benedict XVI’s first public statement was an admission of his inadequacy.  Do as he did–pray for the power of the Holy Spirit to move in and through you, and take the time to keep learning more about your faith so that you can share it with ever greater confidence.

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## eduardo89

> Out of respect for my religious faith, will you please stop posting pictures of Jesus?
> 
> Thank you, 
> SF


I think I know why the images of our Saviour offend you.



> The gospel is a comfort for the elect,  but it is an offense and a stumbling block to all false religionists

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## Terry1

Yeah, I can imagine what the inside of Sola's house looks like because images offend him.




He doesn't want to see my house then--I have a crap palace full of pictures in every room--not to mention those lil nick-nacks he calls "idols".

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## AFPVet

I think the book of Acts is one of the most pivotal books in the cannon. Regarding the images of Christ, we really don't know what he looked like—although some claim to have ascertained his face through the Shroud of Turin—we really don't know.

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## Terry1

> I think the book of Acts is one of the most pivotal books in the cannon. Regarding the images of Christ, we really don't know what he looked like—although some claim to have ascertained his face through the Shroud of Turin—we really don't know.


I had a dream once and saw the face of Jesus.  The best I can describe it now is I remember being lifted into heaven and the first thing I saw was Jesus walking toward me laughing with his arms stretched out.  I figured He was laughing at me because He knows me very well.

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## Terry1

Sola just neg repped me and told me to repent.

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## eduardo89

> Sola just neg repped me and told me to repent.


Dit it look like this?

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## Terry1

> Dit it look like this?


Yeah---exactly like that--LMAO! You got one too?   At least he's not discriminating.

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## moostraks

> Out of respect for my religious faith, will you please stop posting pictures of Jesus?
> 
> Thank you, 
> SF








How is that history lesson working out for you sola?

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## PierzStyx

> Sola!  I have already stated to you that I will gladly stop posting images of Christ when you can go a hundred posts without disrespecting other people's faith.  Let's begin now and round it to your 20,900th post.  Go!


Hey, if it counts I don't want you to stop. These are beautiful works of art.

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## Terry1

> How is that history lesson working out for you sola?


moos, those are some great graphics, like Deb--I'm ripping off the one on top.  That's a great statement there.

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## TER

By St. Nikolai Velimirovich

Thus did the One ascend to Heaven Who held heaven within Himself. He who carries hell within himself will end up in hell, but he who bears heaven within his soul will ascend to heaven. And truly, no one can ascend to heaven other than those who have heaven within; and no one can end up in hell besides those who have hell within. The familiar is drawn to what is familiar and unites with the familiar; but it rejects what is not familiar. Matter submits to the spirit to the extent that the human soul is filled with the Divine Spirit; and the laws of nature are obedient to moral laws, which govern the world. Because the Lord Jesus Christ is the fullness of the Holy Spirit and the perfection of moral law, to Him is subject all matterthe entire physical world, with all the laws of nature.

Any person, as a spirit, can be victorious in his life over a certain law of nature, with the help of another law of naturethat is, he can overcome it with his own spirit. Christ, as the God-Man, could subject the laws of nature to Himself through the law of the Spirit, which is the supreme law of the created world. However, this concept, just as any other spiritual concept, can be but partially explained by ordinary earthly conceptualizations and reasoningand that only by examples and comparisons.

Spiritual things only become clear beyond a doubt when the spirit sees them and perceives them. In order to see and feel the manifestations of the spiritual world, long and exhausting spiritual practice is needed, after which, by Gods grace, spiritual vision may be opened in a person; this vision allows him to see what seems unbelievable and impossible to ordinary mortals. Nevertheless, a person must first believe those who have seen the unbelievable, and strengthen their faith from day to day, striving to see what is inaccessible to the common gaze.

Not in vain does the Lord say, "Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed" (Jn. 20:29). The Lord God rejoices in their faith just as a father on earth rejoices that his children believe his every word. All the apostles were present at the Ascension of the Lord, gathered on the hill. This was their last collective meeting. However, this was not the last appearance of Christ. Later He appeared in a vision to the Apostle Paul on the road to Damascus, to the Apostle John on the island of Patmos, and to other apostles, as well as to martyrs, holy hierarchs, and confessors, over the course of the entire history of the Christian Church.

But the day will comeand that day is not far offwhen all the righteous men and women who firmly believed in Him throughout their lives will see Him. And around Him in the heavens will gather all those who were baptized on earth in His namenot only with water, but also with the Spirit and Fire. And they will enter into His joy, which the Heavenly Father has prepared for all His chosen, and will inherit a joy that they have never known before.

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## Eagles' Wings

All praise and glory, to our Ascended Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

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## DevilsAdvocate

I feel this has a place here.

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## Eagles' Wings

TER - I hope you don't mind this piece from a Reformed point of view.  I think we agree that our Lord's Ascension gives us cause for great joy.


The Ascension

by R.C. Sproul


These men had spent three years in a state of unspeakable joy. They had witnessed what no human beings before them had ever seen in the entire course of history. Their eyes peered openly at things angels themselves longed to look into but were unable. Their ears heard what ancient saints had a fierce desire to hear with their own ears. These men were the disciples of Jesus of Nazareth. They were His students. They were His companions. Where He went, they went. What He said, they heard. What He did, they saw with their own eyes. These were the original eyewitnesses of the earthly ministry of the Son of God.

But one day, these men heard from the lips of their teacher the worst of all possible news. Jesus told them that He was leaving them. He told them that the days of their intimate companionship in this world were coming to a hasty end. Imagine the shock and profound panic that filled the hearts of these disciples when Jesus said that it was just about over.

In John 16 we read what Jesus said: A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me. So some of his disciples said to one another, What is this that he says to us, A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me; and, because I am going to the Father? So they were saying, What does he mean by a little while? We do not know what he is talking about.

Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, Is this what you are asking yourselves, what I meant by saying, A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me? Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy. When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you (John 16:1622).

Just shortly before this enigmatic statement, Jesus had said to His disciples: But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, Where are you going? But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. (vv. 57).

In the first instance, Jesus says that their hearts will not simply be touched by sorrow or grief or disappointment, but there will be a fullness of sorrow that saturates the chambers of their hearts. They will be overcome with grief. Their mourning will reach the limits of its human capacity. But Jesus says the condition that they will experience will be temporary, that the sense of abandonment they may feel for a moment will give way to unspeakable joy.

Jesus also explains why He must leave them. He says that it is expedient or necessary for Him to go away so that the disciples may be filled with the Holy Spirit. What sounds like an absolute disadvantage, Jesus promises will turn into an advantage. In Acts 1:911 we read, And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven. The disciples watched Jesus leave them. They gazed, staring intently into the heavens as long as their eyes had any sight of Him, at which point two angels came and asked them why they were staring into heaven. The angels then told them that the same Jesus who visibly and bodily ascended would come in like manner at a later time.

Luke tells us in his gospel account of the ascension (24:5053): Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple blessing God. We notice here the complete fulfillment of what Jesus had predicted  the fullness of their sorrow that had completely engulfed them at the hearing of the news of His departure, had given way not only to contentment, not only to acceptance, not only to joy, but to a great and fulfilling joy. They returned from their last sight of Jesus with their hearts filled with elation. How can that be? The obvious answer is found in that the disciples came to understand the significance of the ascension. As hard as it was to fathom, they came to believe that Jesus absence from them was of more benefit than His bodily presence with them, the reason being where He was going and what He was about to undertake.

In John 3:13 Jesus declared, No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. That verse sounds difficult at first glance when we realize that in the Old Testament, Enoch ascended into heaven in the sense that he was carried there, as was Elijah when the chariots of fire lifted him up into the heavens. When Jesus speaks of ascension, Hes not speaking of merely going up. He is speaking of something in technical terms. He is thinking in terms of the Psalms of Ascent that celebrated the anointing of a king (Pss. 12034). When Jesus says no one ascends into heaven, it is true that no one ascends or goes to heaven in the same manner or for the same purpose that He went there. He was lifted up on clouds of glory in order to go to His Father for the purpose of His coronation as our King  as the King of kings and the Lord of lords. He ascended into heaven to fulfill His role as our Great High Priest, interceding for His people daily. So as He sits at the right hand of the Father, exercising His lordship over the whole world and His intercession before the Father on behalf of His people, He improves our condition dramatically. Not only this, but before Pentecost could come and the Holy Spirit could be poured out upon the church, empowering the church for its missionary enterprise to the whole world, it was necessary for Christ to ascend so that together with the Father He might dispatch from heaven the Holy Spirit in all of His power.

As hard as it is to imagine, the condition that we enjoy right now on this side of the atonement, on this side of the resurrection, this side of the ascension, and this side of Pentecost is, redemptively speaking, a greater situation than that which the disciples enjoyed during their three-year tenure in the presence of the Lord Jesus. We celebrate the ascension because we celebrate our King.

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## TER

I don't mind at all Louise.  This thread is to glorify our Lord's ascension to the Right Hand of the Father!

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## Eagles' Wings

> I don't mind at all Louise.  This thread is to glorify our Lord's ascension to the Right Hand of the Father!


Thank you.  Greetings and blessings to you and your family.

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