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THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRST By Metropolitan Panteleimon
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Jun 15, 2013, 12:35:20 PM6/15/13
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TO THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRST By His Eminence Metropolitan Panteleimon of Antinoes
The events of the Ascension into Heaven and the Enthronement of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ on the right hand of God the Father is mentioned by the Evangelist St Luke at the end of his Gospel (Luke 24:50) and at the beginning of the Book of Acts (1:1-11). Partially, the Evangelist Mark towards the end of his Gospel, which was added in a later stage, refers to the event, but very shortly he says: “after He spoken to them He ascended into heaven and sat on the right of God” (Mark 16:19). St John the Apostle and Evangelist has a prophetic saying concerning the Divine Ascension in chapter 20:17 of his Gospel.
The Ascension of our Lord took place near Jerusalem, on Mont of Olives, in the district of Bethany, forty days after His glorious Resurrection. During those forty days the Lord “after his suffering he presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God” (Acts 1:3). Also, on this Mountain Christ prayed to His Father before His Sufferings. The Suffering on the Cross led to the glory of the Resurrection, and in turns to the Divine Ascension.
Very brief records we also have in the following verses: John 6:62 and 20:17, Eph. 4:8-10, Heb. 4:14, 7:26, I Peter. 3:22 and Tim. 3:16. These verses speak about Christ’s Ascension.
The mystery of Christ’s Ascension and the Enthronement on the right hand of God the Father is a supernatural, but historical, event which is beyond any natural experience of the eyewitnesses, the holy Apostles. The Ascension of Christ is not merely an event of His life on earth, but an event which takes place also in the sphere of the supernatural world, where it finds its real cosmic dimensions.
The Messianic Psalm 23 refers to the dialogue which takes place between the Angels, who express their admiration for Jesus Christ Who enters into Heaven: “Lift up your gates, ye princes, and be ye lifted up, ye everlasting doors; and the king of glory shall come in. Who is this king of Glory? the Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your gates, ye princes; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the king of glory shall come in. Who is this king of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is this king of glory” (Psalm 23:7-10). Psalm 109:1-4 refers to the Messiah’s Enthronement on the right hand of God the Father and His victory against His enemies. The Ascension is mentioned also in the Holy Creed (the Nicene-Constantinople Creed).
Ascension Day, as a feast was introduced from the 4th century, in the beginning by the Church of Jerusalem. Before the 1st Ecumenical Council in the year 325 AD, Ascension Day was celebrated together with the Day of Pentecost.
The mystery of Ascension refers to the Royal Office of Christ, as King. The Catholic Epistle to the Hebrews connects the heavenly intervention of Jesus with His supreme hierarchal attribute, as a High Priest.
The whole Divine Economia (Dispensation) of our salvation is not only Christ-centered, but it was realized together with the Father and the Holy Spirit. The Lord’s Ascension was realized by the Father in the glory of the Holy Spirit. Thus, the Almightiness and the Royal Office of the Son of God is reveled.
With the Ascension Christ’s Nativity is fulfilled, for the human nature of Christ, glorified and deified, is united inseparably with the Divine Nature.
The whole work of salvation of Christ, from the Incarnation to the Ascension, has two movements: 1) from top to bottom, and 2) from the bottom to the top, descent and ascent, consent and elevation, emptiness and glory. The continuous descent, in other words the willing humbleness of the Son of God, consist the mystery of the Nativity, which continues throughout the earthly life of Christ till the Sufferings and Death on the Cross and the Descent into Hades.
Pascha is realized from the moment of death and the entrance into the new life, by which the ascent from bottom to top takes place, with the glorious Ascension of Christ from the depths of the earth to the Heavenly Father.
The Despotic Feast of the Divine Ascension has an important meaning for Christianity and the spiritual life, because it is refers to the deification of each and every man, which in its turns refers to the deepest meaning of the spiritual life in Christ.
This perfect feast invites us all to reach our spiritual perfection and fulfillment, which is achieved only within the Church. For without Christ we cannot achieve anything.
The Lord ascended into Heaven with all His glory, let this day become for us our ascension into the heights of virtues, for the glory of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The events of the Ascension into Heaven and the Enthronement of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ on the right hand of God the Father is mentioned by the Evangelist St Luke at the end of his Gospel (Luke 24:50) and at the beginning of the Book of Acts (1:1-11). Partially, the Evangelist Mark towards the end of his Gospel, which was added in a later stage, refers to the event, but very shortly he says: “after He spoken to them He ascended into heaven and sat on the right of God” (Mark 16:19). St John the Apostle and Evangelist has a prophetic saying concerning the Divine Ascension in chapter 20:17 of his Gospel.
The Ascension of our Lord took place near Jerusalem, on Mont of Olives, in the district of Bethany, forty days after His glorious Resurrection. During those forty days the Lord “after his suffering he presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God” (Acts 1:3). Also, on this Mountain Christ prayed to His Father before His Sufferings. The Suffering on the Cross led to the glory of the Resurrection, and in turns to the Divine Ascension.
Very brief records we also have in the following verses: John 6:62 and 20:17, Eph. 4:8-10, Heb. 4:14, 7:26, I Peter. 3:22 and Tim. 3:16. These verses speak about Christ’s Ascension.
The mystery of Christ’s Ascension and the Enthronement on the right hand of God the Father is a supernatural, but historical, event which is beyond any natural experience of the eyewitnesses, the holy Apostles. The Ascension of Christ is not merely an event of His life on earth, but an event which takes place also in the sphere of the supernatural world, where it finds its real cosmic dimensions.
The Messianic Psalm 23 refers to the dialogue which takes place between the Angels, who express their admiration for Jesus Christ Who enters into Heaven: “Lift up your gates, ye princes, and be ye lifted up, ye everlasting doors; and the king of glory shall come in. Who is this king of Glory? the Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your gates, ye princes; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the king of glory shall come in. Who is this king of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is this king of glory” (Psalm 23:7-10). Psalm 109:1-4 refers to the Messiah’s Enthronement on the right hand of God the Father and His victory against His enemies. The Ascension is mentioned also in the Holy Creed (the Nicene-Constantinople Creed).
Ascension Day, as a feast was introduced from the 4th century, in the beginning by the Church of Jerusalem. Before the 1st Ecumenical Council in the year 325 AD, Ascension Day was celebrated together with the Day of Pentecost.
The mystery of Ascension refers to the Royal Office of Christ, as King. The Catholic Epistle to the Hebrews connects the heavenly intervention of Jesus with His supreme hierarchal attribute, as a High Priest.
The whole Divine Economia (Dispensation) of our salvation is not only Christ-centered, but it was realized together with the Father and the Holy Spirit. The Lord’s Ascension was realized by the Father in the glory of the Holy Spirit. Thus, the Almightiness and the Royal Office of the Son of God is reveled.
With the Ascension Christ’s Nativity is fulfilled, for the human nature of Christ, glorified and deified, is united inseparably with the Divine Nature.
The whole work of salvation of Christ, from the Incarnation to the Ascension, has two movements: 1) from top to bottom, and 2) from the bottom to the top, descent and ascent, consent and elevation, emptiness and glory. The continuous descent, in other words the willing humbleness of the Son of God, consist the mystery of the Nativity, which continues throughout the earthly life of Christ till the Sufferings and Death on the Cross and the Descent into Hades.
Pascha is realized from the moment of death and the entrance into the new life, by which the ascent from bottom to top takes place, with the glorious Ascension of Christ from the depths of the earth to the Heavenly Father.
The Despotic Feast of the Divine Ascension has an important meaning for Christianity and the spiritual life, because it is refers to the deification of each and every man, which in its turns refers to the deepest meaning of the spiritual life in Christ.
This perfect feast invites us all to reach our spiritual perfection and fulfillment, which is achieved only within the Church. For without Christ we cannot achieve anything.
The Lord ascended into Heaven with all His glory, let this day become for us our ascension into the heights of virtues, for the glory of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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