The Apostles at the Ascension

From a presentation to the Conference of Catholic Women at Ascension Church, Boca Raton, FL on May 15, 2023

The reaction of the Apostles to the Ascension of Christ is not detailed in the Gospels. In fact, neither Matthew nor John mention the Ascension at all. Mark’s account is brief: “So then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them, was taken up into heaven and took his seat at the right hand of God.” (Mark 16:19). Luke, in his Gospel, is just as brief: “Then he led them [out] as far as Bethany, raised his hands, and blessed them. As he blessed them he parted from them and was taken up to heaven.” (Luke 24:50).

Luke does, however, give us a slightly longer description in Acts of the Apostles: “When he had said this, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight. While they were looking intently at the sky as he was going, suddenly two men dressed in white garments stood beside them. They said, “Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking at the sky? This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven.” Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day’s journey away.” (Acts 1:9-12)

Now, the Apostles surely knew that Elijah had been taken up to heaven: ” As they walked on still conversing, a fiery chariot and fiery horses came between the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind, and Elisha saw it happen. He cried out, “My father! my father! Israel’s chariot and steeds!” Then he saw him no longer.” (2 Kings 2:11-12). So they were perhaps not as shocked and amazed as we would be if such a thing happened. Yet, still, I think it worth contemplating why the Bible is silent on their response. The Bible is, we know, the words of human authors, writing in divine inspiration all that we need to know for our salvation. God, then, did not inspire any writer to tell us how the apostles responded, for it is not information necessary for our salvation.

This, then, is a perfect place for us to put ourselves into the story. Sit back, shut your eyes, and remove yourself from all the things that connect you to this time and place. Let your thoughts drift back over 2,000 years. Perhaps you are with the Apostles on Mount Olivet. Perhaps you join them on their journey back to Jerusalem. Perhaps you see your good friends James and Andrew the next day. The Apostles may not have immediately announced the event, but surely they discussed it among themselves. Surely they tried to put into words that which they had seen. And surely, those who did not themselves witness the event would press for more and more detail, as they tried to wrap their own minds around this occurrence.

For Jesus was taken up into heaven, taken up in a cloud. We can imagine a fiery chariot taking Elijah; it was not Elijah’s power moving him to heaven, but a conveyance sent from heaven. But Jesus ascends himself, of his own power.

Bloodied, bruised, crucified; resurrected; ascended.

It was not a passing days’ marvel, talked about for a month or two and forgotten. For here we are, over two thousand years later, still pondering. By his death, he destroyed our death. By his rising, he restored our love. He ascended to heaven in all his glory, and will come again in his glory at the end of time.