Episode Transcript  

One

“Do Not Cling to Me”

The first person the Risen Lord appears to in the Gospels is Mary Magdalene. She’s there at the tomb weeping, and when she sees Jesus, she doesn’t recognize Him. Remember? She thinks He’s the gardener. And then, suddenly, He calls her by name, and in a flash, she knows that it’s the Lord.

Then, do you remember what Jesus says to her? He says, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to my Father.” In other words, Jesus is telling Mary Magdalene that He’s going to spend a second period on this earth, but it’s going to be a very short time. It’s the time between the Resurrection and the Ascension. 

So, what do we need to know about the mysterious period between these two events? And what do we need to know about the relationship between Christ’s Resurrection and Christ’s Ascension into Heaven?

Two

The Ascension Confirms the Resurrection

One thing to remember is that the Ascension is what validates the truth of the Resurrection. Those who doubt Christ’s divinity, of course, deny that Jesus rose from the dead. Of course, most people will admit that the Apostles themselves believed in the Resurrection, after all, they believed in it so much that they were all willing to be martyred for witnessing to it.

So the Apostles weren’t faking. But they also couldn’t be mistaken. The Apostles couldn’t have just hallucinated the resurrection. If they had, it wouldn’t explain why the Roman soldiers and the Jewish authorities admitted that Christ’s tomb was empty.

On the other hand, some people say that Jesus didn’t die at all, that He survived the crucifixion, and some people say that it was an impostor, maybe a look-alike, who masqueraded as Jesus after the crucifixion. This is the mainstream Islamic teaching (based on Surah 4:157 in the Qur’an).

But both these theories are falsified by the Ascension, because someone who had merely survived death, or a merely natural imposter, would have simply died a natural death, probably surrounded by His followers. The Ascension is what shows that there was no funny business about the Resurrection. The one who was miraculously taken up into Heaven is the one who was miraculously taken up out of the Tomb 

Three

The Ascension and the Meaning of the Resurrection 

One of the key purposes of the Resurrection is to show us Christ’s definitive victory over sin and death, and to assure us that, if we are joined to Him, we can share in His victory over sin and death. But Christ’s resurrection wasn’t a resurrection simply to more life on earth. Because life on earth wasn’t ultimately what we are made for, and it isn’t ultimately what can satisfy us.

Without the Ascension, we might have hoped for a mere immortality, but an immortality banished from the intimate union with God the Father is just what we mean by Hell. The Ascension reminds us why the Resurrection is such a victory, why it’s such a blessing to share in. The Ascension reminds us why we should be looking forward to the next life. Not just because Heaven is a kind of theme park, a kind of “greatest hits” of this life. Heaven does have the best of this life. But it has so much more. It has the Eternal and Infinite Source of all Good.

If we are united to Christ, that’s what’s waiting for us on the other side of death.

Four

Fearlessness of Death

Satan has us afraid of death because he makes us believe that all the goods available are here, in this life. If you believe in the resurrection, the primary result should be to take away your fear.

It should take away your fear of not maximizing your pleasures or successes or experiences in this life, since what’s waiting on the other side is far better than here. The resurrection really happened. Which means death is really not the end, but the beginning.

So what exactly are we afraid of? 

Five

The Mission after Christ’s Ascension

There’s a final point to be made about the Ascension: The Ascension signals a new phase in Christ’s work. After the Ascension, Christ goes to the right hand of the Father to intercede for all humanity. In a sense, that’s His new mission. But at the Ascension, He gives us a new mission as well. He tells us to go out to all the world, and make disciples of all nations, to baptize them, to tell them everything Christ has revealed. The Ascension is not just the completion of Christ’s work on earth. It’s the beginning of ours.

Jesus ascended to the Father so that we could receive His Spirit and continue His mission on earth. That begins by making your friendship with Jesus the central goal of your life. Deepen that friendship by receiving Him frequently in the Eucharist and spending time with Him in daily meditation, just as we are doing now.

Out of that friendship comes imitation. Let His words during prayer shape one simple, daily resolution, a small act of love, self-denial, or virtue, that allows His life to take root in yours.

And how do we evangelize? Start with the people closest to you. Strive to be a faithful friend. Take the focus off yourself and place it on them. Be curious about their lives. Listen well. Speak with kindness and truth. Live with integrity and joy. Above all, remove everything in your life that is annoying and let your growing virtue speak louder than your words. Then, when the opportunity arises, invite them to pray the Rosary with you, to go to Mass with you, to go to confession with you. Evangelization means to invite them to encounter Jesus directly in some way.

This is our mission. Are we living it? And what’s one small way we can begin again today?

Suggested Resolutions:

Choose one resolution for today to help you grow closer to God, or create your own. Here are some ideas to inspire you. 

• Invite someone to pray the Rosary with you this week.

• The Ascension is not just the completion of Christ’s work on earth. It’s the beginning of ours. Start simple, choose someone to intentionally get to know better and pray for them daily.

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