Ascension-Day — On the Ascension of our Lord

Consider, first, that our Lord, after having employed forty days upon earth, to comfort and encourage his disciples, to confirm them in the faith of his resurrection, and to instruct them in the mysteries of his kingdom; on the fortieth day, taking them out with him to mount Olivet, lifted up his hands, and gave them his blessing; and so ascended up visibly to heaven, before their eyes, till a cloud interposed, and took him out of their sight. Bow thyself down, my soul, to receive with joy and gratitude this blessing of thy Saviour, ascending now to his Father and to thy Father; follow him in spirit, and contemplate the triumphs and joy of all the heavenly legions, that come out to meet him, and attend him to his Father’s throne. See how he brings along with him all the patriarchs, prophets, and spirits of the just, into those regions of eternal bliss, and presents them to his Father, as the first fruits of his purchase, which he had made upon earth with his precious blood. See with joy thy human nature, in the person of thy Lord, raised above all the cherubims and seraphims, and seated at the right hand of God; and exercise thyself, upon this occasion, in acts of love, in the way of congratulation, and of rejoicing at the exaltation and at the triumphs of thy Saviour.

Consider, secondly, that our Lord, by his ascension, has taken possession of the kingdom of heaven, not only for himself, but also for us. He purchased this kingdom for us with his own blood; he opened the gates of it by his death; he showed us the w'ay to it by his resurrection; and, by his ascension, has given us, as it were, an earnest of our coming one day to reign there with him. He is our Head; we are his members: it is but natural that where the head is, there the members should also be: il would be unnatural, it would be keeping them in a state of violence, to keep them separate from their head. What comfort, then, to Christian souls, to see their Head, by this mystery of his ascension into heaven, raised to the highest seat in that eternal kingdom, in order to draw them thither after him, and, in the mean time, preparing a place for them there, that he may, in proper time, come and take them to himself that where he ts, they also may be, St. John xiv.

Consider, thirdly, what further motives we have for rejoicing in the ascension of our Lord, when we reflect that he has entered into heaven, in quality of our Parent, of our Friend, of our Advocate and Mediator, of our High Priest, &c. O what encouragements are here to raise our hopes! We have a tender Father in heaven, the true Parent of our souls, who ‘has all power in the court of heaven, and takes exceedingly to heart our true interest; we have there, in the person of our Redeemer, a most affectionate Friend, who loves us with an incomparable love; we have a most faithful Mediator and Advocate, who ever pleads for us with the powerful eloquence of his sacred wounds, which he continually represents to his Father, in our behalf; we have a High Priest, who, to make atonement for us, has carried in to this heavenly sanctuary, not the blood of oxen or of goats, but his own most sacred blood, shed for obtaining for us an everlasting redemption. O see, my soul, upon how many accounts thou oughtest to rejoice, on this festival of the ascension of thy Lord, if thou either lovest him or thyself.

Conclude to consider this festival of the ascension of our Lord as one of the principal solemnities of the year. The church of God considers it as such, and therefore daily commemorates, in a particular manner, in the most sacred mysteries, not only the passion and resurrection, but also the ascension of her heavenly Spouse; as the mystery which put the last seal, as it were, to the great work of our redemption, and placed this fl«3sh of ours in heaven, even at the right hand of the Father, which, at the fol’ of our first parents had been sentenced to return to its original earth.