The feast of the Ascension of the Lord that we celebrate this weekend calls us to mission. The angel said to the disciples in our first reading today, “Why are you standing there looking at the sky?” (Acts 1:11). In other words, “Get to work!”
The Ascension is often misunderstood as Jesus “leaving.” But in truth, it is not about absence; it is about a new kind of presence. Jesus does not withdraw from the world; He enters more deeply into it, no longer limited by time or space. As He says in the Gospel, “I am with you always, until the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20)
So what changed? Before the Ascension, the disciples walked with Jesus. After the Ascension, they would live in Jesus—and He in them. His physical presence gives way to a sacramental, mystical, and universal presence. Through the Holy Spirit, Christ becomes accessible to every place, every person, and every moment. This is why the Ascension is not the end of the mission—it is the beginning of the Church’s mission.
Jesus gives them a command: “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations.” He does not say, “Wait until you feel ready.” He does not say, “Go when you have everything figured out.” He sends them as they are—still confused, still fragile, still learning. That should give us some relief, because many of us are still “standing there looking at the sky.” We wait for clarity, for strength, for the perfect moment. We look upward in prayer—but sometimes forget to move outward in mission.
Our parish of Holy Family needs more active members who are willing to serve. Our growing population demands more ministers. For us to have good worship, many hands are needed. All that is needed are open hearts and willing hands. Where there is a will, there is a way.
The Ascension teaches us not only to keep our eyes lifted to heaven, but also to keep our feet firmly on earth. To believe in the Ascended Christ is not to escape the world, but to engage it with hope. We cannot only show up on Sundays; we can also help in different ministries: Ushers, Lectors, Extraordinary Ministers of the Holy Eucharist, Choir, Altar Servers, etc.
The Church is the Body of Christ in our midst, and we are her members. We are not spectators; we are participants. So the question from the angels becomes personal: Why are you still standing there looking at the sky? There is work to do. There are people to love. There is a Gospel to live. There is a community to build. And we are not alone. Jesus is with us until the end of time, in the Holy Spirit.
God is good, all the time!
Father Tony Udoh, MSP
Pastor of Holy Family
