The Great Feast of the Ascension of our Savior
On this day, we celebrate the Ascension of our Lord, God, and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Thou didst sit at the right hand of the Father,
O Word, Granting unto Thine initiates a most steadfast faith.
O Word, Granting unto Thine initiates a most steadfast faith.
When Christ was with the Disciples before His Passion, He promised them the coming of the All-Holy Spirit, saying: “For if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you.” And again: “When He is come, He will teach you all the truth.” For this reason, after His Arising from the dead, being seen of them for forty days, not always eating and drinking with them, but at intervals, He gave them firmer proof of His Resurrection. Finally, after making many promises concerning the Kingdom of God, He commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but await there the coming of the All-Holy Spirit, since they were to be baptized through Him. He commanded them to remain in Jerusalem, so that in that place the preaching of the Gospel might be first confirmed, lest in going to foreign parts they should become easy prey for slander, and because it was necessary for them to be equipped, like soldiers, with the weapons of the Spirit, and go thus into battle against the enemies of Christ.
When the time for the Ascension was at hand, He led them forth to the Mount of Olives, and conversed with them about His proclamation to the ends of the earth, and also about His perpetual Kingdom to come. When He saw that they were going to ask Him what they should do, and since His immaculate Mother was also present there, He drew their attention to the Angels, who indicated His ascent to Heaven. And while they beheld, He was taken up from their midst, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. Being thus escorted by the Angels, who exhorted each other to lift up the heavenly gates and were astonished that His flesh was reddened with blood, He ascended and sat at the right hand of the Father, deifying the flesh, and—I make bold to say—putting it on a level with God. For through the flesh we were reconciled to God and the ancient enmity was destroyed. The Angels stood before the Apostles in the form of men, saying: “Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye in amazement, gazing up into Heaven? This Jesus, Whom ye saw as God in the flesh, will come again thus, that is, in the flesh; save not as before, in poverty and gentleness, but with great glory, as ye behold Him now escorted by Angels.”
Then the Apostles, wearied by their gazing, returned from the Mount of Olives. This is very close to Jerusalem, by a distance of two thousand and forty paces. This is the Way of the Sabbath. Thus was it enjoined on Moses to walk so many paces on the Sabbath, because this was the distance from the Tabernacle of witness to the camp of the Jews. It was permitted for worshippers to go out there on the Sabbath, but not to extend their journey any further. For this reason it was called the Way of the Sabbath.
Hence, it seems to some that the Ascension of Christ took place on the Sabbath, but this is rather improbable. When they returned, the Apostles went up to the upper room, in which they remained, together with the Myrrh-Bearing Women and the Mother of the Word, occupying themselves in fasting, prayer, and supplications and awaiting the advent of the All-Holy Spirit, according to the promise.
O Christ our God, Who didst ascend in glory, have mercy on us. Amen.
9 Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.
10 And she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept.
11 And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not.
12 After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country.
13 And they went and told it unto the residue: neither believed they them.
14 Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.
15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.
20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.
Acts 1:1-12 KJV
1 The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,
2 Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:
3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:
4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.
5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.
6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?
7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.
8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
12 Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey.
Saint Luke 24:36-53 KJV
36 And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
37 But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.
38 And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?
39 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.
40 And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet.
41 And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?
42 And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb.
43 And he took it, and did eat before them.
44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.
45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,
46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:
47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
48 And ye are witnesses of these things.
49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
50 And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them.
51 And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.
52 And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy:
53 And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.
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