In other religions, the idea of a divine being taking on a human form is conceptualized very differently from Christianity. In other religions, gods might become human here and there, for short periods of time. Not so in Christianity.
In our faith, we believe that God became incarnate at a specific time in creation history. The Creed mentions Pontius Pilate, thereby highlighting the exact period in human history when God came among us. We believe that the Son, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, took on a human nature when Christ was conceived in the womb of the Virgin Mary by the Holy Spirit.
As a result, in Christ, God became incarnate, uniting himself to our humanity, without changing his Divinity. The Incarnation is the closest possible union between the Creator and his creation. We believe that the Incarnation was not just for a specific time period but for all eternity. The union that God established between himself and humanity will never be undone.
During his earthly ministry, Christ, God incarnate, walked among us, lived like one of us, as he proclaimed the Gospel. After his death and resurrection, he stayed upon the earth for 40 days. Then he ascended back into Heaven.
What is the Ascension? The Ascension of Christ does not mean that the Incarnation has been undone. God retains the profound bond that he has established with humanity. The Ascension means that Christ won't be directly living among us in his human form. He has returned to Heaven.
But that is not the end. Christ is now inviting all of humanity into the profound union brought about by the Incarnation. By being baptized into Christ and living in Christ we enter into the deepest possible union between God and humanity.
Furthermore, since Christ is not walking among us now proclaiming the Gospel himself, he has entrusted us with the task of proclaiming the Gospel to the world. The first disciples went forth and spread the Good News of God's love to the world with unstoppable zeal. Indeed, they valued the proclamation of the Good News over their own physical safety and even their earthly lives. It is because of their fearless evangelization that you and I can be believers today, that we know about the profound union God is inviting us into.
Christ is calling us to do the same. Just like the first disciples spread the Gospel with their whole lives, we are to do the same. Not only so that we can enter into that profound union with God ourselves. But also so that we can help generations of others, many not yet born, to receive the greatest gift possible, union with God through life in Christ.
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The readings for the Ascension Sunday, Cycle B are:
Acts 1:1-11
Ps 47:2-3, 6-7, 8-9
Eph 1:17-23
or Eph 4:1-13
or Eph 4:1-7, 11-13
Mk 16:15-20
The full text can be found at the USCCB website.
Photo Credit: The Church of the Ascension on the Mount of Olives, where Jesus ascended into Heaven by Zoltan Abraham (c) 2016.