Homily - The Ascension of the Lord
Homily The Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord Sunday, May 17, 2026 Happy Easter! Today we celebrate the Ascension of the Lord, forty plus three days after the Resurrection. More days than Lent. More days for a reason. We can’t have the suffering, death and resurrection without the Ascension. Today, we stand with the Resurrected and Ascended Christ. The suffering is over; the celebration begun. Soon, we will return to Ordinary Time, a time where we reflect on the life and ministry of Jesus. But that is then and this is now. Today, we stand with the disciples on the Mount of Olives and watch as Jesus is lifted up into heaven. The cloud receives Him, and He disappears from their sight. At first glance, it feels like an ending, a farewell that leaves us feeling lost, behind, without. But the Church has always understood the Ascension not as absence, but as presence in a new and more powerful way. Jesus has not left us. He has gone where He belongs, to th...