The Ascension of the Lord: Do Not Just Look Up

There is something deeply human in today’s feast of the Ascension. The disciples stood there looking at the sky, perhaps confused, perhaps afraid, perhaps wondering what would happen next. Jesus, whom they followed, loved, and depended on, was no longer physically with them.

And yet, the angels asked them:

“Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven?”

That question is also asked of us today.

The Ascension is often misunderstood as Jesus simply “going away.” But the feast is not about absence. It is about a deeper and wider presence. Jesus is no longer limited by one place, one village, or one moment in history. Through the Holy Spirit, He becomes present to all people and all generations.

In many ways, the Ascension is not the end of Jesus’ mission — it is the beginning of ours.

At Foundation of Balay Pasilungan, Inc., I sometimes encounter young people preparing to leave the shelter to begin independent life. Some become anxious and ask, “What if we fail? What if you are no longer there?” Over time, they discover that love and guidance do not disappear simply because physical presence changes. The lessons remain. The values remain. The spirit remains.

That is also the promise of Christ.

Before ascending, Jesus tells His disciples:

“I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Not “I was with you.”
But “I am with you.”

The Ascension therefore challenges us not to remain passive spectators of faith. The disciples were not told to keep staring at heaven. They were sent back into the world — to preach, heal, forgive, reconcile, and become witnesses.

Perhaps many of us still spend too much time “looking up” while forgetting the mission around us. We pray but fail to notice the lonely. We seek God in extraordinary signs while ignoring His presence in ordinary acts of kindness and compassion.

The Ascended Christ is present wherever love becomes real:

• in forgiveness,
• in mercy,
• in protecting the vulnerable,
• in comforting the wounded,
• in building peace,
• and in serving others with humility.

The real question of the Ascension is not:
“Where did Jesus go?”

The real question is:
“Can people still encounter Jesus through us?”

The feast reminds us that faith is never escapism. Christianity is not about withdrawing from the world but transforming it with the Spirit of Christ.

So today, may we stop merely looking toward heaven and begin bringing heaven into the lives of others.

 

At the Foot of the Cross

A Good Friday Reflection (John 18:1–19:42)

Today, we stand in silence at the foot of the Cross. On Good Friday, we look at Jesus crucified and remember this simple but powerful truth: God does not run away from human suffering.

Jesus was betrayed, rejected, mocked, and nailed to the Cross. He knows pain. He knows abandonment. He knows what it means to suffer. And yet, even in his agony, he did not stop loving.

That is the heart of Good Friday. The Cross is not only a sign of suffering. It is the greatest sign of love.

Many people carry hidden crosses - personal wounds, family struggles, grief, fear, and pain too deep for words. Today, Jesus invites us to bring all these to him. He does not remove the reality of suffering, but he fills it with his presence, mercy and love.

As we venerate the Cross today, may we remember: in Jesus, suffering is not meaningless, and love is never wasted!