Published in the bulletin of Holy Ghost Catholic Church in Knoxville, TN, on the 4th Sunday of Easter.
My dear Parishioners,
Peace! The sixth article of the Apostle’s Creed is “Jesus Christ ascended into Heaven, He sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.” There are three (3) In Brief passages in the Catechism of the Catholic Church regarding this article of the Creed. The following is a reflection on article 667.
In His Ascension the risen Lord Jesus has entered once, for all into the sanctuary of Heaven. The term “sanctuary” is used variously. Many Protestants refer to the entire church building as the “sanctuary.” Catholics use the term “sanctuary” to refer to the area around the Altar. Victor Hugo (1802-1885) has Quasimodo invoke the “law of sanctuary” in The Hunchback of Notre-Dame. The Jerusalem Temple was the most beloved sanctuaries for the Jewish people. Ultimately, a sanctuary is the “house of God” (cf. Matthew 12:4; Mark 2:26; Luke 6:4). Our faith in Jesus’ Ascension refers to His taking His human nature, which He shares with us, to Heaven, God’s dwelling place. Our faith in Jesus’ Ascension has to do with His entry into the house of God not made with hands, eternal in heaven for which we long (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:1).
There are two (2) passages of Sacred Scripture which teach us about the intercession which Jesus does on our behalf. Romans 8:34 reminds us that Jesus has died, and risen and is at the Father’s right hand interceding for us. Hebrews 7:25 reminds us that the ascended Lord Jesus is able to save those who seek to come to the Father, who lives forever to intercede for us. In prayer we are able to petition God for ourselves: God bless me in this way… But, we are able to intercede for others: God bless these others, this other in such a way… This is how the risen and ascended Lord Jesus speaks to the Father on our behalf. His prayer for mercy “Father forgive them” did not stop on Good Friday (cf. Luke 23:34).
While He was on Earth and now in our human nature in Heaven the risen and ascended Lord Jesus remains the one mediator between us and God (cf. 1 Timothy 2:5). While holy Moses did mediate between God and the His people Israel, Jesus Christ is the new and definitive Moses, indeed the mediator of a better covenant with better promises (cf. Hebrews 8:6).
Even as the Catechism focuses our attention on our faith in the Ascension of the risen Lord Jesus, we are reminded of the continuous outpouring of the Holy Spirit (cf. 1 Thessalonians 4:8). The outpouring of the Holy Spirit is not restricted to Pentecost, the fiftieth (50) day after Easter, nor to our Confirmation (cf. Acts 8:17) or Baptism (cf. Matthew 28:19) but is a constant (cf. John 3:8, 34;7:39; 14:17; 15:26; 16:13; Acts 2:17-18)
We are a people of hope, longing for Heaven where the Lord had preceded us, from whence He will return in glory.
God bless you!
Father John Arthur Orr