“At his Ascension, everything about our Redeemer that had until then been visible was changed into a sacramental presence.”
The Ascension was a new beginning not only for the apostles but for the whole Church.
Our Lord took on our humanity so that He could glorify it. As a physical event, the Ascension shows us that Christ takes our humanity to heaven. From that time, He has been present in the Church to teach us and to sanctify us by means of the Church’s teaching and the sacraments.
Between the Ascension and Pentecost, the apostles remained fearful and hidden away. At Pentecost they received the Holy Spirit who strengthened them to bear witness. This grace for strengthening is communicated to us in the sacrament of Confirmation.
Traditionally, the days between the two feasts have been observed as a time of intense prayer, asking the Holy Spirit to come down upon us anew and give us the courage to show by our lives that we believe in Christ and follow His teaching. It is a good opportunity for us to examine our lives in the light of Christ and to resolve to live more faithfully as His disciples.
The sacred Liturgy of the Church teaches us to direct our eyes towards heaven, but it does not do so in order to lessen our action in the world. By focussing our minds and hearts on the risen Christ who sends the Holy Spirit, we draw inspiration and strength to make him better known through our witness and charity.