Thursday 5th May is Ascension Day. The term “ascension” comes from the word “to ascend” and Luke tells us that on this 40th day after Easter Jesus was “lifted up”, Jesus was “carried up into heaven” (Luke 24:49).

For centuries Christians have acknowledged and celebrated this amazing event. It comes just ten days before the next big celebration that is Pentecost.

In many places around the world Ascension Day is a big deal. In Indonesia, for example, it’s a national holiday (not bad for the world’s largest Muslim nation!). But here in Australia Ascension Day goes by almost unnoticed. And I often wonder why?

Perhaps, in our sophisticated post-enlightenment culture, the idea that heaven is somehow “up there” seems antiquated and very much out of date. Moreover, the suggestion Jesus in some way becomes airborne and zips off into outer space is considered to be somewhat childish and inappropriate to our modern scientific worldview.

So how are we to understand Ascension?

The Christian tradition speaks of Ascension in terms of Jesus, in his humanity, being “lifted up” to be one with God. Moreover, in doing so, Jesus fulfils the promise that he will go to prepare a place for us. In other words, through this most strange, mysterious event, we are presented with the truth stating there is much more to who we are. There is much more to what we understand and to what we experience in this mortal life.

I believe Ascension points to a new reality where humanity is united with God, where each one of us is offered the opportunity to feast and revel in the presence of our Creator. Here we are gifted with the moment to savour and celebrate what we are created to be – and that is to live in communion with our God.

Now this may sound quite “super spiritual”. But the Good News tells us Jesus lived, died, was raised from the dead and ascended to heaven with the specific purpose lifting the veil and bridging the divide that separates us from God. Here we are united together with our Creator. Jesus does this with the purpose of offering us life in abundance where the shadow of death and the torment of suffering no longer hold sway.

Ascension Day may trouble our modern-day outlook. But the truth it conveys is awesome. Let us never overlook or bypass this amazing day!

John Barr