Yesterday was a big day in The Church’s Year of Grace. It was Ascension Day, the day we celebrate that Our Lord Jesus went up into heaven and sits at God’s right hand.

We celebrate it on a Thursday every year. Why? Because it happened on a Thursday. St. Luke reports in Acts 1 that Jesus appeared to His disciples over 40 days after His Resurrection, and He ascended into heaven on the 40th day. During that time He told them they were soon going to go out throughout the world to tell everyone what He did by dying and rising again.

He took them up the Mount of Olives. He was blessing His disciples, and He started going up. Then God’s glory cloud covered Him and heaven received Him. Ever since then He’s been at God’s right hand. He’s ruling all things for us and interceding with His Father for us.

But don’t think He’s stuck up there. The right hand means He’s God’s right hand man. He’s got the power. St. Paul says in Colossians He ascended into heaven to fill all things. He’s omnipresent. That means He’s present everywhere. He’s God, so He’s everywhere. He’s here right now speaking to you. He sees what you’re doing on the playground and in the classroom, at home and in the car. He is with us always.

Is that a scary thought? He’s coming again, the angels told the disciples. He will appear the same way He went away. On that day He will judge the living and the dead. He will judge you. He should tell you all the bad stuff you’ve ever done and punish you. That’s a scary thought!

But that doesn’t have to happen. He already died for all the bad stuff you’ve done. He rose back to life. That means He was punished for you and there’s no punishment left for you. He loves you. He forgives you. He’s gone into heaven to prepare for you to join Him there. He’s coming back to bring you back to life after you die. Why? So you’ll be glorified like Him and live with Him forever.