Today we celebrate Jesus' ascension into heaven. Our gospel lesson from Matthew does not directly speak of our Lord's ascension, but it does provide some clues regarding its significance. It has to do with Jesus' great commission ("to make disciples of all nations [Matthew 28:19])" and its relationship to the Trinity. Somehow Jesus' ascension represents an internal divine commitment by God that he will not quit until everyone is wrapped up in his love.

Here is the story. According to Matthew's version, on that first Easter the angel instructed the women at the empty tomb to tell the disciples of Jesus that they should go to Galilee to meet the Risen Lord there (Matthew 28:7). Jesus repeated the request when he appeared to the women later that morning (Matthew 29:8-10). Of course, the region of Galilee included the town of Nazareth. (Capernaum was also located in the region.) Thus it was Jesus' home area, and many of his disciples had their roots in that region. Consequently, it was quite natural that Jesus would arrange to be reunited with his disciples on their home turf.

Obediently, though apparently with some skepticism about reports concerning Jesus' resurrection, the disciples immediately left Jerusalem after learning of the angel's directive and headed for Galilee (Matthew 28:16-17). And then in our lesson, Jesus appeared to them on a mountain in Galilee (Matthew 28:16-17). There is some debate among scholars concerning where Jesus came from in this appearance. Was it merely another of his resurrection appearances here on earth? Or had he been associating with the heavenly presence of the Father before the appearance?1

The report that when the disciples saw Jesus, they worshiped him (Matthew 28:17) suggests that somehow the glory of God was emanating from him. The disciples had not previously worshiped him, and in none of the other resurrection appearances in any of the gospels is the Risen Christ worshiped. Yet in this account he is worshiped. Does this not connote that Jesus' glorified, divine nature was shining through his earthly body? The disciples were perhaps getting a glimpse of Jesus' heavenly presence (sort of like they had at the transfiguration [Matthew 17:1ff; Mark 9:2ff; Luke 9:28ff].) Some have even speculated that the Galilean mountain on which Jesus appeared to his disciples in our story (Matthew 28:16) is exactly the same mountain on which he was transfigured (Matthew 17:1, et al.). This would support the idea that we should understand today's gospel story, like we do the transfiguration, as a revelation of Jesus' heavenly glory.2 In a way, then, this resurrection appearance points us to the theme of the day - to the ascension; to the way Jesus is continuing to relate to us as he sits in his heavenly glory after the ascension.

There are more clues in Matthew's gospel that today's gospel lesson is properly read in relation to Jesus' ascension. It is, after all, the very end of the gospel. No further events in Jesus' earthly life are recorded by Matthew. Can we not, then, rightly assume that he was soon to ascend? After all, he promises to be evermore with the disciples (Matthew 28:20). Yet we know that this was not the case with regard to Jesus' bodily presence with the disciples. (Think of his bodily absence in Acts.) Consequently, unless Jesus was lying, his promise to be with the disciples (Matthew 28:20) must refer to the sense in which he would be present with them spiritually after his ascension.

Jesus is reported to have said some other things to suggest that he should be understood in this story in light of his ascension into heaven. After all, he spoke to the disciples in a way as if he were saying good-bye to them - giving them directives concerning their future mission (Matthew 28:19-20). In addition, he also seemed to refer to the heavenly glory and majesty that he shares with the Father, as he referred to the Trinity (to baptism in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit) (Matthew 28:19). Yes, there are all sorts of indications that we should understand today's gospel lesson in light of how we are to live now that Jesus has ascended.

The punchline to it all comes at the end of Jesus' remarks to his followers. To them he said: "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age (Matthew 28:19-20)."

Jesus commissions the disciples and us to baptize. He invokes the Trinity. Then he proceeds to assure us that he will not be totally absent from us. Jesus' ascension brings us to the threshold of some of the deepest mysteries of our faith.

The ascension. What do you make of it? To be sure, it explains why Jesus is no longer bodily present with us (except in the sacraments). But why is it a festival? What is there to celebrate? It would be a whole lot nicer for us if Jesus were still around in the body, a whole lot easier to believe in him, right?

We have something to celebrate about in Jesus' ascension. His glorification in heaven is our assurance that nothing can ultimately harm us. He has all authority on heaven and earth (Matthew 28:18). One of the 16th century Protestant reformers expressed the Catholic faith very well at this point. Here is what he said: "For while my enemies stand before my very door and plan to slay me, my faith reasons thus: Christ is ascended into heaven and became Lord over all creatures, hence my enemies, too, must be subject to him and thus it is not in their power to do me harm."3

With Jesus in heaven, a sure sign that he is Lord of all, those of us who are in him can be assured that nothing ultimately can harm us. Are you in the midst of temptation? Do you fear what comes next? Christ is Lord over all suffering, temptation and evil. Have confidence that, because you are in him, and under the care of his lordship, none of these ultimately can harm you. The ascension of Jesus, then, is the assurance that Jesus is caring for us when we are down. Hang on to it the next time that you are suffering; the ascension really is something to celebrate.

Oh, but the ascension is more. It points us to the majesty of the Trinity and serves as a seal to the fact that God in his triune majesty has a human side. What an assuring, comforting word. It explains even more fully the great commission that Jesus gave us to evangelize the world. The ascension unambiguously certifies that God has a human side and wants us dearly. Think about it with me.

Jesus' ascension into heaven seems to have been with a body (Acts 1:9). United in essence with the Father, he gives to the Father all that is his (including, presumably, the body). This entails that part of God's very being, part of the way that he is henceforth, is that he cannot escape us human beings. From now on, at least since the ascension, he and Jesus are one. The man Jesus, a man in many ways like you and me, is so wrapped up in God that together they form one.

Their union is even more perfect. The Holy Spirit, who according to Augustine, is the blessed love between Father and Son, makes them one.4 The Father loves the Son and the Spirit makes them one. That is the Trinity doctrine in a nutshell. Insofar as the ascension of Jesus entails that this oneness includes a human component, God can not be God unless he is all wrapped up in the lives of human beings (for the Son with whom he is one is such a human).

Here we see what is really at stake for God in the great commission to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19). Reunited with the man Jesus in his ascension, it is God's very nature to seek union with human beings. In the work of evangelism (in bringing others to faith in him), God is truly "doing his thing." He is becoming more of what he already is - a God who is all tied up in the fate of humanity.

Likewise, when we take up Jesus' great commission, when we do evangelism, we are merely doing our own thing. The fact that baptism is in the name of the Trinity reminds us of that (Matthew 28:19). The ascension and baptism in the name of the Trinity can be wonderful supports to us in our evangelism efforts. Let me explain that point.

Evangelism. It is a word on every pair of American Christian lips these days. Everyone is speaking of church growth. Yes, we all talk about it, but it does not come easy in action. All of us, your priest included, know the difficulties and the awkwardness that come when you try to talk about the Catholic faith. The going gets even tougher when we try to excite faith in others or endeavor to encourage them to practice the faith. Evangelism is a real choice; it just seems so unnatural and imposing a task sometimes.

It is precisely at this point that the ascension and the invocation of the Trinity can be such supports to us in our evangelism efforts. We have a God for whom evangelism (gathering human beings together in faith) just comes naturally. It is part of who he is. But insofar as you and I have been baptized into Christ (baptized, as it were, into the Trinitarian relationships of the Son with the Father and the Spirit), we have received all that Christ and God has (Romans 6:3-6; John 14:12). Consequently, evangelism ought to come just as naturally to us as it does to Jesus and God. Insofar as we are wrapped up in Christ and he in the Trinity (John 14:20), God's concern about human beings and their spiritual relationship with him is our concern. Evangelism, you might say, is in our blood.

The real you and me (the one created in our baptisms, the new being that is ours in the Easter resurrection) shares that concern for the evangelism, for the spiritual well-being of our brothers and sisters. We will receive a "booster shot;" more of that attitude will be getting into our blood in just a few moments, as we receive Christ into our bodies through theeucharist. Just as the Father through his union with Christ is tied up with a concern for the spiritual welfare of humanity, so we, the faithful, insofar as we are united with Christ, share the Trinitarian concern to reach all with the gospel.

When you are being true to the kind of person God has made you (in Christ's resurrection and in your baptism), then evangelism is no odious task. You do it with enthusiasm. It just comes naturally.

This is why Jesus directs us to baptize in the name of the triune God (Matthew 28:19). The reference to the Trinity reminds us that our efforts to bring others to Christ just come naturally to those who believe in a triune God. By the same token, those who are baptized are taken into fellowship with a God and fellow-believers who are by nature evangelists.

Evangelism may seem like a strained awkward activity for us in many situations, something like a burden hung around our necks. Jesus' ascension, which places his humanity (and therefore our humanity) in union with the Trinity, is a reminder that we are so tied up with an evangelizing Lord that evangelism is just part of who we are. It is rather like having a dear friend or family member who loves a particular activity (let us say baseball). Taking such a loved one to a ball game is no demanding chore. It just comes naturally. It is the same for Christians in responding to the "evangelizing" triune God to whom we are linked.

Yes, evangelism has been put in your "spiritual blood" in virtue of your union with Christ through your faith and your baptism. It is no burdensome task when we are being true to the new life that Christ has given you. That awareness will help free you up when you are doing evangelism. It has freed me. It gives us confidence to do evangelism; it is a motivator. But there is one more freeing word that the ascension speaks concerning evangelism. That word is right here in our gospel text. Jesus says to the disciples and to us: "... lo I am with you always, to the close of the age (Matthew 28:20b)."

The Holy Spirit makes Christ present to us (John 14:16, 17; 1 John 4:13; Romans 8:9). We are not alone when we do evangelism. Jesus is manifest and doing it with us! Evangelism is surely no burden when we keep in mind that our Lord is doing it with us.

The ascension is a great festival. It makes evangelism a joy and not a burden. The ascension assures us that, insofar as he has been united with our human nature, the triune God is a God who will not quit until all people are wrapped up in his love. He has made us that kind of people, too. Beside us in these efforts is Jesus, who will not let us quit until all people are wrapped up in his love. The ascension sure is something to celebrate.