“May the eyes of your hearts be enlightened, that you may know what is the hope that belongs to his call, what are the riches of glory in his inheritance among the holy ones, and what is the surpassing greatness of his power for us who believe” (Ephesians 1:18-19).

Hope is an expression of trust. With hope, we put our earthly and eternal life in God’s hands and trust it will unfold according to His divine plan.

We experience immense hope on Easter. Through the Resurrection, Jesus fulfilled His promise of eternal life. This hope stays with us throughout the Easter season as God continues to reveal His plan of salvation in miraculous ways. The Ascension is a continuation of that Easterly hope, further affirmation and proof of our heavenly home.

Hope in the Holy Spirit

The Ascension is a miracle of hope. After assuring the apostles that they would be baptized with the Holy Spirit in the coming days, Jesus ascended into Heaven, body and soul. He left his earthly existence behind, rising to His heavenly seat at the right hand of the Father.

Jesus promised the apostles that they would be equipped with the Holy Spirit on Pentecost:

You will receive power when the holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).

Since Jesus would no longer be present in human form to guide them, the Holy Spirit would take his place.

Imagine the emotions that must have overcome the apostles! They knew that Jesus was leaving them for the last time. They were taking on the great responsibility of sharing His truth with the world. They were anticipating this new power they would receive from the Holy Spirit. They were in awe of the miracle happening before their eyes.

Just as the apostles found strength in the Holy Spirit, we should also seek His guidance to answer our own call to discipleship. While we may not be called to preach to the ends of the earth, we are called to witness to Christ’s love and mercy to the people we encounter.

Whenever we feel overwhelmed by this call and the challenges of living a Christian life, we should seek strength in the Holy Spirit. Before departing from earth, Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would bring the apostles power to continue his mission on earth. Likewise, we can turn to the Holy Spirit to empower us.

Hope of Eternal Life

Again, as on Easter, we gain hope in our salvation through the Ascension:

When he had said this, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight (Acts 1:9).

Jesus already conquered sin and death through the Resurrection. We hold on to that hope. The Ascension is His invitation to answer our call to holiness, joining Him in Heaven for eternity.

We read in the Gospel of John:

I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die (11:25-26).

The Ascension is Jesus’ final physical departure from earth—yet he leaves us with the hope of the Holy Spirit and the hope of eternal rest in Heaven.

Christine Warner is a marketer and writer living in Massachusetts. Her marketing experience includes working for brands like Uber, Samsung, Walgreens, and Dignity Health; she writes for publishers like Verily Magazine, Aleteia, and Brandingmag. Christine currently works for the Archdiocese of Boston as the marketing director for the development office. Connect with her on Twitter @cvwarner or on Instagram @christinevwarner.