We are in Galilee, on the mountain. The air is cool. The sun is gradually rising, and the morning light stretches across the hills of Galilee. The disciples stand around Jesus, their hearts heavy and hopeful at the same time. These are the same men who ran away from him in fear during the Passion. The same men who locked themselves behind doors after the crucifixion. But now they stand face-to-face with the risen Christ. Matthew tells us honestly: “When they saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted.”
And then Jesus speaks. Not with anger. Not with disappointment. But with authority and tenderness: “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations… And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” Listen to his final words again: “And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” Those are not just comforting words. They are the fulfillment of a promise made at the very beginning of the Gospel according to Matthew.
In Matthew chapter one, Joseph finds out Mary is pregnant. Since he is not responsible for the pregnancy, and wanting to spare Mary the public disgrace, he decides to divorce her quietly. Then, the angel appears to Joseph and informs him the conception is from the Holy Spirit. Matthew explains that “All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: ‘The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Emmanuel’ which means ‘God with us.’” So, Matthew begins his account of the Gospel with Emmanuel: God with us. And he ends it with Jesus saying, “I am with you always.”
The whole Gospel is wrapped in one truth: God came to stay. And that is important because one of the deepest human fears is abandonment. A child fears being left alone in the dark. People in relationship fear being abandoned by the other party. Beneath all our busy schedules, smiling photos, and carefully managed appearances, many people carry a deep fear of being alone. And into all those hidden places, Jesus says: “I am with you always.” Not sometimes. Not only when you pray well. Not only when you are holy. Not only when life makes sense. Not only when faith feels strong. Always.
Yes, always! That word changes everything. Because the Ascension is often misunderstood. People think Jesus is leaving the world behind, like a rocket disappearing into the sky. But the Ascension is not Christ abandoning the earth. It is Christ reigning over heaven and earth in a new way. Imagine the silence in their hearts. For three years, they walked with him physically. They heard his voice directly. They watched him heal the sick, calm storms, feed crowds, raise the dead. And now he ascends. It looks like departure. But it is actually expansion.
Before the Ascension, Jesus was physically present in one place at a time. After the Ascension and the coming of the Holy Spirit, his presence reaches everywhere. Now no hospital room is without him. No prison cell is without him. No lonely apartment is without him. No cemetery is without him. No wounded heart is without him. Christ is no longer limited by geography. That is why Saint Paul can later describe the Church as the Body of Christ. Jesus is still moving in the world through his people. Every act of mercy; every moment of forgiveness; every time someone chooses hope over despair; Christ is still present.
And notice something beautiful in today’s Gospel passage: Jesus gives the mission even while some disciples still doubt. That detail gives me comfort. These are the disciples standing before the risen Christ, and some still struggle. Yet Jesus still entrusts them with the mission: “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations.” In other words, Jesus does not wait for perfect people before working through them. He sends imperfect disciples into the world with a perfect promise.
Some people think faith is about having every answer; never struggling, never questioning, never feeling weak. But the disciples themselves carried fear and uncertainty. Faith is trusting the presence of Christ even when questions remain. Holiness is not the absence of weakness; it is continuing to follow Jesus in the middle of weakness. Some people think doubt disqualifies them from discipleship. But the disciples themselves stood on the mountain with mixed emotions and Jesus still entrusted them with the Gospel. Why? Because Christianity has never depended on the strength of the disciples. It has always depended on the faithfulness of Christ.
That is the heart of Ascension. Before the Ascension, Jesus was present physically in one place at a time. After the Ascension and the coming of the Holy Spirit, his presence reaches everywhere. That is why Jesus can say, “I am with you always.” Not metaphorically. Truly. He is with us in Scripture, in the Eucharist, in our neighbor, in prayer, in suffering; in the ordinary routines of life. Jesus did not ascend to become distant from us. He ascended so that no matter where you go, no matter how lost, broken, exhausted, or forgotten you may feel, you will never stand in a place where Christ is absent.
Homily for The Ascension of The Lord Year A 2026
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