He Remains With Us
“Whoever acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God,
God remains in him and he in God.
We have come to know and to believe in the love God has for us.
God is love, and whoever remains in love
remains in God and God in him.”1 John 4:15-16
First published as “Jesus Did Not Leave” on May 21, 2023.
In many parts of the country, the Church celebrates the Ascension of Our Lord on the Seventh Sunday of Easter. Usually on Ascension Thursday or in many places the Sunday following the Ascension, we celebrate the day Jesus ascended into Heaven, returning to the Father to prepare a place for us all in His Father’s house. It is important to note that Jesus ascended into Heaven and yes, He returned to the Father, but He did not leave us.
After His Resurrection, Jesus stayed on earth for another 40 days, appearing to His disciples, perhaps preparing them for His ascension by reminding them of all He had taught them and encouraging them to keep the faith. When the 40 days came to an end, He ascended into Heaven but assured the disciples that, “I am with you always” even until the end of the world. So, did Jesus contradict Himself when He said this? His actions certainly did not match His words. How can He say He is with us always when He is literally going up into the sky? But we know that there can be no contradiction. There must be something deeper. There must be a more profound reality and truth here.
If Jesus said He remains with us always then He must mean it. Perhaps not in the same way He has been with the disciples, but a presence nonetheless. Jesus had promised to send the Holy Spirit (and, we celebrate this on Pentecost Sunday, next week!). The Holy Spirit is who remains with us and who makes Jesus present to us. For Catholics, at the Mass, it is the Holy Spirit who makes Jesus present in the Eucharist. For the baptized, we have received the Holy Spirit, and so Jesus remains with us always. So, when Jesus ascended into Heaven, He did not leave us, in fact, He remained with us in a way that is most personal — in our hearts, in our beings, and in our minds. Jesus is present in the Sacraments and so whenever we receive the Sacraments we experience a personal encounter with the Lord.
We can also understand this on a more human level. When we are away from our loved ones, we know they are still present in our lives. We can call them and write to them. Physical distance does not diminish their presence in our lives. Even when loved ones pass from this world, their presence does not diminish. If we truly believe in eternal life and in the Communion of Saints, then our deceased loved ones are present to us in a much realer way than ever before. We pray for them and they pray for us. We are bound together in faith and by the Holy Spirit. So, the same Jesus who died on the Cross, is the same Jesus who ascended into Heaven, and He is the same Jesus who remains with us today. Never doubt that Jesus is with you. Close your eyes and call out to Him. He is there. Go frequent the Sacraments — He is there. Kneel before the Blessed Sacrament — He is there. Look at your family and friends — He is there.
No, when Jesus ascended into Heaven He did not leave us, He chose to remain with us in a way that He could not before. He is here with us, right here, right now.
Watch this week’s reflection below.
