Why are you standing there looking at the sky?

Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord

First Reading Acts 1, 1–11

Responsorial Psalm 47, 2-3; 6-7; 8-9

Second Reading Eph 1, 17–23

Gospel Lk 24, 46-53

Today, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord, one of the great feasts in the liturgical calendar. Our readings speak of transition, mission, and promise. After His Resurrection, Jesus spent forty days appearing to His disciples, comforting them, teaching them, and preparing them for what was to come. And today, He returns to the Father, ascending into heaven, not to leave us behind, but to draw us forward.

In the first reading, we witness the moment when Jesus is taken up into heaven before the eyes of His disciples. As they stand there, staring into the sky, two angels appear and ask them: “Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking at the sky?” This question sets the tone for today’s celebration. In the second reading from Ephesians, Paul prays that we may receive a spirit of wisdom and revelation, so we may understand the hope to which we are called. And in the Gospel, Jesus commands His disciples to go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature, a mission that begins precisely as He ascends.

Why are you standing there looking at the sky?

It’s a very human moment. The disciples had followed Jesus for years. They saw Him die, and then rise again. Now He’s going back to the Father, and they're probably wondering: What do we do now? What happens next? And the angels gently remind them: Don’t just stand there. There’s work to do. There’s life to be lived. There’s a mission to carry out.

How often do we find ourselves in a similar place?

We might not be looking at the sky, but maybe we’re stuck, standing still in our lives, waiting for something to change, feeling unsure, or just overwhelmed. We wonder: What now? Maybe we’re looking for God in a dramatic sign, while missing Him in the everyday moments.

The Ascension is not about Jesus leaving us, it’s about Him entrusting us with a mission. He goes to the Father, yes, but He doesn’t abandon us. In fact, He promises to send the Holy Spirit to guide us, to strengthen us, to walk with us.

He believes in His disciples. He believes in us. He tells us, in today’s Gospel: “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel.” That doesn’t necessarily mean preaching on the streets. It can mean being a loving parent, a kind friend, a good neighbor. It can mean standing up for what’s right, caring for someone who’s struggling, sharing your time and your heart with those who need it most. The Ascension is a feast of mission. Jesus returns to the Father so that we might become His Body on earth. So that we might continue His work. We are not just spectators of the mystery; we are participants in it.

The angels’ question “Why are you standing there?” is a call to movement. It’s an invitation to live with purpose and hope. So, the angels’ question is also ours: Why are you standing there? Why are you paralyzed by fear, doubt, or nostalgia? Why are you waiting for someone else to act, when you have been sent?. To remember that we are not alone, and that Christ is with us, not in the sky far away, but in our hearts, in our community, in the people we serve and love.

So today, as we celebrate the Lord’s Ascension, let us not be found standing still, staring up. Let’s come back down the mountain with renewed hearts and willing hands. Let’s ask the Lord: Where are you sending me? Who needs my love today? How can I be your witness in my family, in my work, in my parish? And let’s trust that, just as He promised, He is with us always, guiding us from heaven, and walking with us through His Spirit.

May we go forth, confident that Christ is with us always, even to the end of the age, not above us in the sky, but within us, around us, and especially in the mission He entrusts to each one of us. May God blessed you.