In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit!
Today, dear brothers and sisters, we have gathered on the fortieth day after Pascha of Christ. The Resurrection is the day that seemed to concentrate in itself all the depth of our faith, our experiences, our prayer, our joy and jubilation. Then there was Bright Week when cross processions were held, when the royal doors were open, and those who had a chance came to these services. On Bright Saturday the royal doors were closed—and of course, every believer feels a slight sadness at this moment—but then there was a long period when we lived in the feeling of the special presence of the Resurrection of Christ. And yesterday was the Apodosis (Leavetaking) of Pascha.
Every great feast has an Apodosis, but perhaps no other Apodosis evokes this kind of sadness that comes with separation from something important, radiant and great. Yesterday we sang “Christ is Risen!” for the last time this year during the service, and it would seem as if from the sadness of parting we should lower our heads. But on Ascension Day we lift up our heads. We lift up our heads on high and hear in the hymns and prayers of this feast very important words that affirm to us: “I am with you and no one will be against you.”
The Lord accomplished the work of our salvation: He came to earth and took on human flesh. The events of all the great feasts are interconnected: the Annunciation, the Nativity, the Baptism of the Lord, the Resurrection, and the Ascension of the Lord. The Savior, being both a man and God, strengthened His disciples, cared for them and taught them during these forty days. He took special care of them. The holy Apostle Luke tells us about it in detail in his Gospel and a little more fully in the Acts, which he wrote. The Lord gave the Apostles the final instructions and asked them to stay in Jerusalem, saying that the Comforter would come and their task was to preach in Jerusalem, in Judea, in Samaria and unto the uttermost part of the earth (Acts 1:8)—that is, it was such a huge mission. And, as we know from the Holy Scriptures, having said this, the Savior blessed His disciples and started ascending into Heaven, a cloud covered Him, and two angels (two men, as the Holy Scriptures read) said: Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into Heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into Heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into Heaven (Acts 1:11). In spite of such a seeming loss and separation, they remained with great joy.
What does the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord mean to us? First, the Lord accomplished His work and ascended into Heaven, to God the Father, and was glorified. He told His disciples that if He was not glorified, neither would the Comforter come to them, Who would strengthen and fill them (cf. Jn. 14:16) .
Second, Blessed Theodoretos of Cyrus says on the Feast of the Ascension: “Today there is great joy in all and everything. Today the devil is groaning, feeling a great loss, ‘All my labors are in vain. The Lord is taking away all those whom I have so cleverly snared. I did not know that there is he Godhead in the body.” Our body has to do with communion with the Godhead, especially in the sacrament of Holy Communion. We also know this in prayer, in calling on the name of God, when our seemingly weak body, weak spirit and weak will sometimes receive extraordinary strength, and a human being is able to overcome himself. Why? Because God glorified our body at His Ascension.
One more point: Without the Ascension of the Lord, as has already been said, the Descent of the Holy Spirit would have been impossible. The Lord Himself said about it: If I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you (Jn. 16:7). And if before the Ascension the Lord was confined to His physical body and had very few followers, then after the Ascension He strengthened the Apostles with the gifts of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost for preaching worldwide. And again, we return to the words of the kontakion composed by St. Romanus the Melodist (the sixth century): “I am with you and no one will be against you.” That is, the Lord is always—in any place and at any time—with each one of those who call upon His name. Christianity became a world religion.
Ascension of the Lord. Mosaic. Italy
Probably no other creature on earth gazes into the sky (unless, perhaps, to discern a danger that may come from there). And only humans can turn their gaze to heavens, examining them and contemplating for a long time. During the Great Patriotic War [a part of the Second World War in Russia.—Trans.] a soldier was severely wounded and contused in battle. Thinking that he was dying, in such a state he was lying wounded on the ground, with only the skies before his eyes. It was a cloudless, deep blue sky. And he, a former Komsomol member brought up in atheism, prayed, “Lord, if you’re there, help me, and if I survive I will dedicate my life to You.” The man survived, and lthough he lived in a difficult time, he managed to obtain a theological education and become a priest. In a borderline region of our country, on the territory of two large districts where there were no churches, he managed to build a prayer house in honor of St. Nicholas. And for several decades he celebrated services there, converting many people to the faith. It was his lifting up to heaven, looking up to heaven (even in such difficult circumstances) that helped this to happen.
Brothers and sisters, this feast, also gives all of us strength, confidence and reason to reflect that we can tear ourselves away from earth—from our duties, work, illnesses and problems—lifting up our eyes on high, as it is written in the Holy Scriptures (cf. Jn. 11: 41). And the proof of this is our holy New Martyrs and Confessors.
May 25 was the anniversary of the consecration of this beautiful cathedral in the center of Moscow, built in honor of the holy New Martyrs and Confessors of the Russian Church, which in that year was the feast of the Ascension. Sometimes as you look out of the window toward the boulevard you see people passing by who stop and look at this extraordinary, enormous and magnificent cathedral with amazement. And, indeed, they involuntarily lift up their eyes on high, and who knows what may be happening or is happening in their souls at that moment.
The New Martyrs and Confessors of the Russian Church, being in the most difficult conditions, when they slept in stuffy barracks, on bunk beds, worked in harsh weather conditions, at logging camps, or doing other kinds of hard labor, were hungry, exhausted and emaciated, but lived by looking—both literally and figuratively—into the heavens. They lifted up their eyes on high, prayed to the Savior, and found great strength in those difficult conditions—remembering the Ascension of the Lord and these greatly inspiring words: “I am with you and no one can be against you.” Have a joyful Feast!
