On Friday here at Holy Family, we celebrated the last day of school. If you have ever been on a school campus on that last day, the typical sights we see are students walking out with backpacks half-zipped, a yearbook signing here and there, and maybe a few emotional goodbyes, especially to teachers and assistants. Is there excitement? You better believe it. But there is also a strange feeling that something is changing. Like we’re leaving behind the familiar and stepping into something unknown. It can be a really important moment for us…when one chapter closes and another begins.

That’s kind of what’s happening with the disciples at the Ascension. Jesus is ascending into heaven. But instead of it being an “ending,” He leaves His most trusted followers with a clear sense of purpose. He tells them: Go. Proclaim. Witness.

It’s important to remember that this feast is not about Jesus leaving us behind. It’s about Jesus entrusting His mission to us. And He doesn’t do that lightly.

In the narrative of the Ascension found in the Gospel of Mark, Jesus tells His disciples: “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.” But how are they going to be equipped to do that? Jesus gives us the answer in the Acts of the Apostles. He says that the disciples will be empowered by the Holy Spirit to be His witnesses “to the ends of the earth.” And in the letter to the Ephesians, St. Paul reminds us that the gifts we’ve been given – faith, knowledge, hope, and others – are not for us to hoard. They’re for building up the Church. That’s exactly what the disciples were entrusted with. But it’s also the same mission we’ve been given.

The Ascension reveals something fundamental: Heaven is the goal, but earth is the mission field. Jesus goes ahead of us to prepare a place in heaven, that’s why He had to return to the Father. But He also sends us on a mission here on earth. And that mission isn’t a vague one; it isn’t random. We are tasked with carrying out a certain set of responsibilities: Proclaim the Gospel. Be His witnesses. Bring the Good News to everyone.

And then comes that gentle nudge from the angels. The disciples are standing there, staring up at the sky – probably overwhelmed, a little confused, maybe wondering what to do next. The angels say, “Why are you standing there looking at the sky?” In other words: what are you waiting for? You’ve been given this mission, now go do it.

It’s a question for us, too. Sometimes we spend a lot of time looking up at the sky – waiting for the right moment, waiting to feel ready, waiting for the perfect sign. But Jesus has already given us the command. He’s told us what to do. And He’s given us the things we need to achieve it. He’s given us the Spirit. He’s given us His Word. And every single one of us is being sent.

Think about this: at the end of every Mass, we hear the same message: “Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life” or “Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord.” That’s not just a liturgical wrap-up – it’s a commissioning. The Mass doesn’t end so we can go back to business as usual, to maintaining the status quo. It ends so we can go out on mission.

There’s a reason we call it the “Mass.” It comes from the Latin word missa, which means “sent.” The root word is missio, “mission.” We are being sent out, just like the disciples, to bring the love of Christ into the world.

Now, you might be thinking: “But, Father, I’m not a preacher. I’m not a saint. What can I do?” Don’t underestimate yourselves. Being a witness doesn’t always mean giving a speech or doing something that puts you in the spotlight. It means living with integrity. It means forgiving people who are hard to forgive. It means being an example to our family and friends. It means being generous with our time, patient in our conversations, and joyful in our work. It means showing others, by our lives, that heaven is real and that it’s worth living for.

So, where are we being sent this week? What’s our mission field? Maybe it’s our workplace. Maybe it’s our homes. Maybe it’s our family. Maybe it’s a relationship, having a conversation we’ve been avoiding. Maybe it’s a person in our lives who needs to feel seen and heard.

The disciples didn’t have it all figured out when Jesus ascended into Heaven. But they believed. They trusted that the Holy Spirit would guide them and work through them…and He did! That same Spirit lives in us. And He is constantly seeking to give us what we need to carry out the mission Jesus has called us to.

Today, when we hear those final words of the Mass, don’t tune them out. Don’t treat them like a simple “dismissal.” Hear them as what they really are: our marching orders. Go forth. Heaven is the goal – but the mission is here and now.

Today is the day of new beginnings. Let’s not get caught staring at the sky, wondering what to do next. Let’s be found walking the road, bringing others with us toward heaven.

Readings for Mass: Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord

Image: Ascension, John Singleton Copley, 1775. Wikimedia Commons. Public Domain.