On Sunday 12th May we celebrated the Feast of the Ascension, when Christ Jesus in the presence of his followers ascended to Heaven. The question is “Where is Heaven”? Where did Jesus ascend to?  In the past people had a rather simplistic idea that earth was here and Heaven was up there, somewhere above the clouds. We imagined it almost as a physical place and people often asked how could so many people fit there! As we know, now, the universe is one vast mystery and no amount of physical travelling would bring us any closer to heaven. So where is Heaven?

For our knowledge of the world to come, we are dependent on the coming of Christ into our world and on his life, death and resurrection. Christ came among us in human form to show us the way to live and the way to Heaven. The example of Christ’s life and his great love for us is our guide on the road to Heaven.  On our own we struggle to live from day to day, to survive and stay healthy. Our world is sometimes great, sometimes dreadful. On our own we are unable to make a great difference in creating a better society.

Christ knows of our weakness and our frailty and he comes to help and guide us. He was born into the world as one of us. He lived an ordinary life doing extraordinary things. For us he died, rose from the dead and ascended to the Father. He assures us that he does not leave us alone but prepares a room for us in his Father’s house.  He said, ‘do not let your hearts be troubled, trust in God still and trust in me. There are many rooms in my Father’s house’.

Christ’s ascension was not just Christ’s journey to his Father in Heaven. He sent us his Holy Spirit to make us children of God and heirs to the kingdom of Heaven. The Feast of the Ascension is a feast of great hope. Where Christ has gone, we hope to follow and he will be there at the end of our earthly life to welcome us home.