The Challenges of Modern Times
In recent days, many people have experienced a growing sense of confusion, tension, and weariness. As we scroll through our news feeds, we see shifting political alliances, sudden takeovers in high offices, and institutional drama that leaves us naturally anxious. Most painful of all is when we witness the law or the Scriptures being twisted, compromised, or used to protect personal interests rather than serve the common good.
When we see this moral drift and chaos within our highest institutions, our initial reaction is rarely a healthy, righteous anger. More often, it is simply a deep fatigue or a creeping cynicism. Like the disciples in our First Reading, our glazed eyes are fixed skyward, feeling small and helpless. We find ourselves praying, “Lord, where are You?”
The Lens of Today’s Liturgy
The liturgy today offers a hopeful corrective. When the priest stands at the altar and prays the Preface, he reminds us that Jesus ascended, “not to distance himself from our lowly state, but that we, his members, might be confident of following where he, our Head and Founder, has gone before.”
The Ascension is not about abandonment. Today, the Lord does not withdraw from the world; rather, he changes the manner in which he is present. The Lord enters into his glory so that he might live and work through his Mystical Body, the Church — beginning with our own transformed hearts.
Breaking Through Fear
The disciples are frozen by grief, by fear of the future, and by the terrifying realization that they must navigate a hostile environment without the visible, physical presence of Jesus. Suddenly, two men dressed in white garments stand beside them and break their trance with a wonderfully direct question: “Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking at the sky?”
This question challenges us to see how our own fear, weariness, or a desire for convenience might be paralyzing our life of faith. Depending on our circumstances, "looking at the sky" looks different for each of us. For some, it is the temptation to reduce our faith to a purely private comfort zone — a hiding place where we ignore the difficult realities of society because stepping out feels too risky. For others, it is the exhaustion that leads to silence. We see systemic flaws and power struggles in public, but we choose a safe silence because we feel too small to change anything.
Manifesting Truth Through Action
The Ascension reveals that Christ is no longer limited by time and space. By returning to the right hand of the Father, He fills all creation and manifests his truth in and through us. If we truly long to see honesty, justice, and authentic leadership in our nation, we must also allow the Lord to conquer the subtle fears and silent hesitations that dictate our own daily choices.
The Comfort of Our Own Weakness
In our Gospel today, Saint Matthew gives a beautifully honest detail that should bring us comfort: “When they saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted.” Even after witnessing the Resurrection, standing right in front of the Risen Lord, the Apostles carried a complex internal struggle — a mixture of genuine adoration and human hesitation. They doubted their own capacity and their own experience.
Yet, the Lord does not scold them. Instead, he entrusts them with his mission: “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations.” Christ intentionally commits this work to a fragile community because the success of our mission does not rely entirely on us; it is God’s work. The Lord explicitly grounds his call by saying: “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”
Real Power and Eternal Authority
When we watch public figures evade accountability, execute sudden political takeovers to protect themselves, or test the limits of ethical boundaries, it is very easy to lose faith. Today’s celebration reminds us that worldly power is fleeting, while Christ’s authority is absolute and eternal.
We do not and cannot save our country or the world. We go out to speak and act as witnesses to the One who has already won the ultimate victory, establishing a standard of divine truth, unyielding justice, and true accountability that applies equally to the highest official and the humblest citizen.
A Humble Call to Justice
What does it look like for us to live out this missionary call in our country today without falling into the trap of either despair or self-righteousness? It begins with a humble commitment to protect the integrity of God’s Word and the rule of truth in our own lives, ensuring we never warp rules or twist facts to justify our own biases or political alignments.
Saint Teresa of Ávila famously reminded the Church that Christ has no body on earth now but yours. We are sent forth to be the Lord’s living presence through the small, concrete choices unique to our circumstances.
We witness to the truth when we choose to verify facts before hitting "share" on social media. We work for justice and look for accountability when we actively insist on transparency, fairness, and simple honesty in our workplaces, schools, and barangays — refusing to look the other way or shield favoritism when wrongdoing is done.
Facing the Weight of Massive Systems
Yet, if we are completely honest, our individual choices often feel utterly insignificant against the sheer weight of what we are witnessing. When we confront entrenched systems, political double standards, and institutionalized deceit, we face massive forces that outgrow any single person. They can make us feel that no matter how honestly we live, the machine of dishonesty will keep turning, completely beyond our ability to fix.
We do not act out of the desperate belief that the future depends entirely on us, but out of the joyful certainty that the ultimate victory has already been won by the Lord. And he will act, beginning with and through each of us.
Fed by Truth, Sent in Peace
As we approach the altar today to receive the Holy Eucharist, we do not come because we are perfect or because we have solved the crises of our time. We come because we are weak, we are often weary, and we recognize our need to be fed so that we might feed others.
Jesus closes the Gospel of Matthew not with a distant farewell, but with a personal promise: “And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” He is intimately with us. He remains with our beloved nation, guiding its history even through its deepest political storms.
We now lower our eyes from the clouds. We look at ourselves, our families, and the real struggles facing our local communities as we move down from the mountain of the Ascension.
When we are dismissed at the end of Mass to “Go forth,” let us remember that we are deployed into the world to be instruments of the Lord’s justice and peace. Let us go forth in deep humility, walking together as imperfect but faithful witnesses, carrying the real, living presence of our Ascended Lord.
Reflection Questions
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We easily recognize and feel troubled by the manipulation of truth, the evasion of accountability, and the sudden shifting of rules in our highest political institutions. When you look closely at your own daily life — in your family, your workplace, your school, or your neighborhood — where are you tempted to bend the truth, change the rules for your own convenience, or look the other way when honesty becomes too difficult?
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When the two men in white garments asked the disciples, “Why are you standing there looking at the sky?” they were addressing a group paralyzed by fear and uncertainty. In your current life situation, what specific fear, exhaustion, or cynicism is keeping your faith "frozen" or silent? How does the reminder that Christ possesses “all power in heaven and on earth” give you the courage to move past helplessness and take an active, courageous stand for what is right?
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The reality of vast, structural corruption can make our small, personal efforts toward justice feel insignificant against forces far beyond our control. When you feel overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the problems in our society, how does the truth of the Ascension — that Christ already reigns supreme over all earthly powers — shift your perspective? How can you move from a despairing mindset to a hopeful faith that confidently demands righteousness while trusting the ultimate outcome to God?
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