Every year, forty days from Easter, the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church commemorates the Ascension of Christ into Heaven. This day has been important for the Church throughout its entire history.

This feast is a Solemnity, one of the most important feasts of the year, which means that Vespers the night before is one of Vigil. It is also a Holy Day of Obligation, on which Catholics are required to hear Mass. But why is the Ascension such an important feast day?

The Evangelists tell us this story throughout the New Testament. St. Luke the Evangelist gives us the answer in Acts 1 and Luke 24. He describes many important events of that day, such as Jesus’ commissioning of the disciples. However, the reading for this feast day is in Mark 16, which is one of the best accounts of the Thursday that changed the world.

After Easter Sunday, Jesus continued to appear to His disciples, especially the Twelve Apostles, for forty days. This time is commemorated in the Church as the Easter Season. At the end of this time, Jesus returned to Heaven. St. Mark tells us:

Jesus said to his disciples: “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned. These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive out demons, they will speak new languages. They will pick up serpents with their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them. They will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

So then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them, was taken up into heaven and took his seat at the right hand of God. But they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word through accompanying signs.

This is the end of the Gospel of St. Mark. The final commission of the Apostles is still God’s command for us; therefore, we must continue the work the Apostles began. St. Mark, pray for us! All the Holy Apostles, pray for us!