Helping Children Understand the Ascension
Jesus ascended into heaven by His own power. That in itself is remarkable. He also planned his ascension 40 days after His resurrection, mirroring the 40 days prior to the Easter Passover. Many of the apostles write about the ascension in the Bible, and while millions of people have read the passages, the full implication of Jesus ascending into heaven may not be quite clear to them. The Diocese of Orlando has the following information that may help clarify many of the finer details many people, including students in Lakeland Catholic schools, find difficult to understand.The Acts of the Apostles places Jesus’s ascension on Mount Olivet, approximately a “Sabbath day’s” journey from Jerusalem. This site has been consecrated and a basilica built upon it. The basilica was destroyed and rebuilt numerous times, leaving only an octagonal structure surrounding a stone said to bear the imprint of Jesus’s feet.Before Jesus’s ascension, He spent three years traveling the countryside with his apostles, teaching them at every turn. He performed miracles, talked about the glory of the kingdom of heaven, and told them stories of His Heavenly Father. The disciples loved Jesus and believed they would be able to follow Him for decades. When He explained His death and resurrection, they did not believe him. When He was crucified, they were sure Jesus would be able to save Himself from the fate He knew to be His. Jesus’s death shocked them, and they were stunned when His body was placed in a tomb. They did not understand Jesus when he told them his “…church will be rebuilt in three days” and lamented his passing. His resurrection was incredible, and His disciples treasured every moment He spent with them until forty days expired and He ascended into heaven.The ascension is also mentioned in the New Testament as a prediction in some instances or as a fact in others. Christ speaks of His ascension before it occurs, and Timothy mentions it as if it is something everyone already knows about. Scholars who have studied the passages are often more intrigued not with His ascension, but in Jesus’s place in heaven after His arrival. As the rightful King of Kings, Christ dwells with his Heavenly Father in all the honor and power associated with His holy station.Knowing the information concerning Jesus’s ascension will allow you to explain it to your Lakeland Catholic school children more easily. Compare notes with your children as you discuss Jesus’s ascension this May, and contact the Diocese of Orlando at 407-246-4800 for information pertaining to what your child is learning about Jesus’s ascension. Read our blogs to learn to study effectively with your child.