Ascension: Second Reading, Ephesians 1:15-23

The Apostle Paul surely can pray. A wonderful study is one that looks at all the prayers of St. Paul in the New Testament and today's second reading is one of those great expressions of heart. Paul has opened the letter to the Ephesian Christians with a magnificent statement of the Lord’s place and ours in salvation and its wake. Some of the most beautiful writing in all the Bible is found in Ephesians chapter one. And after bringing the opening to a summary of sorts by highlighting God’s gift of the Holy Spirit to His children, Paul begins his plea to the Lord that He would open their spirituals eyes to all the wondrous gifts from heaven’s heights and eternity’s depths.

These riches, Paul claims, are grounded in the limitless power exerted in the resurrection of the Savior and now find their home working in and through the baptized. Can you imagine? Now the relationship to today’s feast of the Ascension comes into play. Jesus has not only been raised but has ascended to the Father’s “right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in  this age but also in the one to come” (1:20b-21). Exhilarating isn’t it?

Jesus our God is at the place of all authority and any name of any power, ruler or pretended deity falls infinitely short of the glorious Name above all Names. On this day of the Ascension, perhaps it would be best for us to think of all the “pretenders to the throne” we see today in our world. The rulers of the world cannot even control the paltry powers of earth and yet they often mock the true King and His subjects. Under the graceful patience of Jesus we pray that these imagined leaders would repent and see the Lord Jesus as He is, the way He has shown Himself to us. And we pray as well that we would not forget just who our Lord is. Raised, ascended, seated and reigning. On this day of the Ascension, “Behold Your God!” (Isaiah 40:9).