The Ascension
The Ascension is the second Glorious Mystery of the Rosary. The risen Jesus ascends into heaven, where he is seated at the Father's right hand. He promises the Holy Spirit to his disciples, who return to Jerusalem to await that gift.
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Scripture
Mark 16:19
So then the Lord, after he had spoken to them, was received up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.
Spiritual fruit: hope
Christ returns to the Father
After his Resurrection, Jesus prepares his disciples for their mission and promises the Holy Spirit. He ascends into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. The second Glorious Mystery contemplates the risen Lord entering heavenly glory in his humanity, while remaining present to the Church he has called to bear witness to him.
Luke 24:50–53 and Acts 1:1–11 recount the Ascension. Acts places it forty days after the Resurrection. The disciples are directed to await the promised Spirit and then become witnesses. Christ's Ascension opens their attention toward heaven while sending them back into the world with a mission.
The fruit of hope
Christian hope rests in God's faithfulness and the life he promises. At the Ascension, we contemplate the destination toward which Christ leads his people. Heaven is communion with God, the fulfillment of the love for which we were made. During this decade we pray for that life with God, for ourselves and for the people we remember.
Witnessing where we are
The disciples' mission begins where they are, among the people and places they know. Someone learning about the faith may first encounter it through a friend who answers questions patiently. That friendship can become part of the person's preparation for life in the Church. During the decade, remember someone who has made the hope of Christ visible to you through such actions.