On the solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord, a reflection published on the blog Gotas de Paz, of Franciscan inspiration, proposes a hopeful reading of the mystery celebrated this Sunday. The text, signed with the traditional greeting “Peace and good,” begins with Jesus' promise recorded in the Gospel of Matthew: “I am with you always, until the end of the age” (Mt 28:20).
According to the meditation, Jesus' return to the Father does not mean distance, but the possibility of finding him everywhere. “His ascent to heaven was not an abandonment of humanity, but becoming always present in a divine way,” the author states. The reflection invites the reader to speak with Jesus, pray, and feel his presence, for “as he is at the right hand of God, he has power and glory and never abandons you.”
From the Gospel of John (16:28), the text recalls that Christ's incarnation revealed the greatness of divine love, which did not want to leave humanity lost in darkness. “Jesus had a mission among us: to show us the heart of the Father and win us over to Him,” he writes. His return to heaven, taking human nature, is presented as a guarantee that the faithful are “connected with heaven.”
Another passage, based on John 16:21, compares spiritual victory to childbirth: the woman forgets the pain for the joy of the child. The author criticizes the “culture of minimal effort” and warns that avoiding all suffering can take away “the taste of victory.” “Mediocrity discolors our life and makes it tasteless,” he concludes.
Finally, the reflection on the election of the apostle Matthias (John 15:16) underlines that it is God who takes the initiative. “It is He who chooses us, although we often believe that we found Him. In truth, He was already waiting for us for a long time,” the text says. The author encourages the reader to accept that God has chosen him and wants to lead his life, and that what happens “are not mere coincidences.”