There is a sadness in this day. The Paschal season is over – no longer do we sing “Christ is Risen.” There is a sadness in this day. The burial shroud is removed from the Holy Table and put away until next year. There is a sadness in this day. Our Lord has left us staring at the sky. But there is joy in this day. Christ our Lord has ascended into heaven amid shouts of joy and trumpet blasts. There is joy in this day. Not only are we saved by Christ’s incarnation, not only by his death and resurrection, but also by his ascension. God became Man so that Man might become God. God took on our human nature. He died in His human nature. He rose in His human nature. And now He ascends in His human nature. There is joy in this day. In the Ascension, our human natures go to heaven. It is only in Christ that we are united to God and it is only in Christ’s ascension that our humanity has hope of heaven. Sadness & Joy