Nararya:
In yesterday’s homily, our priest said that the even of ascension was actually only a symbolism. Jesus did not really ‘physically’ ascended to heaven. Now I am really confused.
So ask him what he meant: for he should know - we can hardly be expected to read his mind, can we 
?
Until then, some mind-reading…
“Physical” is a rather tricky word - “physically present” can mean:
- present in a palpable, material, empirically verifiable way
whereas “present physically” can mean:
- according to the nature of a thing (Greek phusis = nature): therefore, in a way proper to the manner of thing that a thing is - used in this sense, “physical” is very nearly the same in meaning as “natural”
This distinction is important for how we think about the Presence of Christ in the Eucharist: He is present in It, not in a verifiable way - a Consecrated Host would have exactly the same chemical composition as one that had just been made - but in a way proper to the
phusis of His Glorified Presence in Heaven, and proper to the
phusis of the Eucharist, which is a specifically sacramental reality.
===
The Ascension is very difficult to talk about - we can say this:
- Jesus Christ did “ascend into Heaven”
The texts which describe it, in Luke, Acts, and elsewhere in the New Testament, use a lot of symbolic language; much of which is drawn from the Old Testament.
Why ? Perhaps because what is being talked about, is impossible to describe adequately - the only language available for talking about an event that begins in this world
but ends in the other, or
that begins in the other, but ends in this, is the language of symbolism.
So the NT uses the symbolism of a cloud - clouds are a sign of the Presence of God, as the OT makes clear; in fact, they are full of meaning. It seems that by saying “a cloud received Him from their sight”, the author is making the point that “this Jesus” is, to put it bluntly, God. (In the NT “God” is used for the Father of Jesus; the title which more often points to the Deity of Jesus is “LORD”.)
Cloud in the Bible:
There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call,
Eph 4:5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
Eph 4:6 one God and Father of us all, who is above all and through all and in all.
Eph 4:7 But grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift.
Eph 4:8 Therefore it is said, “When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.”
- See Psalm 68.18
- The passage also shows that the Ascension is not irrelevant to daily life.
Eph 4:9 (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower parts of the earth?
Eph 4:10 He who descended is he who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.)
Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures,
Luk 24:46 and said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead,
Luk 24:47 and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
Luk 24:48 You are witnesses of these things.
Luk 24:49 And behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you; but stay in the city, until you are clothed with power from on high."
Luk 24:50 Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them.
Luk 24:51 While he blessed them, he parted from them, and was carried up into heaven.
Luk 24:52 And they returned to Jerusalem with great joy,
Luk 24:53 and were continually in the temple blessing God.
[continue…]
