He Died for our Sins

by David Lins  |  05/29/2022  |  (Being) Catholic Matters

The Catholic Church recognizes, understands, and even remembers that the Bible did not simply fall from the sky intact. It was written by the Holy Spirit through the followers of the One True God and compiled by the early Church.

The Church has always relied on the Magisterium, Sacred Scripture, and Sacred Tradition. All three. Put simply: God entrusts the same Church that He trusted to record His Word—to interpret His Holy Word. It only makes sense. That is what the Magisterium is responsible for. In that light, let’s look at the purpose of the Ascension.

Many just assume it is when Jesus’ purpose on earth was complete and he was finally able to go enjoy his home in heaven.

Others recognize his divinity was revealed yet again in specific aspects of the act.

Catholics should know there is even more than that happening here. “Lifting up his hands he blessed them.” Look back to Aaron in Leviticus 9:22 to understand this as an action of a holy priest about to offer sacrifice. Then, “he parted from them, and was carried up into heaven.”

But why? Why didn’t he stick around? He died for our sin and conquered death! Surely the greatest evangelist could’ve stuck around and done some good.

But Jesus was doing something GREAT. Check out what the traditional teaching of the Catholic Church has to say in paragraph 662 of the Catechism:

The lifting up of Jesus on the cross signifies and announces his lifting up by his Ascension into heaven, and indeed begins it.
Jesus Christ, the one priest of the new

and eternal Covenant, “entered, not into a sanctuary made by human hands... but into heaven itself, now to appear
in the presence of God on our behalf.

In the words of Dr. Brant Pitre, “because of the Ascension, Christ takes that historical sacrifice that happened 2,000 years ago and he brings it into eternity... where it’s no longer bound by time. And that one sacrifice can now be made present on every altar throughout the world every time the Eucharist is offered.”

Comments, concerns, questions? Email David at dlins@oloj.org

BACK TO LIST BACK