The Ascension: Sing we triumphant hymns of praise!

Sing we triumphant hymns of praise,
New hymns to Heaven exulting raise:
Christ, by a road before untrod,
Ascendeth to the throne of God.

Be Thou our joy and strong defense,
Who art our future recompense:
So shall the light that springs from Thee
Be ours through all eternity.
...The Venerable Bede

"The meaning of Christ's Ascension," writes Pope Benedict ," expresses our belief that in Christ the humanity that we all share has entered into life of God in a new and hitherto unheard of way. It means that man has found an everlasting place in God."It would be a mistake to interpret the Ascension as temporary absence of Christ in the world." Rather we go to heaven to the extent that we go to Jesus Christ and enter into him. Heaven is a person: Jesus himself is what we call heaven .' " image