St. Gregory Palamas on the Ascension of Christ

On the Ascension of Christ (1) by St. Gregory Palamas

…His resurrection and ascension are the resurrection and ascension of our human nature; and not just of our human nature, but of everyone who believes in Christ and shows his faith in works. Christ was unbegotten and uncreated according to His divinity, and it was for our sake that He became man. He lived as he did because of us, teaching us the path that leads back to true life. Everything He suffered in the flesh, he suffered for us to heal our passions. On account of our sins He was led to death, and for us He rose and ascended, preparing our own resurrection and ascension for unending eternity.

…The disciples worshipped the most high Lord who had come down from above the heavens, made the earth into heaven and gone up again whence He came, having united things below with things above and formed one Church, at the same time heavenly and earthly, to the glory of His love for mankind. Then they returned with joy from the Mount of Olives, whence the Master had ascended, to Jerusalem and were continuously in the Temple with their minds set on heaven, praising and blessing God (Luke 24:53), and preparing themselves to receive the promised coming of the divine Spirit.

Briefly put, brethren, that is how those called by Christ's name should order their lives. They should persevere in prayers and supplications and, in imitation of the angels, have their eyes lifted up to the Master above the heavens, praising and blessing Him with irreproachable conduct, and waiting for His mystical coming.

…He has made us sons of God, not sons adopted in name alone (cf. Rom.8:14-17), but having become members of one family with God and each other in the communion of the divine Spirit  through Christ’s own body and blood.

Let us preserve this union with one another by indissoluble love…As we lift up our hearts to Him we shall behold the great spectacle of our nature united forever with the fire of the divinity. And laying aside everything to do with the coats of skins in which we were clothed because of the transgression (cf.Gen.3:21), let us stand on holy ground, each one of us marking out his own holy ground through virtue and steadfast inclination  towards God.

…In this way we shall be bold when God comes in fire, and run forward to be enlightened and once enlightened live with him forever, to the glory of Him who is the light above all, the threefold Sun and sovereign brightness, to whom belong all glory, might, honor and worship, now and forever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.