Choose a topic from Part 3a:
1. Our Lord as man arose from the dead to an everlastinglife. As soon thereafter as his divine wisdom chose, he ascendedfrom the perishable earth to the deathless glory of heaven.
2. Christ as man ascended, by the divine power, intoheaven. As God, he is everywhere, and there is no place to which hecan or need ascend. Hence, Christ as man ascended into heaven, andnot as God, even though Christ is God.
3. Our Lord ascended into heaven, primarily by the divinepower, which is his own as God; secondarily, by the power of theglorified soul which moves the glorified body at will.
4. "He ascended above all the heavens" (Eph.4:10). The glorifiedbody of our Risen Lord shines withgreater glory than any other body. In place of dignity, it rankshighest.
5. Our Lord as man ascended into heaven to take his place,not only above all bodies, but above all spiritual creatures aswell. "God set him above all Principality, and Power, andVirtue, and Dominion, and every name that is named, not only inthis world but also in that which is to come" (Eph. 1:21).
6. Our Lord prepared the way for us to ascend to heaven.And his Ascension awakens in us faith, hope, charity, andreverence. Hence we can say that his Ascension is a cause of oursalvation.
"Shun too great a desire for knowledge, for in it there is much fretting and delusion. Intellectuals like to appear learned and to be called wise. Yet there are many things the knowledge of which does little or no good to the soul, and he who concerns himself about other things than those which lead to salvation is very unwise.
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Thomas á Kempis
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"What good does it do to speak learnedly about the Trinity if, lacking humility, you displease the Trinity? Indeed it is not learning that makes a man holy and just, but a virtuous life makes him pleasing to God. "
Thomas á Kempis
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"As the flesh is nourished by food, so is man supported by prayers"
St Augustine
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