Today is Ascension Day which is a day that I think gets overlooked in the tradition of church that I have grown up in. We mark it at the cathedral but from my experience last year not many people become involved in the sevice – but it is a Thursday evening when people are doing other things.

Ascension day is quite an important day to remember. It is the day when Christ ‘ascended’ into heaven. This can be (and is by many) viewed as Jesus simply returning home. But he is changed. There is a difference. This is the human Jesus ascending in to heaven and sitting with God. This is the Jesus carrying the marks of crucifixion taking up his place in heaven. Humanity is now permanently in heaven; and it’s not a ‘fluffy’ ideal nice humanity but a real imperfect humanity scarred with the marks of cruelty – I wonder if that is so that the rest of us don’t feel to out of place?