Saint Paul is straightforward: if we belong to Christ, we should focus on heavenly things rather than solely earthly ones. If we are honest with ourselves, however, we often fail to do this.
In his Ascension homily, Saint Augustine reminds us that even though Jesus ascended into heaven, he remains close to us. Through faith, hope, and love, we are united with him and share in heavenly life, even while navigating the troubles of this world.
The good news is that Jesus is present with us through his divine power and love, and through our love for him, we are connected to heaven. This means that before we love created things, we must learn to love him above all else; then, earthly matters will fall into place according to his providence.
Therefore, our primary calling is to trust more deeply in him, just as the prophet Jeremiah taught centuries ago: “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose hope is in the Lord.”
