05/17/2026
In a way, today is kind of the feast of God the Father, 'cause what do we celebrate in the Ascension?
We celebrate a homecoming, that Jesus, the beloved Son, is coming home, is coming home. As we send our graduates off, we turn our gaze to something else, maybe to a homecoming that is present within the Trinity in heaven, is present within God's very life.
Imagine the joy of God the Father in welcoming home his beloved Son. Imagine that for a second, how deep and how great that must be. From all eternity, the Holy Trinity looks upon creation, its own artistry, having been marred by the fall of man. The Holy Trinity from all et- eternity says, "Who will go rescue them?"
Not, "Who will go judge them?" "Who will go crush them?" But, "Who will go rescue them?" And what does the Word of God say? He says, "I'll go. I'll go." He becomes flesh. He goes behind enemy lines into the darkness of this world and, through great cost to himself, rescues humanity, conquers evil, saves us from sin, and death, and hell, and the devil with great obedience and faithfulness to the Father's plan, even to the point of the cross.
Now he comes home. He comes home. The one who did all that, he comes home to the Father. Imagine what that must be like, that this faithful Son has now come home to sit at the Father's right hand. The joy of the Father must just be overflowing in this reunification, in this now being joined together in unity, and peace, and friendship for all eternity.
Imagine how great that must be. That's what we celebrate today, the Father's joy in the homecoming of his beloved Son.
