Question:
Answer:
Forty days after his resurrection from the dead, Jesus ascends in triumph to heaven, taking his seat at the right hand of the Father (Mark 16:19, Luke 24:50-52, Acts 1:6-11). In doing so, Jesus culminates his one sacrifice of Calvary in everlasting glory, fulfilling the Old Covenant Day of Atonement/Yom Kippur sacrifices (see Lev. 16). For Jesus takes not the blood of goats and calves but his own, and he enters into the heavenly sanctuary, not one made by human hands (Heb. 9:11-14). So he is the high priest of heaven (Heb. 8:1-3; CCC 662-64, 1137-39), and he always lives to make intercession for us (Heb. 7:23-25, 9:23-24).
His one sacrifice is made sacramentally present at every Mass according to the order of Melchizedek, i.e., under the forms of bread and wine (Gen. 14:18-20, Heb. 5:7-10, Matt. 26:26-29, Luke 22:19-20; see CCC 1333, 1355, 1544). For more information on the intimate connection between the heavenly liturgy and the Mass, see Pope Paul VI, Credo of the People of God, 24-26).
The importance of the Ascension is further shown when, despite his glorious resurrection on Easter Sunday, Jesus tells Mary Magdalene not to cling to him, because he has not yet ascended to the heavenly Father (John 20:16-17).