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It is really tempting to leave the work of the church to just one or a few and stay on the sidelines.
While the Ascension is a mysterious event that we don’t really understand the how or why of, we have to wonder if Jesus realized what would happen if He stayed in this world forever after the Resurrection. All the work would have ended up on His shoulders, and that wouldn’t have benefited everyone. Even with the power of God, Jesus as also fully human was confined to one spot. That is why His 3 year earthly ministry was limited to Galilee, as well as the surrounding area when possible and Jerusalem when he travelled there. With the Apostles as the next step, the Good News of Jesus spread throughout the world.
That is why Jesus is training and preparing the Apostles for ministry, as we see it today. Jesus doesn’t leave them unprepared. He tells them to wait until the Day of Pentecost, an ancient celebration known as the Week of Weeks for its placement in time following the remembrance of Passover. He tells them to wait for then they will receive the Holy Spirit to lead them and guide them on this next step in the Heavenly work.
Ascension acts as a good reminder to us. While this is one of the Principle Feasts of the church, and I’d even argue that it’s up there as one of the Principle Principle days, this is day is typically has less people present to worship on it. This is the day when that one or those few are gathered here. It is up to us, then, to go out and follow Jesus’ example. We are called to help prepare and raise up others because we cannot do this work allow. We need help. We need all we can get to go carry the Good News so that all in this world might have the opportunity to hear it.