Did the work of the Savior stop with His ascension to heaven?
Q487 · The Heavenly High Priest and the Church
The story in the Gospels stopped at the Savior’s ascension to heaven, and the Church’s longing for His second coming on the clouds when she will join Him on His divine throne in a glorious heavenly procession. That being said, St. Paul’s epistle to the Hebrews focused on the Savior’s role pertaining to His struggling Church from the time of His ascension to His second coming. “Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the apostle and High Priest of our confession, Jesus Christ” (Heb. 3:1). “This hope we have as
964 St. John Chrysostom, Comm. John Frag . 144.
965 St. Athanasius of Alexandria, On the Incarnation 25 (PP 44A:105).
966 Cf. St. Athanasius of Alexandria, On the Incarnation 7 (PP 44A:65).
an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the presence behind the veil, where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek” (Heb. 6:20).