1.

THE APOSTLES’ CREED: ARTICLE 6

The book is a complete explanation of
the 12 Articles of the Apostles’ Creed.

ARTICLE 6:
HE ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN,
AND IS SEATED AT THE RIGHT HAND
OF GOD THE FATHER ALMIGHTY

To purchase the Book, or for theological

inquiries (e-mails only), contact the author:
AUTHOR Rev. Fr. Paolo O. Pirlo, SHMI
EDITION 1st Edition, Manila, May 19, 2013
PUBLISHER Sons of Holy Mary Immaculate
Quality Catholic Publications
Isabella De Rosis St., Multinational
1708 Parañaque City, Philippines
Telefax (02) 828-2338
Tel. (02) 828-9509
sonsmaryphil@yahoo.com

Sons of Holy Mary Immaculate

2. A CATECHIST’S PRAYER
Loving Father, giver of all that is,
help me to remember that every gift
I have comes from you. Expand my
vision so that I can appreciate your
goodness in the world around me.
Jesus, our Redeemer, you are
the path to the treasures of my
heart and soul. Strengthen my
commitment to be a catechist and
deepen my capacity to share your
truth with those in my care.
Holy Spirit, Love Divine, all life
and energy flows from you.
Illuminate my thoughts and
intensify my desire to grow ever
deeper in my faith.
I lift up my prayer to you, God—
Father, Son, and Spirit—in humility
and hope. Amen.
Sons of Holy Mary Immaculate
 3. WHAT ARE THE
TWO PARTS OF THE
6TH ARTICLE?

The 6TH Article of the

Creed is divided into
Two Parts:

1. The Ascension of
Jesus,
2. Jesus Sits at the
Right Hand of
God

Sons of Holy Mary Immaculate

 4. THE ASCENSION 0F JESUS:
When did Jesus ascend into Heaven?
 Jesus ascended into Heaven
40 days after the
resurrection.
 Then two angels said:
“Jesus will return in the
same way as you have seen
him going into Heaven”
(Acts 1:11).
 Although the ascension
took place on a
Thursday, the celebration
was moved to the next
Sunday, to allow a greater
participation of people.

Sons of Holy Mary Immaculate

 5. THE ASCENSION 0F JESUS:
Did Jesus ascend from the
Mount of Olives or from Galilee?
 St. Luke said that the Ascension of
Jesus took place on the Mount of
Olives, near Jerusalem (Acts 1:12).
 However, St. Matthew said that Jesus
gave his last farewell in Galilee, 100 km
north of Jerusalem (Mt. 28:16).
 The discrepancy has two explanations:
First, after the farewell, the Apostles
moved back to the Mount of Olives
where the ascension took place.
Second, the word Galilee in this context
refers to a portion of the Mount of
Olives where the Galileans used to
camp out, known as “The field of the
Galileans,” or simply Galilee.

Sons of Holy Mary Immaculate

 6. THE ASCENSION 0F JESUS:
What is the “missionary mandate”?
The missionary mandate is the last farewell of Jesus: “Go, therefore,
and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to
observe all that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20).

Sons of Holy Mary Immaculate

 7. THE ASCENSION 0F JESUS:
What are the three parts of the
missionary mandate?
1. GO: Every Christian ought to be a missionary and to
evangelize: beginning from our family till the ends of the
earth.
2. TEACH: We can teach the Gospel in three ways: by
means of preaching, like St. Francis Xavier, who traveled
to India and Japan to proclaim the Good News; by
means of praying, like St. Therese of the Child Jesus,
who never left the convent of Lisieux in France, but
offered her prayers and sufferings for the missionaries;
and by means of providing for the material needs of the
missions.
3. BAPTIZE: The first sacrament to be administered is
Baptism, which makes us children of God; and should be
followed by the other six sacraments.
Sons of Holy Mary Immaculate
 8. THE ASCENSION 0F JESUS:
What is the difference between
assumption and ascension?
 The assumption is the act of being
brought up into Heaven, body and soul,
by the power of God: this was the case
of Enoch, Elijah, and of the Virgin Mary.
ENOCH ELIJAH MARY
 The ascension is the
act of going up to
Heaven by one’s own
power: this case refers
exclusively to Jesus.
JESUS
Sons of Holy Mary Immaculate
9. THE ASCENSION 0F JESUS:
Why did the risen Lord
remain on earth for 40 days?
1. To prove that he had
truly risen, as it is
written: “He presented
himself alive to them by
many proofs” (Acts 1:3).
2. To prepare the
Apostles for the task of
continuing his mission,
as it is written: “Jesus
was taken up, after
giving instructions
through the Holy Spirit to
the Apostles” (Acts 1:2).
Sons of Holy Mary Immaculate
10. JESUS SITS AT THE
RIGHT HAND OF GOD:
What happened to
Jesus after his
ascension?
 After ascending into
Heaven, Jesus sat
at the right hand
of God the Father.
 As the Gospel
proclaims: “The Lord
Jesus was taken up
into Heaven and
took his seat at
the right hand of
God” (Mark 16:19).
Sons of Holy Mary Immaculate
11. JESUS SITS AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD:
What is the meaning of “sitting at the right hand”?
 “To seat at the right hand” is an
idiomatic expression that
means “to have full trust and
authority.”
 In antiquity, the prime minister
used to seat at the right hand
of the king. The custom arose
from the fact that the right
arm was a symbol of power,
because kings carried their
swords on the right side.
 To profess that Jesus sits at
the right hand of the Father
means that he has the absolute
power to carry out all his
commands.
Sons of Holy Mary Immaculate
12. JESUS SITS AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD:
What is Jesus doing in Heaven?
 Jesus Christ in Heaven
intercedes constantly for
us, as professed by St.
Paul: “Jesus Christ is at the
right hand of God and
indeed intercedes for us”
(Romans 8:34).
 We can reach him anytime
we pray, and especially
during the Eucharist, as he
said: “Where two or three
are gathered together in
my name, there am I in
the midst of them”
(Matthew 18:20).

Sons of Holy Mary Immaculate