Three aspects of that new life stand out in the Second Mass Reading for the feast: “May you know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power in us who believe” (Ephesians 1:18-19).

As Christians, our hope is secure because it rests in Jesus’ death and resurrection. Because Jesus has overcome sin forever, we can live in freedom and peace, no matter what situations we may face. We have been reconciled to God. We are no longer strangers. Every day, we can live in confidence, knowing that our God is with us to strengthen and comfort us.

Our hope is also founded in the inheritance Jesus won for us—none other than being with our Father forever, knowing him intimately, in all his splendor and beauty. In his ascension, Jesus has opened the door for us. Though we are sinners, we have been forgiven and redeemed. We are now fully loved and accepted as God’s children, and we will live with him forever.

As we live every day in the hope of our eternal inheritance, however, we can begin to taste these blessings here and now. This is part of the “immeasurable greatness of his power in us who believe.” Before he returned to his Father, Jesus promised his disciples that anyone who believed in him would be able to cast out demons, heal the sick, and perform signs and wonders in his name (Mark 16:17-18). How? By the power of the Holy Spirit, who lives inside of us. The same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead is in our hearts, inviting us to yield to him and empowering us to live in the victory of the resurrection. No challenge is too great for a child of God!