R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Go and teach all nations, says the Lord;
I am with you always, until the end of the world.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

The Ascension, Rembrandt, 1636

The eleven disciples went to Galilee,
to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them.
When they saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted.
Then Jesus approached and said to them,
“All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
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.
And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”

Last week I had a surprise visit from a dad of the parish and three of his children. Not seeing the children for a while because of the Stay At Home order, it seemed like they all grew at least a couple inches. All were healthy and in very good spirits. I shared with them that I wanted this pandemic to go away soon. They agreed but I had a slip of word usage and said I wanted this pandemonium to go away. I corrected myself, “ I mean pandemic not pandemonium.” Then I asked the youngest of the three if he knew what pandemonium meant. They all knew … noisiness, confusion, an uproar …  

We all agreed that this pandemic has brought to the world much pandemonium. We all smiled but also agreed it would be a good for both the pandemic and the pandemonium to go away soon.

Today we observe the Ascension Jesus into heaven: first the Cross for the salvation of the world, then the Resurrection — now seated in glory at the right hand of God the Father. What does Ascension of the Lord mean for us still on earth, not yet in heaven for which we all hope?

There are many meanings, many points for serious reflection as you look at your inner self in relation to the Lord’s Ascension … There is one point, for sure, that I make with you today: The ascended Lord wants for us neither pandemic nor pandemonium. Jesus the crucified, the One Risen from dead, the One ascended into heaven — is here for us now in this time of our journey to heaven — this time of suffering, of sickness, of death, poverty, unemployment and distress.

And the now-ascended Lord is always with us, especially in the gift of the Holy Eucharist. But we must follow His Way — prayer, teaching, our moral life, and be sincere devout members of His Church — so that someday, when that time comes, the glory that is in Jesus will be our glory forever in heaven. 

Let us ask Our Blessed Mother as Mother of the Church to help us to follow the Way of her Son, Jesus, now seated at the right hand of the Father.

 

Monsignor Michael J. Cariglio, Jr., Pastor

In the first book, Theophilus,
I dealt with all that Jesus did and taught
until the day he was taken up,
after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit
to the apostles whom he had chosen.
He presented himself alive to them
by many proofs after he had suffered,
appearing to them during forty days
and speaking about the kingdom of God.
While meeting with them,
he enjoined them not to depart from Jerusalem,
but to wait for “the promise of the Father
about which you have heard me speak;
for John baptized with water,
but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

When they had gathered together they asked him,
“Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”
He answered them, “It is not for you to know the times or seasons
that the Father has established by his own authority.
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you,
and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem,
throughout Judea and Samaria,
and to the ends of the earth.”
When he had said this, as they were looking on,
he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight.
While they were looking intently at the sky as he was going,
suddenly two men dressed in white garments stood beside them.
They said, “Men of Galilee,
why are you standing there looking at the sky?
This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven
will return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven.”

R. (6) God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
All you peoples, clap your hands,
shout to God with cries of gladness,
For the LORD, the Most High, the awesome,
is the great king over all the earth.
R. God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
God mounts his throne amid shouts of joy;
the LORD, amid trumpet blasts.
Sing praise to God, sing praise;
sing praise to our king, sing praise.
R. God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
For king of all the earth is God;
sing hymns of praise.
God reigns over the nations,
God sits upon his holy throne.
R. God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Brothers and sisters:
May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory,
give you a Spirit of wisdom and revelation
resulting in knowledge of him.
May the eyes of your hearts be enlightened,
that you may know what is the hope that belongs to his call,
what are the riches of glory
in his inheritance among the holy ones,
and what is the surpassing greatness of his power
for us who believe,
in accord with the exercise of his great might,
which he worked in Christ,
raising him from the dead
and seating him at his right hand in the heavens,
far above every principality, authority, power, and dominion,
and every name that is named
not only in this age but also in the one to come.
And he put all things beneath his feet
and gave him as head over all things to the church,
which is his body,
the fullness of the one who fills all things in every way.

It has long been a Catholic understanding that when circumstances prevent one from receiving Holy Communion, it is possible to make an Act of Spiritual Communion, which is a source of grace. Spiritual Communion is an ardent desire to receive Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament and lovingly embrace him at a time or in circumstances when one cannot receive Him in sacramental Communion. The most common reason for making an Act of Spiritual Communion is when a person cannot attend Mass. Acts of Spiritual Communion increase our desire to receive sacramental Communion and help us avoid the sins that would make us unable to receive Holy Communion worthily.

Spiritual Communion Prayer

My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.

I love you above all things and I desire to receive you in my soul.

Since I cannot at this moment receive you sacramentally,

Come at least spiritually into my heart.

I embrace you as if you were already there

And unite myself wholly to you.

Never permit me to be separated from you.

Amen.

A very special performance of Holy Week and Easter Sunday liturgical music by parish Music Director Craig Ziobert and Christine Langer.