Jesus said to his disciples:
“Go into the whole world
and proclaim the gospel to every creature.
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved;
whoever does not believe will be condemned.
These signs will accompany those who believe:
in my name they will drive out demons,
they will speak new languages.
They will pick up serpents with their hands,
and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them.
They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

So then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them,
was taken up into heaven
and took his seat at the right hand of God.
But they went forth and preached everywhere,
while the Lord worked with them
and confirmed the word through accompanying signs.

Christi Himmelfahrt by Gebhard Fugel, c. 1893

“You’re gonna’ miss this,” is part of a lyric of a country song sung by Trace Atkins.

The song opens with a mother and daughter inside a car in front of a school. The girl tells her mother, “I can’t wait ’til I’m 18 and out of school, I’ll make my own rules”

Her mom leans over, kisses the girl and says, “Someday, you’re going to miss this school; you’re going to miss these days.” As the song goes on, the girl gets married and moves into an apartment. Her Dad stops by and she talks about babies and buying a house, and he tells her, “Slow down, someday you’re going to miss this.”

In the next verse, kids are crying; one is screaming, and the mother keeps apologizing as the plumber calls out from beneath the sink, “Not to worry! I got kids of my own, someday, you’re going to miss this.”

This country song does seem oddly appropriate for this month of May. The month that marks so many milestones in the lives of so many of us. Mother’s Day, First Communion, proms, graduations, family gatherings on Memorial Day. May is a busy month on everyone’s calendar. The grass turns green, we begin to plant, the weather begins to turn warm, and the weekends seem to be busier.

We begin to realize just how much we do not want to miss, not any of it. We want to hang on as much as possible to as much of this thing called life. So did the Apostles in the days leading up to the Ascension of the Lord into heaven, the feast we celebrate today. Today they stand confused, looking up into heaven. “Men of Galilee, why do you stand here staring into the sky?”

It is only natural and human that the Apostles did not want to let go. They did not want to miss any of it, and neither do we.

I think it is important to note that today the Feast of the Ascension does not celebrate or mark the end of Jesus’ presence in our world. But what it does celebrate is a change in the way Jesus is present to us in our world today. Today we celebrate the fact that Jesus remains ever present to you and me in the same way he remained ever present to his Disciples: that is, through His sacraments, and especially through our faith. He is present in His Church and through you and me.

I think it is significant to remember that the Feast of the Ascension does not mark the end of the Presence of Jesus in our world, but more importantly marks the beginning of a new presence, a different presence of Jesus, a presence that is demonstrated through you and me, through our words, our actions and with the Holy Spirit.

The Apostles did not want to let go of what had become familiar and routine, even if it was gloriously divine. Neither do we wish to let go of that which connects us and gives meaning and purpose to our lives.
What do we do? Graduates put on their caps and gowns, boys and girls are in ties and veils, relatives take pictures and god-parents and friends and family give presents. But in the end, there is only one gift that counts: the gift of Jesus Christ rooted in the Holy Spirit of our lives. As we hear in our second reading from Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, “Preserve the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace: one body and one Spirit as you were also called to the one hope of your calling one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.”

This day some 2000 years ago, Jesus passed on to us, the responsibility of making him present in our modern world, He passed on to us the responsibility of having His words and message are heard and listened too, and on this day some 2000 years ago, Jesus passed on to us, the responsibility of continuing his work and mission in our world.

The Ascension of our Lord may have marked the end of His visible presence on earth, but it certainly did not mark the end of His being with us here and now, His presence is in the Church and His presence is in you and me.
Today marks the anniversary of receiving our mission to carry on that presence until the end of time, it is the anniversary of the beginning of our mission to be disciples of Christ to be witnesses to the teachings and way of life of Christ.

With physical eyes, we see baptismal water splashed upon an infant’s skin and yet with the eyes of the Spirit alive in us we behold the life-giving water of the Holy Spirit.

With physical eyes, we see the bread and wine on the altar and yet with the eyes of the Spirit alive in us, we behold the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ.

Each year we view the high school and college graduates in caps and gowns, only to see the Spirit alive in their dreams and aspirations.
And today we see the children in veils and dresses and shirts and ties receiving their First Holy Communion, and in doing so, we see the Holy Spirit at work and alive in us urging us “NOT TO MISS THIS!”

These are the visions of the Jesus in whom we live and move and have our being, these are the visions of Jesus alive in our midst, and these are the visions of the Holy Spirit at work in our lives. As long as Jesus Christ is present to us, as long as our loving God is rooted in who are, WE WON’T MISS A THING!

Deacon Anthony Falasca, Permanent Deacon, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Basilica and Saint Anthony Parish

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.