Jesus said to his disciples:
“Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer
and rise from the dead on the third day
and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins,
would be preached in his name
to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
You are witnesses of these things.
And behold I am sending the promise of my Father upon you;
but stay in the city
until you are clothed with power from on high.”

Then he led them out as far as Bethany,
raised his hands, and blessed them.
As he blessed them he parted from them
and was taken up to heaven.
They did him homage
and then returned to Jerusalem with great joy,
and they were continually in the temple praising God.

To all of you a blessed Sunday as we observe the Lord’s Ascension into Heaven forty days after Easter. He is now seated in Heaven at the right hand of the Heavenly Father. 

In the world of music, there is an event that took place that I think will help us to capture at least part of the meaning of this great feast:

In the world of opera, the great Giacomo Puccini — who wrote Madame Butterfly and la Boehme of world acclaim — was about to begin the writing of his opera Turandot. He was  diagnosed with terminal cancer, but he remained committed anyway to try to compose the opera.  However, his cancer weakened him to where he could not complete it.  So he said to his students of music that they were to complete it for him.  His disciples said they were not capable of such a task!  Puccini said to them that if they didn’t complete it, then he was not a very good teacher.  He died, and his disciples gave their all to complete the opera Turandot …  Then it was opening night at the La Scala Opera House in Milan: the great Arthur Toscanini was the director.  The house was packed.  When Toscanini came to  a certain point in Puccini’s work, he stopped and turned to the audience.  It is here when Puccini died, passing the work to his disciples.  Everyone cried and teared here, of course.  

Toscanini continued the opera to the end — which was written by his disciples, Puccini’s students.  In the end, the audience all stood, and with a standing ovation declared that the disciples achieved the creation of one of the greatest operas the world has ever known.  

Yes, my brothers and sisters in Christ, we can apply the experience of Turandot to the Ascension of the Lord:  After the Lord died on Cross for our salvation, after He rose from the dead, after the 40 days — Our Lord ascended into Heaven to be seated at the right hand of the Father.  He left the work and mission of the whole world to His disciples and to the Church.  

We are His Church, yes, divinely founded by Christ to bring the mission of Christ to the whole world.  We His Church are to complete His work.  

Begin by being an example of all He taught us: an example of His Word, of His Sacraments, of His actions, an example so much like the Master that the audience in this world today will stand up and applaud us for bringing and completing His work of salvation.  Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Saint Anthony, pray for us.  

Monsignor Michael J. Cariglio, Jr., Pastor & Rector, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Basilica and Saint Anthony Parish

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.

Christ did not enter into a sanctuary made by hands,
a copy of the true one, but heaven itself,
that he might now appear before God on our behalf.
Not that he might offer himself repeatedly,
as the high priest enters each year into the sanctuary
with blood that is not his own;
if that were so, he would have had to suffer repeatedly
from the foundation of the world.
But now once for all he has appeared at the end of the ages
to take away sin by his sacrifice.
Just as it is appointed that men and women die once,
and after this the judgment, so also Christ,
offered once to take away the sins of many,
will appear a second time, not to take away sin
but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await him.

Therefore, brothers and sisters, since through the blood of Jesus
we have confidence of entrance into the sanctuary
by the new and living way he opened for us through the veil,
that is, his flesh,
and since we have “a great priest over the house of God,”
let us approach with a sincere heart and in absolute trust,
with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience
and our bodies washed in pure water.
Let us hold unwaveringly to our confession that gives us hope,
for he who made the promise is trustworthy.

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.