meeting Christ in the liturgy library
Solemnity of the Ascension
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YEAR A
YEAR B
YEAR C
YEAR A
Acts 1, 1-11; Psalm 47; Ephesians 1, 17-23; Matthew 28, 16-20
Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
'So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into
heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.' (Mk 16,19) Christ's
body was glorified at the moment of his Resurrection, as proved by the
new and supernatural properties it subsequently and permanently enjoys.
(Cf. Lk 24:31; Jn 20:19, 26) But during the forty days when he eats
and drinks familiarly with his disciples and teaches them about the
kingdom, his glory remains veiled under the appearance of ordinary humanity.
(Cf. Acts 1:3; 10:41; Mk 16:12; Lk 24:15; Jn 20:14-15; 21:4) Jesus'
final apparition ends with the irreversible entry of his humanity into
divine glory, symbolized by the cloud and by heaven, where he is seated
from that time forward at God's right hand. (Cf. Acts 1:9; 2:33; 7:56;
Lk 9:34-35; 24:51; Ex 13:22; Mk 16:19; Ps 110:1) Only in a wholly exceptional
and unique way would Jesus show himself to Paul 'as to one untimely
born,' in a last apparition that established him as an apostle. (1 Cor
15:8; cf. 9:1; Gal 1:16). (CCC 659)
Christ departs his people on earth in order to be powerfully present among them through the indwelling Holy Spirit and in that Spirit to send them forth and increase. He leaves us a mission to evangelize all peoples. Our Holy Father Benedict in Rome has issued a new call for all of us, as salt and light, as a leaven in the world, to witness the saving presence of Christ in His Church by joyfully sharing the truths of the Gospel in word and action.
Christ is seated at God's right hand, from whence he shall come to judge
the living and the dead. And how shall we live and spread the Gospel
while separated from the Lord of glory by this earthly life? By faith.
"Believing in Jesus Christ and in the One who sent him for our
salvation is necessary for obtaining that salvation. (Cf. Mk 16:16;
Jn 3:36; 6:40) 'Since "without faith it is impossible to please
[God]' and to attain to the fellowship of his sons, therefore without
faith no one has ever attained justification, nor will anyone obtain
eternal life "but he who endures unto the end" ' (Cf. Mt 10:22;
24:13 and Heb 11:6)" (CCC 161)
"God, infinitely perfect and blessed in himself, in a plan of sheer
goodness freely created man to make him share in his own blessed life.
For this reason, at every time and in every place, God draws close to
man. He calls man to seek him, to know him, to love him with all his
strength. He calls together all men, scattered and divided by sin, into
the unity of his family, the Church." (CCC 1)
"So that this call should resound throughout the world, Christ
sent forth the apostles he had chosen, commissioning them to proclaim
the gospel: '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 lo, I am
with you always, to the close of the age.' (Mt 28:18-20) Strengthened
by this mission, the apostles 'went forth and preached everywhere, while
the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that
attended it.' (Mk 16:20)" (CCC 2)
The Lord continues today to "work with" the Apostles in their
successors, the bishops, who proclaim in union with Peter the orthodox
catholic faith that comes to us from the Apostles. We reach eternal
salvation by this one orthodox faith. All of our thoughts, words and
actions should be conformed to the holy faith, should draw life from
it, and build it up. ( See also CCC 977, 183, 1507, 659)
Publish with permission. http://www.christusrex.org/www1/mcitl/
YEAR B
Ascension
Acts of the Apostles 1, 1-11; Psalm 47; Ephesians 1, 17-23; Mark 16, 15-20
Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
" 'So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven,
and sat down at the right hand of God.' (Mk 16,19) Christ's body was glorified at
the moment of his Resurrection, as proved by the new and supernatural properties
it subsequently and permanently enjoys. (Cf. Lk 24:31; Jn 20:19, 26) But during
the forty days when he eats and drinks familiarly with his disciples and teaches
them about the kingdom, his glory remains veiled under the appearance of
ordinary humanity. (Cf. Acts 1:3; 10:41; Mk 16:12; Lk 24:15; Jn 20:14-15; 21:4)
Jesus' final apparition ends with the irreversible entry of his humanity into divine
glory, symbolized by the cloud and by heaven, where he is seated from that time
forward at God's right hand. (Cf. Acts 1:9; 2:33; 7:56; Lk 9:34-35; 24:51; Ex
13:22; Mk 16:19; Ps 110:1) Only in a wholly exceptional and unique way would
Jesus show himself to Paul 'as to one untimely born,' in a last apparition that
established him as an apostle. (1 Cor 15:8; cf. 9:1; Gal 1:16).
Christ is seated at God's right hand, from whence he shall come to judge the living
and the dead. And how shall we live while separated from the Lord of glory by this
earthly life? By faith.
"Believing in Jesus Christ and in the One who sent him for our salvation is
necessary for obtaining that salvation. (Cf. Mk 16:16; Jn 3:36; 6:40) 'Since
"without faith it is impossible to please [God]' and to attain to the fellowship of his
sons, therefore without faith no one has ever attained justification, nor will anyone
obtain eternal life "but he who endures unto the end" ' (Cf. Mt 10:22; 24:13 and
Heb 11:6)" (CCC 161)
"God, infinitely perfect and blessed in himself, in a plan of sheer goodness freely
created man to make him share in his own blessed life. For this reason, at every
time and in every place, God draws close to man. He calls man to seek him, to
know him, to love him with all his strength. He calls together all men, scattered
and divided by sin, into the unity of his family, the Church." (CCC 1)
"So that this call should resound throughout the world, Christ sent forth the
apostles he had chosen, commissioning them to proclaim the gospel: '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 lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age.' (Mt
28:18-20) Strengthened by this mission, the apostles 'went forth and preached
everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the
signs that attended it.' (Mk 16:20)" (CCC 2)
The Lord continues today to "work with" the Apostles in their successors, the
bishops, who proclaim in union with Peter the orthodox catholic faith that comes to
us from the Apostles. We reach eternal salvation by this one orthodox faith. All of
our thoughts, words and actions should be conformed to the holy faith, should draw
life from it, and build it up. ( See also CCC 977, 183, 1507, 659)
I look forward to meeting you here again next week as, together, we "meet Christ
in the liturgy", Father Cusick
(Publish with permission.) http://www.christusrex.org/www1/mcitl/
YEAR C
Acts of the Apostles 1, 1-11; Psalm 47; Ephesians 1, 17-23; St Luke 24, 46-53
(See CCC 108, 572, 981, 1122)