meeting Christ in the liturgy library
Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord
and the Sunday after Ascension
Select Mass here
Acts of the Apostles 1, 1-11; Mark 16, 14-20
Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Viri Galilaei, quid admiramini aspicientes in caelum? alleluia: quemadmodum
vidistis eum ascendentem in caelum, ita veniet, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. Omnes
gentes, plaudite manibus : jubilate Deo in voce exsultationis.
" '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, their successors 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/
1 Peter 4. 7-11; John 15.26-27; 16. 1-4
Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Exaudi me, Domine, vocem meam, qua clamavi ad te, alleluia: tibi dixit cor meum,
quaesivi vultum tuum, vultum tuum, Domine, requiram: ne avertas faciem tuam a
me, alleluia, alleluia. Dominus illuminatio mea, et salus mea: quem timebo? Gloria
Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto, sicut erat in principio et nunc et semper, et in
saecula saeculorum. Amen.
Christ is ascended into heaven! Alleluia! He has promised the gift of the Holy
Spirit, who will lead us into all the truth. The gift of truth is fully accessible only in
the Spirit of truth, and in knowledge of the truth we most fully embrace the living
triune God.
"When he proclaims and promises the coming of the Holy Spirit, Jesus calls him
the "Paraclete," literally, 'he who is called to one's side,' ad-vocatus. (Jn 14:16,
26; 15:26; 16:7) 'Paraclete' is commonly translated by 'consoler,' and Jesus is the
first consoler. (Cf. 1 Jn 2:1) The Lord also called the Holy Spirit 'the Spirit of
truth.' (Jn 16:13)" (CCC 692)
Together with the grace of the sacramental life, the knowledge of the truth sets us
free for life in God. The Holy Spirit is the first taste of everlasting life, for in him
we receive all the gifts of grace in this life. (See also CCC 248 and 263.)
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/
