Ascension

This weekend at Mass we return to the Gospel of Luke after hearing from John for the entire Easter season. The third Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles, both attributed to Luke, give us two slightly different narratives of the events of Jesus’ Ascension into heaven.

Our passage from Acts begins with, “In the first book, Theophiles, I dealt with all that Jesus did and taught until the day he was taken up.”  The first book refers to the Gospel and Luke is telling a story to his friend Theophiles. The narrative tells us that Jesus gave instructions to the disciples through the Holy Spirit, and presented himself as alive for forty days after he had suffered, died and rose from the dead.  He spoke about the kingdom and told them to wait in Jerusalem until they received a ‘promise from the Father.’

The Holy Spirit comes upon them, enabling them to be witnesses of this Jesus story starting in Jerusalem but then extending to the ends of the earth.

What follows next is truly dramatic.  He is lifted up in a cloud beyond their sight.  It is only natural for them to do this.  They are captured in very spiritual moment.  They are eye witnesses of Jesus ascending into heaven! Then two angels redirect their focus by asking, “Why are you standing there looking at the sky?”  They also promise that Jesus will return in the same way they saw him going into heaven.

I believe that this message is truly for all of us.  Perhaps we look for Jesus in the wrong place sometimes, and we need others to redirect our focus.  Jesus’ presence transcends us at times, and then flows into and from us at others right in our very midst.

The Gospel narrative according to Luke begins with a message from Jesus to the disciples of the same essential background of the story from the Acts of the Apostles, but adds that the Apostles should be witnesses of the importance of repentance and forgiveness.  He reiterates that they are being sent by a promise of the Father simply beginning in Jerusalem with no other specifics.

The key difference in the two accounts is how they end.  The Gospel makes no mention of angels redirecting the apostles focus; rather it focuses on Jesus blessing them, being taken up into heaven and the joy the apostles felt in witnessing Jesus blessing them as he parted from them, and their continued action of praising God in the Temple.

Let us, who these many years later, are also called to be witnesses to the essentials of both stories, trust in God’s promise.  Let us forgive each other.  Let us look for the Lord here in our world and share the joy of the resurrected Lord.

Pentecost

The past few years we have offered an altered Mass schedule for Pentecost.  Our hope is that we celebrate this significant event of the manifestation of the Holy Spirit by combining our two most popular Masses to create a unique community for a truly unique day.

Our Mass schedule for Pentecost Sunday

next Sunday will be:

Saturday, June 7, Mass at 5 pm

Sunday, June 8, Masses at 7:30 and 10 am

We thank our Knights of Columbus for hosting a gathering in the courtyard following the 10 am Mass.  Please come and enjoy the spirit of Holy Family as we acknowledge the same Spirit that came upon the apostles at the first Pentecost – the same spirit that was promised to the disciples at the Ascension of Jesus.

One very powerful way that I am encouraging all of you to experience the Holy Spirit is by participating in one or more Conversations in The Spirit as a part of our Be More: Movement of Growth. Details are available on the QR code in the flyers in our pews or by contacting anyone on staff.