Sunday May 29, 2022

THE LORD’S ASCENSION

Glorious, Yet Still with Us

An End and a New Beginning

Note. We follow the complete set of readings for the Year C as given in the new edition of the Lectionary of 1981. The first reading remains the same in all years.

Greeting

The Risen Lord Jesus now lives
in the glory of the Father.
Through the Spirit of courage and love
may he always be with you. R/ And also with you.

Introduction by the Celebrant

Glorious Yet Still with Us

When someone good and close to us has died, we feel that this person is still with us and keeps inspiring and guiding us. When at his Ascension Jesus left his disciples and passed to the glory of heaven, he became to his disciples more than a memory of a great person who had died. First, he is still alive as the risen Lord; second, he is gone but he stays with us by his Spirit of strength and wisdom and love and in this way he is our companion in life. He still speaks his word to us, he still gives himself to us as our food and drink, and he is alive in our communities. Listen to him present among us here and let him nourish us with his word and his body.

An End and a New Beginning

Jesus had gone ahead of us and shown us the way in his preaching and the way he lived: this is what should inspire us, this is how we should live, like Jesus. In his death he showed us the way of faithful love. He was the first to rise from the dead and our assurance that we too will rise. In his ascension he went ahead of us to live in the joy of the Father. In all these steps he is a living invitation: Come, follow me where I go. I am waiting for you after you have continued my work. In this Eucharist we say in the Creed: “I believe in the resurrection of the dead and the life everlasting.”

Penitential Act

Too often the Lord has not been present
in our words and actions.
Let us ask him to forgive us.
                        (pause)
Lord Jesus, you live in the Father’s glory,
a glory that is rightfully yours:
All praise to you, Lord!
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.

Jesus Christ, our life and our glory,
you will send us your Holy Spirit:
All praise to you, Lord!
Christ, have mercy. R/ Christ, have mercy.

Lord Jesus, you will return
to fulfill all our hopes:
All praise to you, Lord!
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.

Lord, be patient with us
and grant us your forgiveness.
Let your Spirit guide us to everlasting life. R/ Amen.

Opening Prayer

Let us pray that the risen, glorious Lord
may be always with us through his Spirit
                        (pause)
Lord our God,
your Son Jesus Christ lives in your glory
to be nearer to us through his Holy Spirit
and to be near to all people through us.
Give us the Holy Spirit,
that we may have the courage
to help you save the world by serving it
and by building up your kingdom
of justice, truth and love,
in the name of him whom we await,
Jesus Christ, our risen Lord
and our Savior for ever. R/ Amen.

First Reading (Acts 1:1-11): Why Are You Looking into the Sky?

At his ascension, Jesus entrusts his work to the apostles. The Holy Spirit will give them the strength to bear witness to Christ the Lord to the whole world.

Reading 1: Acts 1:1-11

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."

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 47:2-3, 6-7, 8-9

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.

Second Reading (Heb 9:24-28; 10:19-23): Christ Went Ahead of Us to Heaven

Christ saved us once and for all and he leads us into the sanctuary of heaven. This is our firm hope.

Or: Heb 9:24-28; 10:19-23

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 Aa 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.

Alleluia: Mt 28:19a, 20b

Alleluia, alleluia.
Go and teach all nations, says the Lord;
I am with you always, until the end of the world.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel (Lk 24:46-53): Go and Teach All Nations My Gospel

The apostles, and the whole Church with them, are sent to bring to the whole world the Good News of Christ, who died for us and rose from the dead.

Gospel: Lk 24:46-53

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.

Intercessions

Our Lord Jesus Christ lives now in the glory of the Father, but we know that he is aware of our needs and can sympathize with us, having shared our human condition. And so we pray to him: R/ Lord, send us your Spirit.

–          Lord, through your Spirit of courage inspire the pope and our bishops and the whole People of God to go the way of renewal without fear and to have confidence in the future. And so we pray: R/ Lord, send us your Spirit.

–          Lord, accompany and move us through your Holy Spirit to live your gospel as joyful news of love, justice and peace. And so we pray: R/ Lord, send us your Spirit.

–          Lord, open us to your Spirit, make us one of heart and soul, that we may build community together and do for one another what you have done for us. And so we pray: R/ Lord, send us your Spirit.

–          Lord, pour out your Spirit over the leaders of nations; make them people of vision, that their foremost concern may be people and that they may create an atmosphere of human dignity and freedom in which all can develop their potential. And so we pray: R/ Lord, send us your Spirit.

–          Lord, give us your Spirit of compassion, that we may respect all life and lift up our brothers and sisters in need; be with us, Lord, that we may be with them and that their hope in life may be restored. And so we pray: R/ Lord, send us your Spirit.

Lord Jesus Christ, all power has been given to you in heaven and on earth. Live in us through your Spirit, that we may be your word and your presence to the world today, for you are our living Lord, now and for ever. R/ Amen.

Prayer over the Gifts

Lord our God,
in the signs of this bread and this wine
your Son Jesus will be with us soon.
May he give us his Spirit of strength,
that we may not keep staring at heaven
except to ask for your help to do your work.
May we rather face the world
and commit ourselves to the task
of making it your world,
by the power of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
your Son and our Lord for ever. R/ Amen.

Introduction to the Eucharistic Prayer

Let us with joy give thanks to the Father that Jesus, though raised up to heaven, is still with is through his Holy Spirit here in this Eucharist, in the Church, and in the people around us.

Introduction to the Lord’s Prayer

The Lord Jesus is now living
in the glory of the Father in heaven;
there he pleads for us.
Through him, and in his words,
we pray to God, our Father: R/ Our Father...

Invitation to Communion

This is the Lord who said:
Know that I am with you always
until the end of time.
This is his risen and glorious body.
Happy are we that he is our bread
on our journey to the Father. R/ Lord, I am not worthy...

Prayer after Communion

Lord our God,
we thank you for trusting us so much
that you have entrusted to us
the very mission of your Son:
to be his presence to the world.
May we reign with him
by learning from him to serve,
that people may see that Christ is alive
because we are his body to the world.
We ask you this through Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.

Blessing

The Lord Jesus tells us,
as he told the apostles:
”Be my witnesses to the whole world.”
Let us not stare at heaven
but be his message of hope to people on earth
by the way we live his gospel.
And let us ask for God’s blessing.

May we bring the Lord’s message
to our time and to our people. R/ Amen.

May he go about doing good through us
and may we make him visible today. R/ Amen.

May he stay with us through his Spirit
now and till the end of time. R/ Amen.

And may almighty God bless you all,
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. R/ Amen.

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord

in the people around us.

R/ Thanks be to God.

Commentary

Feast of Hope

Read:

Both the First Reading and the Gospel speak of the event of ascension of the Lord. The Letter to the Hebrews speaks of the once-for-all sacrifice of Christ that gives us hope for a share in his glory.

Reflect:

Just as the Passover marked the liberation of Israel from slavery in Egypt, the Passion and Resurrection of Christ won for us liberation from the slavery to sin. However, the Israelites had to travel for 40 long years to finally enter the Promised Land. The Ascension of Christ happens 40 days after the Resurrection, showing us where we are headed to: redeemed from slavery to sin, we are now to walk the “forties” to enter the final promise—a definitive share in the Triune life of Glory, into which Christ, as the firstborn has ascended, as a promise and hope for us. The Spirit would soon descend, to accompany us in the journey of the forties all the way to where Christ is. So, “why keep looking up at the sky?” Let’s get busy living, get busy loving, preaching and practicing repentance and forgiveness for all.

Pray:

Pray for those who live without hope to find hope in God.

Act:

Help someone to ascend from hopelessness to a life of hope.

Reflection taken from Bible Diary 2022;

written by Fr.Paulson Velyannoor, CMF

Coffee with God: Ascension multiplies the Lord’s presence