Ascension Thursday Evening 2017
The truth of the Ascension was revealed by the angels and the liturgy celebrates the feast forty days after Easter just as it is described in the Bible. After the events of this day the young Church gathered around the Blessed Mother in the upper room and continued steadfast in prayer for the coming of the Holy Ghost.
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Ascension Thursday 2017
We learn several things on this feast day. The dogma that Christ returned to heaven on Ascension Thursday was revealed by the angels who told the apostles. Among Our Lord’s last words were His instructions not to worry about the future because the Father in His Providence will take care of everything and to go forth and preach the Gospel. Most importantly, today heaven became our home because Our Savior, the Head of the Mystical Body of which we are members, is there preparing a place for us.
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This sermon focuses on the need to be prudent in our dealings with others and the need to pray, especially for our Church and our Nation. In doing this we must forgive all injuries in imitation of Our Lord and the Saints. One of the reasons for prayer is thanksgiving and in this case gratitude for the gifts of the Holy Spirit, so needed in these times. It is these gifts which make the practice of virtue easier than would otherwise be the case. Also, we must remember that our prayers are always answered but not necessarily in the manner we expect.
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Morning Mass
Today’s sermon can be broken into two parts. The first part is a reflection on the great Pope of Tradition, St. Pius V, whose feast falls on May 5th, but today gives way to the Feast of the Ascension. The second is of course on the Ascension of Our Lord into Heaven. St. Pius V essentially gave us the Traditional Mass we celebrate today and codified it for all posterity. He also did so much in the relatively short time of his papacy (7 years) that it would take many books to describe the impact he had on the Faith. He promoted missionary activity, fought and won battles against both protestantism and mohammedanism and left us a catechism based on the doctrine of the Council of Trent. Our Lord ascended to Heaven to prepare a place for us which is foretold by Jesus saying to his disciples: “Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s s house there are many mansions. If not, I would have told you: because I go to prepare a place for you. And if I shall go, and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and will take you to myself; that where I am, you also may be.” So, we can take from this being bonded to Our Lord through the Eucharist that Heaven is our real and final home. It is our destiny if only we will keep the Faith.
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Evening Mass
Father mentions the words that Fr. Superior spoke this morning regarding St. Pius V whose feast day is May 5th but today gives way to the Feast of Ascension Thursday. Though of relatively short duration, the pontificate of St. Pius V has enormous significance for us and the entire Church. He gave us the Mass that we have today, taken directly from Saints Peter and Paul, and codified it for all eternity. In regards to the epistle and gospel for the Ascension, Father mentions that we are required to regulate our affections. This means that if our hearts are for God, then our efforts will be towards the good, but if our hearts are towards evil, then our efforts will be towards evil. Christ said: “where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.” This should also cause us to engage in mental prayer, which is the raising of our hearts and minds to God and showing Him how much we love Him. This is especially important on this day when our Lord gives us the promise of our own entry into Heaven. Mental prayer is really the easiest form of prayer but is often neglected in the rush of today’s world.
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Sunday after Ascension 2015
We are given great comfort from the Introit of this Mass, “the Lord is my life and my salvation, whom shall I fear?” We know that everything that happens to us was all part of God’s plan. Our Lord is no longer present on Earth in the same way He was before the Ascension. Although the Apostles felt desolate when Christ left them, they remained in constant prayer. St. Peter tells us not only to be prudent and watchful, but to show constant charity towards our neighbor. It is the practice of the spiritual and corporal works of mercy which has won innumerable converts.
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Ascension Thursday 2015
The dogma of the Ascension of Our Lord is the only dogma to be proclaimed by the angels. The Scriptures were written by practical men who desired proofs to support their belief. We review the story of the Ascension to increase our understanding and to love it better. The souls of the just were waiting in patient expectation of this day. Following the divine command, the Apostles traveled far and wide to convert the world. Only the Catholic Church has produced all the great saints and the miracles to confirm their teaching. This day Christ ended His visible mission on earth and will soon send the Holy Ghost.
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Sermon On The
Sunday after the Ascension 2014
We better appreciate the story of today’s Gospel with historical knowledge about the Sea of Galilee, the storms which were common there, and the location and culture of the Decapolis. God is everywhere, not in the sense that the pantheists believe, but according to His immensity. He is everywhere in three ways: by His knowledge, by His power, and by His essence. When we speak of the Essence of God we must remember that the word “essence” is derived from the word “esse,” meaning “to be.”
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Sermon From
Ascension 2014
Today we celebrate the only dogma that was proclaimed to us by the angels. Jesus descended into Hell, meaning that He entered to “lower regions” to lead the souls of the just to their reward. They were all brought to that real place which we call Heaven and all the souls of the just are celebrating there on this day. This is a prediction of our coming resurrection. Christ sits at the right hand of the Father by right and by conquest.
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Sunday After The Ascension 2012
Even after the apparent death of a person, the priest should be called, because we do not know when the soul leaves the body and Extreme Unction can be given conditionally even some time after apparent death. It is of the utmost importance to pray with those who are dying. Despite what the Modernists say, the sacrament of Extreme Unction was not an invention of the Medieval Church but is referred to by the earliest writings of the Church Fathers. When we pray for someone and perform acts of charity, we help remove the temporal punishment due to our neighbor’s sins. Let your attitude be one of constant pray.
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Today is one of the only times when a dogma of the Faith was proclaimed by the angels. Our Lord predicted that the preaching of the Apostles would be confirmed by the miracles they would work. Even a cursory knowledge of Church history gives ample confirmation of these words. Miracles aid in belief, but they do not cause the virtue of faith. We should pray for an increase of faith every day of our lives.
The Apostles were commanded on this day to make the world Christian, and we are put to shame when we remember the heroism of the missionaries who sacrificed their lives to follow that command.
Our Lord has prepared a throne for us in Heaven and gives us a foretaste of this coming happiness every time He comes to us in Holy Communion.
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