Ascension

June 1, 2014:  Ascension of our Lord

Readings

Himmelfahrt Christi/ Stöberl

• Acts 1:1-11  Apostles / Jesus, “Are you going to restore the kingdom now?” / “It's not for you to know, but you'll receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you'll be my witnesses to the ends of the earth.” After he said this, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him.  While they were looking up, two men stood and said, “Why are you standing there?  This Jesus will return.”

• Ps 47:2-3, 6-9  "God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord."  Shout to God with gladness, for the Lord is king over all the earth!

• Eph 1:17-23  May God give you a Spirit of wisdom and revelation to know him.  May you be enlightened, that you may know the hope of his call, the riches of his inheritance, and the greatness of his power for us believers, in accord with the might he worked in raising Christ and seating him at his right hand.  God put all things beneath his feet and gave Christ as head of all to his body, the church.

• Mt 28:16-20  When the Eleven saw Jesus at Galilee, they worshiped but doubted.  Jesus told them, “All power has been given to me.  Go and make disciples of all, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them.  I am with you always.”

Music

Today's readings

• Praise the Lord Who Reigns Above/ Wesley
• Christ, whose glory fills the sky/ Wesley
• Praise Him as He mounts the skies/ Williams, Quinn
• Rejoice, the Lord Is King/ Wesley
• Crown him with many crowns/ Bridges:  Maranatha singers, traditional, contemporary
• All hail the power of Jesus' name/ Perronet:  contemporary, acappella's arrangement, traditional [original lyrics, unlikely composer]
• Alleluia!  Sing to Jesus/ Dix:  COLA choir with Frank Brownstead, faster
• Hail the day that sees him rise/ Wesley [about]
• Lord, I lift your name on high/ Founds
• Sing we triumphant hymns of praise/ St. Bede the Venerable
• Let the earth rejoice and sing/ Williams, Fr. Farrell (to the tune of "Christ the Lord is risen today" or "Jesus Christ is risen today")
• Up, up, and away/ Webb :-) [also headline for print version of today's LA Times business lead story]

Reflections

• Creighton:  The Eleven saw Jesus but still doubted.  St. Paul reveals there's a deeper kind of seeing and knowing.  The Holy Spirit has given us new eyes.  How are we exercising them?

• Passionist:  There are no earthly boundaries to the presence of Christ in me, others, the world, and beyond.  Christ is inside and out, within me and around, beyond life and death, nowhere and everywhere.  The feast underlines the unity we share in Christ.

• DailyScripture.net:  Jesus' departure and ascension was an end and a beginning:  the end of his physical presence with the disciples, the beginning of his presence with them in the Holy Spirit. His last words were about his saving mission and ours to be witnesses and proclaim the good news.  (The 40 days between resurrection and ascension is significant:   Moses sought God 40 days in prayer and fasting.  The Israelites were in the wilderness 40 years preparing to enter the promised land.  Elijah and Jesus fasted 40 days...)

• Universalis:  St. Justin, martyr (if Ascension hadn't trumped his celebration today)

• Sacred Space

Pope Francis

• Visitation:  Mary 'went in haste' to serve Elizabeth, wasting no time.  The 'Virgin of readiness' is ready to help us when we ask for her help and protection.  In the many moments of life when we need help, the Madonna doesn't wait; she's immediately ready to serve.

Apparel

• "Hot air balloons" tie:  "Jesus has been taken up into heaven and will return the same way." (1st reading)
• Blue in shirt:  "John baptized with water..." (1st reading)
• Blue and white in shirt:  "Two men dressed in white stood beside them" (1st reading); Easter season
• "Angel with trumpet" pin:  "The Lord mounts his throne amid trumpet blasts." (psalm)
• "Owl" tie pin:  "May God give you a Spirit of wisdom" (2nd reading)
• "Eyeball" tie pin, "hearts" suspenders:  "They were looking at the sky" (1st reading); "May the eyes of your hearts be enlightened" (2nd reading)
• "Dove" pin:  "You'll be baptized with the Holy Spirit, receive power when the Spirit comes" (1st reading); “Make disciples, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit" (gospel)

Dress your life!