May 25, 2017

Bede

May 25, 2017:  Thursday, 6th week, Easter / St. Bede the Venerable

(we don't celebrate Ascension till Sunday)

Do you see six connections with today?
Legend below

Listen
For Psalm 98
In honor of those celebrating Ascension today, here's re:Worship's list of praise and worship songs for Ascension, with these gospel-inspired songs:
Read

  • Acts 18:1-8  Paul left Athens for Corinth, where he visited, stayed, and worked with Aquila, who had recently arrived with his wife Priscilla.  Every sabbath, he tried to convince both Jews and Greeks in the synagogue.  Once Silas and Timothy came, Paul was consumed with preaching that the Christ was Jesus.  When they opposed him, he told them, “I'll go to the Gentiles.”  He went to the house of Titus Justus, next to a synagogue.  Crispus, his household, and many other Corinthians came to believe and were baptized.
  • Ps 98:1-4  "The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power."  Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done wondrous deeds...
  • Jn 16:16-20  “Soon you'll no longer see me, and a little while later and you will.”  Some disciples asked, “What's this ‘little while’?”  Jesus:  “You'll weep and mourn while the world rejoices; you'll grieve, but your grief will become joy.”
Reflect
      Aquila and Priscilla
    • Creighton:  Imagine the disciples' despair and shattered dreams between Good Friday and Easter, when their sorrow turned to joy and grew.  But were they ready for Jesus to leave them at the Ascension?  God, foreseeing the disciples' shortcomings, and ours, provides us with the Holy Spirit to enlighten us with wisdom, revelation, and hope.  We can claim the riches of his glory as we recognize the power available to us believers.  “Go make disciples” is a command, not a suggestion!  It has everything to do with God's power and presence.  Lord, in these troubled times, I can't imagine anything more urgent than sharing your Good News.  Help me to remember that all I need is you and your power working in me.  Help me to share your message, beginning with people I meet each day.
    • One Bread, One Body:  "Full-court press":  Tomorrow begins the Holy Spirit novena, nine days of prayer to prepare for receiving the Spirit at Pentecost.  We are to be absorbed, totally occupied with the coming of the Spirit, as if the Spirit were pressing on us from all sides.  We're to live and breathe to receive the Spirit.  The nine days can be compared to the nine months of pregnancy, when the mother is preoccupied with the baby growing inside, in tune with the baby's movements.  As time passes, the baby grows in her and presses more firmly on her.  Near the end, she just thinks, "Come, Baby."  We need the novena to become more attuned to the Spirit's movements; it's a time to beg Jesus for the grace to thirst for the Spirit.  By the end, we should constantly think, "Come, Holy Spirit."...
    • Passionist:  The Ascension is more of a theological statement than a historical event; it expresses God’s faith in us.  Amidst violence, war, disease, injustice, and poverty, Jesus removes himself physically from earth, making room for, trusting, and believing his followers.  He had faith that, once they were filled with the Spirit, they'd work for the coming the Kingdom.
      The Last Chapter/ Penrose
      Venerable Bede translating
      the Gospel of John on his deathbed
    • DailyScripture.net:  "Your sorrow will turn into joy":  Jesus contrasts present sorrows with future glory for those who hope in God.  For the Israelites time was divided into the present age and the age to come; prophets foretold the Messiah's coming as the dawn of a new age.  Jesus tells his disciples he must leave, return to his Father, and come again to usher in the new age of God's kingdom.  His orientation for the time between his first coming and his return in glory at the end of the world is a reversal of the world's:  the world says take your joy now however you can; he points to "other-worldly" joy transcending all this world can offer.  Jesus contrasts present sorrows with future joy.  As a woman in labor can't avoid birth pangs but then rejoices at the baby's birth, we can't avoid pain and sorrow if we follow Jesus to the cross, but we'll find freedom, victory, and joy.  "No one can live without joy; that's why someone deprived of spiritual joy will turn to carnal pleasures" (Thomas Aquinas)
    To You I turn, River of Life who alone can satisfy me.  Without you all else is barren.  You alone are enough.  You are Redeemer of the lost, Consoler of the sorrowful, the victors' crown of glory, recompense of the blessed.  I hope to receive of your fullness and sing praise in my true home.  Give me on earth a few drops of consolation, and I'll patiently await your coming that I may enter into your joy (Bonaventure).

    Dress legend
    • Red in shirt, 'blood drop' pin:  “Your blood be on your heads!” (1st reading)
    • 'Sailboat' tie bar (oops, forgot; see here):  Paul sails from Athens to Corinth (1st reading)
    • 'Hand' tie pin:  "His right hand has won victory" (psalm)
    • 'Musical note' tie pin:  Sing joyfully to the Lord (psalm)
    • 'Children around the world' tie:  "All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation by our God." (psalm)
    • 'Clocks' suspenders:  “A little while and you'll no longer see me, and a little while later you will see me.” / “What's this ‘little while’?  We don't know what he means.” (gospel)
    • White in shirt and tie:  Easter season
      Special greetings to and prayers for St. Bede the Venerable parish and school!

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