THE ASCENSION OF THE LORD

World Communications Day

Readings of the day: RB 16-22

Mass: Ac 1:11-14; Resp Ps 47; Ep 1:17-23 or Ep 4:1-13; Mk 16:15-20

The Ascension of Christ (detail) from the Laudario of Sant'Agnese, 

AS THE DISCIPLES WERE LOOKING ON, JESUS WAS LIFTED UP. 

I share a passage read at Vigils:

The ascension celebrates the new creation, the bringing together of heaven and earth that has begun in the life of Jesus. When Jesus is seen no more in the old way, that does not mean he has abandoned the world, so that we must go and look for him outside it—“looking up into the sky” like the disciples. His life is being lived in us: the new world is being brought to birth in us, gradually and sometimes painfully. We are caught up in the eternal movement of God’s commitment to his creation. In and through Jesus we, too, have become a sign of promise. The light is on; the morning has come. The daystar from on high has dawned on us.

(Rowan Williams, A Ray of Darkness, p. 71)

As we celebrate the Ascension of the Lord, then, may St Paul encourage and inspire us to be a sign of promise in the world:

I urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love, striving to preserve the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace: one body and one Spirit, as you were also called to the one hope of your call; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

(Ep 4:1-6)

GO OUT INTO THE WHOLE WORLD AND

PROCLAIM THE GOSPEL TO EVERY CREATURE.

Lord, make us instruments of your peace.
Help us to recognize the evil latent in a communication that does not build communion.
Help us to remove the venom from our judgements.
Help us to speak about others as our brothers and sisters.
You are faithful and trustworthy; may our words be seeds of goodness for the world:
where there is shouting, let us practice listening;
where there is confusion, let us inspire harmony;
where there is ambiguity, let us bring clarity;
where there is exclusion, let us offer solidarity;
where there is sensationalism, let us use sobriety;
where there is superficiality, let us raise real questions;
where there is prejudice, let us awaken trust;
where there is hostility, let us bring respect;
where there is falsehood, let us bring truth.
Amen.

(Pope Francis, Message of his Holiness Pope Francis for the 52nd World Communications Day)