Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord

Year of Saint Joseph

Year of the Family "Amoris Laetitia The Joy of Love"

Month of May Dedicated to Our Lady and a “Marathon” of Prayer to End the Pandemic 

In other years: Saint Simon Stock (c.1165-1265); Saint Brendan (486-578); Saint John Stone (?-1539)

Readings of the Day

RB: Ch 2:33-40

Mass: Acts 1:1-11; Resp Ps 47; Eph 1:17-23 or Eph 4:1-13; Mk 16:15-20

Sing praise to God, sing praise; sing praise to our king, sing praise.

HEART OF JESUS, HOUSE OF GOD AND GATE OF HEAVEN,

HAVE MERCY ON US. 

Some days I need a little help. So today I include words from Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, from one of his sermons on the Ascension, proclaimed this morning at lauds:

"No one ascends into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man who is in heaven" ... Thus did the Lord descend and ascend through the mystery of His incarnation, leaving us an example that we should follow in His steps. Let us by the way we live show that we have clothed ourselves in the example of this mystery ... Let us listen to the prophet seeking how we might be lifted up. "Who shall ascend the mountain of the Lord, who shall stand in His holy place? Those with clean hands and a pure heart, who have not received their souls in vain nor sworn deceitfully to their neighbor." Let us note in these verses the three steps He set up to be climbed. The first is integrity in deeds, the second is purity of heart, the third is fruit of devotion. 

So as we "seek the things that are above" (Col 3:1), we go about the daily here on earth, "each of us according to the measure of Christ's gift" (Eph 4:7) and pray with Pope Francis at today's Regina Coeli Address that "Mary, Queen of Heaven, might help us to be in the world courageous witnesses to the Risen One in the concrete situations in life." Amen. 

SAINT SIMON STOCK,

SAINT BRENDAN,

SAINT JOHN STONE,

SAINT JOSEPH,

MARY, MOTHER OF MERCY,

MARY, QUEEN OF PEACE,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: When I saw this iris Friday afternoon, I thought of Jesus taken up into heaven. Jesus, King of glory, have mercy on us.

© Gertrude Feick 2021