The Ascension of the Lord is depicted in this painting by 15th-century German artist Johann Koerbecke. CNS PHOTO COURTESY THE NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART, SAMUEL H. KRESS COLLECTION
Source & Summit: Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord
(The faithful) taking part in the Eucharistic sacrifice, which is the source and summit of the whole Christian life, offer the Divine Victim to God, and themselves along with it.
-The Second Vatican Council fathers in Lumen Gentium, #11
Source & Summit is a feature of The Western Kentucky Catholic online, celebrating the National Eucharistic Revival: Year of Parish Revival. Intended to help Catholics of our parishes to probe the riches of our liturgical year and celebrate the liturgy well, the column will always start with the Bible readings for the Mass of the Day to help us reflect on, and help to “unpack” and expand our experiences at liturgy into the domestic church (the home) and the workplace.
Sunday reflections will be based on the Lord’s Day, the Liturgy, the Eucharist, and, occasionally, community.
Sunday, May 12, 2024
Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/051224-Ascension.cfm
Acts 1:1—11
Psalm 47:2—3, 6—9
Ephesians 1:17—23
Mark 16:15—20
To medieval Christian mystics, the Feast of the Ascension was the wedding day of God and humanity. This understanding did not lessen the importance of the Incarnation; rather, this feast sealed – that is, made permanent the reality of that event. They understood that the Incarnation – God taking on human flesh – was the engagement or betrothal of God and the human race, but that union did not become eternal until Jesus took his human body – and thus human flesh in general – into heaven and sat down on his throne at the right hand of God. From that moment on, there was no turning back… human bodies (as well as human souls and spirits) inhabited the “New Jerusalem.”
Reclaiming this medieval insight allows us today to see the connection between the Ascension and our entire Christian life: Where Jesus has gone we all hope to follow. And just as it’s almost unthinkable to have a wedding without food, so too the wedding of God and humanity that occurred at the Ascension inaugurated the eternal wedding feast of heaven foretold by Isaiah. And the food for the journey from our present life circumstances to that heavenly banquet is the Eucharist. Not only does every Mass make present to us – memorialize – the complete self-emptying of Jesus on the Cross, but it also points us toward and allows us to begin to experience now the future celebration of life and love that is the wedding feast of the Lamb. Mass is so much more than prayers said and songs sung!
The Ascension is a feast of hope and of celebration. Jesus promised – and has delivered – the gift of the Holy Spirit that would knit together the first Jewish disciples into “Church” and which would over and over again until the end of time transform lowly bread and wine into his own Body and Blood.
May the eyes of our hearts be enlightened to recognize these great mysteries. May the Spirit give us wisdom and courage to see in Jesus’ Ascension command: “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature” the commission at the end of every Mass: “Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.” Just as Ascension led to mission, so too does every Eucharist lead to mission – Go and share Jesus! Go and be Jesus in the world today. We live out this mission in hope while we wait for that day at the end of time when his ecclesial Body will be revealed to have “the fullness of the One who fills all things in every way”—the day when God will be everything in everything!
-Sr. Cheryl Clemons, OSU
Sr. Cheryl is an Ursuline Sister of Mount Saint Joseph.
To learn more about the Diocese of Owensboro’s celebration of the National Eucharistic Revival, visit https://owensborodiocese.org/eucharistic-revival/.
