The Ascension of the Lord Into Heaven

In the first book, Theophilus,

I dealt with all that Jesus did and taught

until the day he was taken up,

after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit

to the apostles whom he had chosen.

He presented himself alive to them

by many proofs after he had suffered,

appearing to them during forty days

and speaking about the kingdom of God.

While meeting with the them,

he enjoined them not to depart from Jerusalem,

but to wait for “the promise of the Father

about which you have heard me speak;

for John baptized with water,

but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

When they had gathered together they asked him,

“Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”

He answered them, “It is not for you to know the times or seasons

that the Father has established by his own authority.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you,

and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem,

throughout Judea and Samaria,

and to the ends of the earth.”

When he had said this, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight. While they were looking intently at the sky as he was going, suddenly two men dressed in white garments stood beside them. They said, “Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking at the sky? This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven.” Acts 1:1-11

The period of time, following Jesus' resurrection was an extraordinary and privileged time for Jesus' disciples, after witnessing his death on the cross. Death is Satan's crushing argument, used to destroy people's faith in Jesus and the gospel of life. Jesus exposes the deceit of Satan's argument by appearing alive, with a new and unexpected fullness of life that will never die. The defeated and broken faith of the disciples is restored in this most convincing way.

As convincing as his appearances were, Jesus had plans for an even greater defense against Satan's lies. It would be the Spirit, literally dwelling within the very heart of the believer, speaking the Word of Truth to the one who's faith is under attack. 

And so, this time of appearances by Jesus would end as we see in this feast of the Lord's Ascension. The Age of the Spirit is about to begin.

We might think that if Jesus were to appear to us, our faith would be secure forever. But each time our faith would come under attack, Jesus would have to appear again, and again. Make no mistake, our faith will always be under attack, some times in minor ways but in more vulnerable times, with Satan's vicious severity. 

BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT- which is the bringing into the communion of our souls, the person of the Holy Spirit, is the new Way that Jesus reveals. It becomes the dynamic principle of the Christian Life. Without this dynamic and personal relationship, and the prayer and devotion that accompanies it as an on going part of our faith life, we are little more than fledglings in the nest before talons of the predator. 

In earlier postings, I include a series on the "Baptism of the Holy Spirit" (see side column) I recommend these for your review at this time. 

See also Novena to the Holy Spirit (click)

PRAYER:

Christ ascended into heaven to send the Holy Spirit on the apostles. Let us join with one voice in praising him, and say,

Send us your Spirit.

Lord Jesus, you ascended into heaven; send us the promise of the Father,

– that we may be clothed with power from on high.

Send us your Spirit.

Your disciples were to be as wise as serpents and as simple as doves,

– through your Spirit teach us prudence and simplicity.

Send us your Spirit.

You are seated at the right hand of the Father; pray for us as our Priest,

– and pray in us as our Head.

Send us your Spirit.

Grant that in every trial we may suffer with you,

– and so be glorified with you.

Send us your Spirit.

O God,

 who restore us to eternal life

 in the Resurrection of Christ,

 raise us up, we pray, to the author of our salvation,

 who is seated at your right hand,

 so that, when our Savior comes again in majesty,

 those you have given new birth in Baptism

 may be clothed with blessed immortality.

 Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

 who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

 one God, for ever and ever.  Amen.

(Morning Prayer, Friday, 6th Week of Easter)

Abide In My Love

Before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. During the supper, Jesus said to the disciples: “As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.” (John 15.9-11) (gospel May 22)

REFLECTIONS

Take a few moments and consider how this word of Jesus, "... abide ..."  is reflected in your faith life, using these different meanings of the word.

1. to remain; continue; stay

2. to have one's abode; dwell; reside:

3. to continue in a particular condition, attitude, relationship, etc.; to last.

4. to put up with; tolerate; stand:

5. to endure, sustain, or withstand without yielding or submitting:

6. to wait for; await:

7. to accept without opposition or question:

8. to pay the price or penalty of; suffer for.

9. abide by,

    a. to act in accord with.

    b. to submit to; agree to:

    c. to remain steadfast or faithful to; keep:

The Book of Acts, First Chapter in the History of the Church

As the infant Church began to organize & structure, the first thing they did was to replace the apostle Judas. The account is given right in the first chapter of Acts. The qualifications they set for one who could be considered was:

that the person had to be one of the men who accompanied us the whole time the Lord Jesus came and went among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day on which he was taken up from us, become with us a witness to his resurrection.

So they proposed two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also known as Justus, and Matthias. Then they prayed, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen to take the place in this apostolic ministry from which Judas turned away to go to his own place.” Then they gave lots to them, and the lot fell upon Matthias, and he was counted with the eleven apostles. Acts 1:15-26

The next thing to organize was the establishment of the Order of Deacon. In Chapter six we read:

At that time, as the number of disciples continued to grow, the Hellenists complained against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. So the Twelve called together the community of the disciples and said, “It is not right for us to neglect the word of God to serve at table. Brothers, select from among you seven reputable men, filled with the Spirit and wisdom, whom we shall appoint to this task, whereas we shall devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

The proposal was acceptable to the whole community, so they chose Stephen, a man filled with faith and the holy Spirit, also Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicholas of Antioch, a convert to Judaism. They presented these men to the apostles who prayed and laid hands on them. Acts 6:1-6

From then on through first millennium the Office of (permanent) Deacon remained a viable part of the ordained ministry within the Church. But by the beginning of the second millennium it began to decline in use. At the Council Trent, 1563, a discussion on how to restore this office in the Church began, but at the Council's end, there was no further follow up.

This remained the state of this Office for the next 500 years, right up to our time, when Office of Permanent Deaconate was once again revived. The discussion began in Germany, in the ashes of the 2nd World War. Priests and laity, meeting and discussing, saw clearly that the Church would need much help to rebuild, and perhaps the deaconate would be of great benefit.

In 1962, at the time of 2nd Vatican Council a proposal was presented to Pope John XXlll, that restoring the Office of Permanent Deaconate be reconsidered.

In 1964, the dogmatic document of the Church, Lumen Gentium, had a very clear section on the deacons calling for the restoration on the diaconate."

Four years later, in 1968, came the first ordination ceremonies of deacons since the Reformation — fittingly, in Germany. Several other countries, including Colombia, followed suit, so that by 1970 there were almost 100 permanent deacons around the world.

The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops met in Winnipeg in 1968 and voted overwhelmingly to ask Rome for permission to restore the diaconate in Canada. By 1969 it was granted. As of 2013 There are more than 40,000 permanent deacons serving worldwide with approximately 1,000 in Canada

Essentially, it is a ministry of service and charity. The deacon serves the Church and the diocese in a designated service in a hospital, or prison, or other forms of charitable outreach. In addition, the deacon is assigned to a parish, as his liturgical base, where he assists the pastor, as needed, in  liturgical ministry which may take the form of assisting at mass, preaching, baptising, presiding at weddings or funerals, or in other capacities within the parish.

As disciples of Christ and members of the Church, a deacon's ministry evolves in response to specific needs and his God-given talents. There are three dimensions of diaconal service: Ministry of Love and Justice, Ministry of the Word of God, and the Ministry within the Liturgy. They care for the disadvantaged, the bereaved, the divorced, the dying and the imprisoned, those pushed to the fringes of society by sickness and poverty, crime or age. Deacons prepare the faithful to receive the sacraments and to carry out their vocations as baptized Christians. With proper authorization they are able to preach, teach, counsel and give spiritual guidance. They assist bishop and priests in liturgical celebrations. They baptize, witness marriages and preside at funerals. Whatever they do, deacons are acting on behalf of the servant Christ. Normally, this service that the deacon undertakes on behalf of the Church is done free of charge and without pay. (From diocesan website - link)

 Many acts of service are performed by non-ordained laity today with the grace God gives them. But as an “ordained office of service” the  Permanent Deaconate is established as an institutional sign, that is visibly present in the Church, given as sign for all of us to see, encouraging us to recognize our own vocation to service in the Church.

Pray that God will continue to bless an prosper this ancient Office in Church today.

The Voice Is For Hearing

Listen to Fr. Robert Barron's remarks on the importance of VOICE 

and how to listen for the Voice of the Good Shepherd (CLICK).