Ascension of the Lord!
Ascension of the Lord!
First of all, let me wish you all a Happy Ascension of the Lord. Also, wish you a feast of St. Anthony as we anticipate the celebration of St. Anthony. Who is St. Anthony of Padua? He was born into a wealthy family in Lisbon, Portugal. He had all the comforts of life and was a joint Augustinian. Later, upon examining the lives of the Franciscan Martyrs, he decided to join the Franciscan order. Anthony was an excellent preacher and traveled to Morocco to spread God's truth, but became extremely sick and was returned to Portugal. The ship was blown and ended up in Sicily. It was said that he was a cook for a while and was attending an ordination during that period, and no one was prepared to give the homily at the ordination, and Anthony accepted the task. His speech was astounding, and since then, his fame has spread. Anthony emphasized in his sermons about the ‘Crucified Lord.’ Once he wrote: “Christ, who is your life, is hanging before you, so that you look at the cross as in a mirror. There you will be able to know how mortal were your wounds that no medicine other than the Blood of the Son of God could heal… Nowhere other than looking at himself in the mirror of the cross can better understand how much he is worth.” Let us ask the intercession of St. Anthony for our parish, school, and cluster. St. Anthony, pray for us!
On the 7th Sunday of Easter, we celebrate the Ascension of the Lord. During forty days of Easter, Jesus walked with his disciples and prepared them for Pentecost and future mission before his Ascension. Luke gives us two books in the New Testament: the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles. Luke concludes the Gospel (24:46-53) with the Ascension of the Lord, and the Acts of the Apostles begins with the Ascension of the Lord (1:1-11), which serves as our first reading and Gospel. Acts 1:9 and Mark 16:19 say that the Ascension of the Lord culminates with his heavenly enthronement at the right hand of the Father. The Ascension took place on the Mount of Olives. In the first reading we read, “A cloud took him from their sight.” In the Bible, the cloud represents the divine presence. We can see references in the Book of Exodus 13:21, Isaiah 63:11, and Daniel 7:13. In Acts 7:56, Stephen said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”
Jesus departed from them, but at the same time, he promised to be with them always, and he pledged his future return. Christ’s kingdom began with his coming, is now present in the Church, and will be fulfilled in the return of Christ in glory. Jesus entrusted the Church to the Apostles and asked them to continue the mission with the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
The Mass: Over the last two weeks, we have been exploring the Liturgy of the Eucharist. There is much more to ponder. The words of institution spoken by the priest are not taken verbatim from one Gospel but are a synthesis of all four biblical accounts: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and 1 Corinthians. Each Gospel and Paul’s epistle emphasizes slightly different elements: “This is my body…” (Matthew); “Given up for you…” (Luke); “Do this in remembrance of me…” (Paul); “Poured out for many…” (Matthew). The priest then elevates the host and the chalice, showing them to the people, and genuflects in adoration. This action is followed by the proclamation "The Mystery of Faith", inviting the congregation to respond with an acclamation. This acclamation draws from 1 Corinthians 11:26, where Paul says:
“As often as you eat this bread and drink the chalice, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” “The Mystery of Faith” - its biblical origin is in 1 Timothy 3:9, referring to the deacons who must “hold the mystery of faith with a clear conscience.” The bells ringing at the elevation recall Exodus 28, where the high priest wore bells as he entered the Holy of Holies. This parallels the priest's entrance into the sacred mystery at consecration—a moment of divine encounter. The bells serve as both a practical signal and a symbolic echo of the priestly liturgy of the Old Covenant.
There are four Eucharistic prayers to choose from. The Eucharistic Prayer I (Roman Canon) is the longest one and was composed over time by multiple authors, including contributions traditionally attributed to Pope St. Gelasius, St. Leo I, and St. Gregory the Great. Prayers for the Church: Includes prayers for unity, the Pope, the local bishop, and all the faithful. The structure and theme of the Eucharistic Prayer I: Prayers for the Church: Includes prayers for unity, the Pope, the local bishop, and all the faithful; Communion with Saints: Acknowledges the communion of saints, especially Mary, Joseph, and early Church martyrs; Paschal Mystery: Celebrates Christ’s Passion, Resurrection, and Ascension—collectively known as the Paschal Mystery; Sacrificial Language: Repeated references to the offering as a “pure, holy, and spotless victim;” Biblical Allusions: Mentions Abel, Abraham, and Melchizedek, linking the Eucharist to Old Testament sacrificial figures; Heavenly Offering: Prays for the offering to be accepted at the heavenly altar by God’s angel, connecting earthly worship with the divine.
The Second Eucharistic Prayer begins with the preface unique to this prayer, praising the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; moves through the Epiclesis, Institution Narrative, Anamnesis (memorial of Christ's Passion and Resurrection), Intercessions, and concludes with a doxology and the Great Amen. It includes prayers for the Pope, the local bishop, and the dead.
The Eucharistic Prayer III is renowned for its rich liturgical content. Its structure begins with Opening & Epiclesis: “From the rising of the sun to its setting, a pure sacrifice may be offered to your name…”. Institution Narrative & Anamnesis: “Therefore, O Lord, as we celebrate the memorial…”; Anamnesis ("memorial") connects the Passion, Resurrection, and Ascension with the present sacramental reality; the sacrifice is not repeated but made present, drawing worshipers into Christ's eternal offering. Sacrificial Language: “this holy and living sacrifice,” “sacrificial victim,” “oblation of your Church,” “make of us an eternal offering,” Communion with Saints: Lists Mary and Joseph, the Apostles, and Martyrs — though abbreviated compared to the Roman Canon (Eucharistic Prayer I), St. Joseph was only added in 2013 by Pope Francis, reflecting his growing prominence in Church devotion. Ecclesial Unity and Eschatological Hope: “Confirm in faith and charity your pilgrim Church on earth…”
The Eucharistic Prayer IV is the most Johannine of all four of the Eucharistic Prayers. The Gospel of John, the three letters of John (First, Second, and Third John), and the Book of Revelation are called Johannine writings. The Johannine theology is very consistently present throughout Eucharistic Prayer IV. In structure, it is Trinitarian, uniquely emphasizing the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. A great Emphasis on salvation history narrates the complete account of God's relationship with humanity, from creation and the Fall, through Old Testament covenants, to Christ’s Incarnation, Paschal Mystery, and the sending of the Spirit. It is a combination of ancient and new. It is based in part on the Anaphora of St. Basil (4th century), but significantly expanded and updated. It is created by Fr. Cyprian Vagaggini, a key figure in post-Vatican II liturgical reform. The Eucharistic Prayer IV is the least frequently used of the four major Eucharistic Prayers. It has a fixed preface, so it is only used when no proper preface is prescribed, especially on Sundays in Ordinary Time.
The Second Eucharistic Prayer begins with the preface unique to this prayer, praising the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; moves through the Epiclesis, Institution Narrative, Anamnesis (memorial of Christ's Passion and Resurrection), Intercessions, and concludes with a doxology and the Great Amen. It includes prayers for the Pope, the local bishop, and the dead.
The Eucharistic Prayer III is renowned for its rich liturgical content. Its structure begins with Opening & Epiclesis: “From the rising of the sun to its setting, a pure sacrifice may be offered to your name…”. Institution Narrative & Anamnesis: “Therefore, O Lord, as we celebrate the memorial…”; Anamnesis ("memorial") connects the Passion, Resurrection, and Ascension with the present sacramental reality; the sacrifice is not repeated but made present, drawing worshipers into Christ's eternal offering. Sacrificial Language: “this holy and living sacrifice,” “sacrificial victim,” “oblation of your Church,” “make of us an eternal offering,” Communion with Saints: Lists Mary and Joseph, the Apostles, and Martyrs — though abbreviated compared to the Roman Canon (Eucharistic Prayer I), St. Joseph was only added in 2013 by Pope Francis, reflecting his growing prominence in Church devotion. Ecclesial Unity and Eschatological Hope: “Confirm in faith and charity your pilgrim Church on earth…”
The Eucharistic Prayer IV is the most Johannine of all four of the Eucharistic Prayers. The Gospel of John, the three letters of John (First, Second, and Third John), and the Book of Revelation are called Johannine writings. The Johannine theology is very consistently present throughout Eucharistic Prayer IV. In structure, it is Trinitarian, uniquely emphasizing the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. A great Emphasis on salvation history narrates the complete account of God's relationship with humanity, from creation and the Fall, through Old Testament covenants, to Christ’s Incarnation, Paschal Mystery, and the sending of the Spirit. It is a combination of ancient and new. It is based in part on the Anaphora of St. Basil (4th century), but significantly expanded and updated. It is created by Fr. Cyprian Vagaggini, a key figure in post-Vatican II liturgical reform. The Eucharistic Prayer IV is the least frequently used of the four major Eucharistic Prayers. It has a fixed preface, so it is only used when no proper preface is prescribed, especially on Sundays in Ordinary Time.