June 2nd (Ascension)

Post date: Jun 03, 2019 7:5:7 PM

June 2, 2019 (Ascension) Homily by Fr. Karl Schray

What is the Ascension? Is it flight? Is it science fiction—

like ‘Beam me up Scotty? It says that Jesus did disappear from their sight.

In today’s reading, we hear St. Paul’s description of where Jesus went.

He entered heaven itself. Jesus sat at the right hand of the Father.

Christ did not enter a sanctuary made by hands, but heaven itself.

Being seated at the right hand of the Father meant he is equal to the

Father.

Emeritus Pope Benedict wrote: “The meaning of Christ’s ascension

expresses our belief that in Christ, the humanity that we all share

has entered into the inner life of God in a new way.

We go to heaven to the extent that we go to Jesus Christ and enter into

Him.” Heaven is a person. Jesus himself is what we call heaven.

Heaven is the presence of God. Hell is the absence of God.

The object of our faith is not a doctrine but the person of God,

the Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Everyone wants power. Jesus wants his believers to have power too:

Power from on high—the power of the Holy Spirit.

This power gives us great joy and lasting happiness.

Matthew Kelly said,

“What is the difference between pleasure and happiness?

Pleasure lasts only as long as the action that produces it.

Happiness continues long after that action has ended.”

Today during Mass,

ask God to show you one thing that He wants you to learn,

something you noticed for the first time.

Maybe the words of Consecration or a hymn or the homily.

Perhaps the idea of “Power” or “Heaven” or “Witnesses” in today’s

Scriptures. The power to be kind—to create heaven in your families.

Modeling one’s life on that of Jesus doesn’t give us power over others but

gives us power in our own life and in the lives of others.

Our culture idealizes rugged individualism, the self-made man,

the person who doesn’t need to depend on anyone.

But the reality of our lives is that we need other people

in hundreds of ways—for education, employment, inspiration,

the Sacraments, health care needs and of course,

friends and family to support us emotionally.

In our spiritual life we need to know Jesus in a personal way.

We need to take time for prayer, but our relationship with Christ can’t be

just an individual thing only.

It can’t be “me and God” to the exclusion of anyone else. If we want

to be one with Christ, we’re going to be one with a lot of people too.

The Church’s mission is not just to save ourselves, but to bring God’s grace

and life to others as well. We are all together in this world;

we are all together in our spiritual journey, too.

An old man was weeping at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

Moved by the sight, a young man walked over to him,

put his hand on his shoulder and said, ‘Is one of these yours, sir?’

The old man said softly, “Not one of them, son! All of them!”