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Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of the faithful!
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   20050505

The Catholic Calendar for Thursday, May 5, 2005
The Ascension of the Lord

(Holy Day of Obligation)

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Acts 1:1-11
Psalm 47:2-3,6-9
Ephesians 1:17-23
Matthew 28:16-20

A reflection on today's Scripture. . . .

"Make disciples of all nations, teaching them to observe
all I have command you"
(see Matthew 28:19,20)

During a conversation at lunch, I overheard a young woman remark that she would have nothing to do with any religion that creates a sense of guilt by suggesting we are sinful and in need of salvation. Youth, inexperience and pop-psychology had convinced her that we live in "the best of all possible worlds" and must not accept any thought that injures our self-esteem. Were the latter true, then God, the Father was very cruel in sending His only Son to suffer extreme torture and die uselessly for a humanity that was already perfect. The truth is that sin, our pride and Godlessness, blinds us to humanity's actual condition.

While the Easter season began on a note of sorrow and repentance, it now continues with hope and joy. Christ put human sin to death in His own flesh on the cross, conquering evil; now we, through faith and obedience to Him, by grace, are called and enabled to conquer our every temptation to sin. This same Holy Spirit Jesus promised to His Apostles in our first reading is given to all sincere "believers," not only for their personal salvation, but also for the benefit of all those with whom they come in contact, those with whom they share God's love and truth made manifest in Christ. Such is our Savior's exhortation to His followers, to become like Him, broken bread and poured out wine for the life of the world.

Guilt is a very positive, God-given, emotion; without it we would lack a conscience, have no ability to discern good from evil, no desire to repent of harmful actions and words, no wish to redirect our steps leading to our living eternally with God. Christ's Ascension is the foreshadowing and fulfillment of God's desire to have all of humanity united with Him, that our joy may at last be perfect.

O God of all goodness, bring Your self-giving love and truth shown to us by Christ to full fruition in each one of us, that we may share Your blessings with others and draw them to You. Amen

- Marie Bocko, ocds
(mlbocko at earthlink dot net)

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