Ascension of Our Lord Collect Year A

The Collect for the Ascension of Our Lord reads as follows:

Let us pray,

Gladden us with holy joys Almighty God,

and make us rejoice with devout thanksgiving,

for the Ascension of Christ Your Son is our exaltation,

and, where the Head has gone before in glory

the Body is called to follow in hope.

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.

In making this prayer tangible, the following reflection questions emerged:

1. Why am I asking God to gladden me with holy joys?
2. Why should I rejoice with devout thanksgiving on this Solemnity?
3. What does the Solemnity of the feast of the Ascension mean to me?
4. How will this Solemnity affect this coming week in my life?
5. How will I  prepare my spiritual plan for this coming week?
6. How might I live in the glory and hope of the ascension this week?  

The Ascension of Our Lord is essentially a feast of hope since we can look forward to eternal life.  We must however not sit on our hands and wait. Christ has given us His command and we need to live lives worthily, so that we can enter through the narrow gate.  


The four fold command of Christ to His disciples is a command to us and gives us a mission- a focus.

• Go, therefore, make disciples of all the nations,
• baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit
• Teach them to observe all the commands I gave you
• Know that I am with you until the end of time.

So how can we make disciples of all the nations?   We need to be ready with our answer should someone asks us for our reason for our belief.  Most of us can evangelize others by not even saying a word- it is by example of the lives we lead. 

Evangelization does not have to be difficult.  If we  are trying our best to live good Christian lives,  other people will be attracted to it. Then when a casual question or conversation occurs, it may be our time to speak.  More importantly it  is a time to listen, since it is the question of the enquirer that is important.  As the journey unfolds, then there will be a time for them to want to be baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Spirit.  This will be God's timing, not ours, since it is God who is leading the person to Himself.  Then as their journey continues, it is time for learning and teaching ( RCIA for example is part of the process), and as catholic pilgrims on the journey, we need to remember and encourage each other in our struggles knowing that Jesus is with us always.

So yes, the feast of the Ascension is a feast of hope of future glory. We need to have this hope in our hearts and try to live our lives now with this future glory in mind. Next week, it will be  Pentecost Sunday.   However, in the light of today's Solemnity, we can start to get ready this week with hope in our hearts and future glory in mind and examine our lives right now. We can then decide and prepare our own personal spiritual plan for the remainder of the year.

What will we do with Christ's 4 fold command this coming week in our family, parish, workplace and neighbourhood?

6th Sunday of Eastertide Collect

The Collect for the 6th Sunday of Eastertide reads as follows

 

Grant almighty God,

that we may celebrate with heartfelt devotion

these days of joy,

which we keep in honour of the risen Lord,

and that we relive in remembrance

we may always hold to in what we do.

 

 

In making this prayer tangible for the coming week, the following reflection questions emerged.

 

 

1. What is the quality of my celebration of Eastertide?

2.  Why do I want to celebrate with heartfelt devotion these days of joy?

3.  What does Christ risen mean for me in my life for this coming week?

4.  What difference does celebrating the risen Lord make to my life/to my coming week?

5.  How does what I hold in faith and what I do compare?


The challenges in today's readings are important for us to consider and for us to decide on what we can do.
1. Are we able to give the reasons to others for which we hope?  Are we able to encourage others to know and love Jesus?
2. Are we able to live by our faith by keeping the commandments, living the beatitudes and having a strong sacramental life?

So  in light of these questions on today's readings  and those that I have posed for reflection on the Collect,  what will you do this week to live your faith more deeply and to love God more fully?

 

     May you continue to receive many Easter blessings.   Alleluia.

 

 

 



 



Collect for 5th Sunday Eastertide.

The Collect for 5th Sunday of Eastertide  reads as follows:

"Almighty ever-living God,

constantly accomplish the Pascal Mystery within us,

that those who You were pleased to make new  in Holy Baptism,

may under your protective care bear much fruit

and come to the joys of life eternal".

 



 

 

In making this prayer tangible, the following reflective questions emerged:

 

 

1. What does the Pascal mystery mean to me?

2.  Why should I want to accomplish the Pascal Mystery within me?

3. What does Baptism mean for my life?

4.  What newness of life have I received this Eastertide?

5.  What have I done with these new graces?


In the Gospel today, Jesus tells His disciples ( and us) " I am the way, the truth and the life''.  We might ask ourselves"' What does this mean to me''.  Sometimes, we might know what to do- we may be puzzled by what is the right route for us. We only have to ask Jesus since He is the way, the truth and the life. 

Yesterday was the centenary of the apparitions of Fatima.  It is interesting to note that despite after 100 years that the message of Fatima of Prayer, Fasting and Saying the Rosary remains as relevant today as then- perhaps even more so.    If we put these two aspects together, then it seems to me that Fatima gives us a practical way to follow Jesus in His way, His truth and His life.

I hope that the blessings of Eastertide have been wonderful for you all and continue to be so.

                                                                Alleluia.


 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 



Good Shepherd Sunday-4th Sunday Eastertide

On the Fourth Sunday of Easter, the Church highlights Christ as the Good Shepherd.  The Pope and the Bishops are the shepherds of the flock of Christ. It is fitting to acknowledge their special teaching and Pastoral ministry. You may like to:

• Pray for the Pope and Bishops of the Church, especially the Bishop of your diocese.
• Send a card to acknowledge and thank the Bishop for his ministry.  If you know a bishop personally, this is indeed fitting.

The Church also highlights on this fourth Sunday of Easter known as 'Good Shepherd Sunday' Vocations to the Priesthood and religious life.  All the baptized have a vocation. We are all called to holiness.  For those called by Christ to the Priesthood and religious life, they are called in a special way and need our love and support for them to carry out the work Christ has asked of them.

We also need to pray for those priests, who through human fragility/illness of some kind, were not able to live their vocation worthily and through their actions have caused much hurt in the church, not only to those whom they hurt but to the whole church. They still need our prayers even though we may not understand their actions and may feel quite angry and hurt for the mess they have caused in the Church.

May Christ the Good Shepherd encourage and embrace us,

May we listen to the sound of His voice,

Hear His call and follow Him.