The Fiat of the Ascension

Tribulation Times

 

May 17, 2012  

THE TRIB TIMES WILL RETURN NEXT WEEK, GOD WILLING (James 4:15).

(Act 1:11-12) Who also said: Ye men of Galilee, why stand you looking up to heaven? This Jesus who is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come as you have seen him going into heaven. Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount that is called Olivet, which is nigh Jerusalem, within a sabbath day's journey. 

PENTACOST NOVENA: The Pentecost Novena is the first of all novenas, nine days of prayer. After Jesus' Ascension into heaven, He commanded His disciples to come together in the upper room to devote themselves to constant prayer (Acts 1:14). They prayed for nine days before receiving the Holy Spirit on Pentecost.

On May 4, 1897, Pope Leo XIII proclaimed: "We decree and command that throughout the whole Catholic Church, this year and in every subsequent year, a novena shall take place before Whit-Sunday (Pentecost), in all parish churches." It has been reported that Pope Leo XIII was inspired to mandate the Pentecost novena because of a letter from a housewife in Italy. Pope John Paul II has reiterated Pope Leo XIII's command for a worldwide Pentecost novena, although the novena can be prayed at any time — not only before Pentecost.

LINK: Novena to the Holy Spirit

A MOMENT WITH MARY: The Fiat of the Ascension 

Everything that happened on the day of the Ascension, Mary kept in her heart. She was educated by her Son's example, so Mary understood the Father's will for her. "Thy will be done" - the Fiat of the Annunciation and the Fiat of the Cross took Mary to the Fiat of the Ascension.
 
Jesus disappeared before her eyes of flesh. She was forced to accept this mystery of separation, which made her detachment purer and more perfect than all those that she had experienced up to that point.  (Marie Benoite Angot)

PILOTCATHOLICNEWS: The Ascension of the Lord

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.

When we hear the collect for the feast of the Ascension of the Lord, we cannot help but stand with the Blessed Virgin Mary and the apostles on that hillside as they stared up into the eastern sky, already longing for the Lord who had ascended to the right hand of his father in heaven. They gaze with a longing already for his return in glory at the end of time.

But the collect for today's Mass, using a phrase from the prayers of Advent, begs God to gladden us, to fill us with holy joys, to make us rejoice as the Lord ascends to heaven.

Why would we rejoice when the Lord is leaving us? First, one might suppose, it is because of the assurance of the Lord that he would remain with us always until the end of time. Or perhaps, it is because of his promise of the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit, who will call upon us at Pentecost.

But the collect suggests an even deeper reason for our joy. This joy is rooted in devout thanksgiving that "where the Head has gone before in glory, the Body is called to follow in hope." Christ, of course, is the head of the Church. And now in his ascension into heaven he enters into glory. But he, the firstborn of many brothers, is only laying out the way that each of us should follow. For all who have died with the Lord, St. Paul assures us, will live with the Lord. And where he has gone, we too shall follow.

Which is why we live in hope. That's the meaning of the prayer the priest prays during the Lord's Prayer just before we receive Holy Communion:

''Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil, graciously grant peace in our days,

that, by the help of your mercy, we may be always free from sin and safe from all distress, as we await the blessed hope and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.''

''Expectantes in beatam spem....'' This is the joyful hope of the Blessed Virgin and the apostles on that first Ascension morning, it is the hope of the Church as she awaits the return of her Savior in glory and it is our hope, our joyful hope, as we await the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

INSTRUCTION ON THE FESTIVAL OF THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD

Where and how did Christ ascend into heaven?

From Mount Olivet where His sufferings began, by which we learn, that where our crosses and afflictions begin which we endure with patience and resignation, there begins our reward. Christ ascended into heaven by His own power, because He is God, and now in His glorified humanity He sits at the right hand of His Father, as our continual Mediator.

In whose presence did Christ ascend into heaven?

In the presence of His apostles, and many of His dis­ciples, whom He had previously blessed, (Luke XXIV. 51.) and who, as St. Leo says, derived consoling joy from His ascension. Rejoice, also, O Christian foul, for Christ has today opened heaven for you, and you may enter it, if you believe in Christ, and live in accordance with that faith. St. Augustine says: "Let us ascend in spirit with Christ, that when His day comes, we may follow with our body.

Yet you must know, beloved brethren, that not pride, nor avarice, nor impurity, nor any other vice ascends with Christ; for with the teacher of humility pride ascends not, nor with the author of goodness, malice, nor with the Son of the Virgin, impurity. Let us then ascend with Him by trampling upon our vices and evil inclinations, thus build­ing a ladder by which we can ascend; for we make a ladder of our sins to heaven when we tread them down in combating them:"

ASPIRATION O King of glory! O powerful Lord! who hast this day ascended victoriously, above all heaven, leave us not as poor orphans; but send us, from the Father, the Spirit of truth whom Thou hast promised. Alleluia.

Why is the paschal candle extinguished after the Gospel on this day?

To signify that Christ, of whom the candle is a figure, has gone from His disciples.
 

Thoughts and Sayings of Saint Margaret Mary: Patience & Generosity

2. You know that virtue is not practiced without effort, but for one moment of suffering there follows an eternity of reward . 

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