Gospel Reflection For The 291h day of May in the year of Our Lord, 2025

Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord

Luke 24:46-53

46 And he said to them: Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise again from the dead, the third day: 47 And that penance and remission of sins should be preached in his name, unto all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 And you are witnesses of these things. 49 And I send the promise of my Father upon you: but stay you in the city till you be endued with power from on high. 50 And he led them out as far as Bethania: and lifting up his hands, he blessed them.

51 And it came to pass, whilst he blessed them, he departed from them, and was carried up to heaven. 52 And they adoring went back into Jerusalem with great joy. 53 And they were always in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.

The Douay Rheims explains:

[49] "The promise of my Father": that is, the Holy Ghost, whom Christ had promised that his Father and he would send, John 14. 26, and 17. 7.

Today, we celebrate the Ascension. Yesterday, we prayed the Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary, in which we meditate on the Ascension in the second decade. The fruit of this mystery is Hope. Our Faith is in the Lord and His Resurrection. Our Hope in the Ascension and Love comes through the Holy Spirit. All of these virtues are necessary for the Christian. Faith is belief in things we cannot see or understand. Hope is in God’s promises. Love is our relationship to God and neighbor. It is said that the greatest of these is love, and that is true – if we are full of love for God, we will believe, hope and have faith in Him more, but He will also forgive us our lack of faith and those times we lose Hope. Love of neighbor engenders charity which makes amends for sins.

Saint Paul makes clear the Hope we have in the Resurrection:

1 I therefore, a prisoner in the Lord, beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation in which you are called, 2 With all humility and mildness, with patience, supporting one another in charity. 3 Careful to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 One body and one Spirit; as you are called in one hope of your calling. 5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism.

6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in us all. 7 But to every one of us is given grace, according to the measure of the giving of Christ. 8 Wherefore he saith: Ascending on high, he led captivity captive; he gave gifts to men. 9 Now that he ascended, what is it, but because he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He that descended is the same also that ascended above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.

11 And he gave some apostles, and some prophets, and other some evangelists, and other some pastors and doctors, 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13 Until we all meet into the unity of faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the age of the fulness of Christ; 14 That henceforth we be no more children tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the wickedness of men, by cunning craftiness, by which they lie in wait to deceive.

Our Hope then, is not only the promise of eternal life… as if that were not enough! It is to be a part of the Body of Christ. We may share in His Divinity and His mission. Our Hope is that Jesus will forgive our sins and that He will fill us with eternal Joy, which is union with Him through the bonds of Love. To achieve this end, He gives us the Holy Catholic Church, with all its officers and described by Saint Paul. For what reason? For “Unity”! Our Hope is for Unity.

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Judson Carroll is the author of several books, including his newest, A Daily Catholic Devotional, Reflections on the Daily Mass Readings July-December, 2025 It is Available in paperback on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F5BHFZ7X

and

Confirmation, an Autobiography of Faith. It is also Available in paperback on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C47Q1JNK

His podcast is The Uncensored Catholic https://www.spreaker.com/show/the-uncensored-catholic