26. PRAYING THE LIFE OF JESUS: THE FIFTH GLORIOUS MYSTERY - THE CORONATION OF MARY

APPETIZER: "Finally the Immaculate Virgin, preserved free from all stain of original sin, when the course of her earthly life was finished, was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory, and exalted by the Lord as Queen over all things, so that she might be the more fully conformed to her Son, the Lord of lords and conqueror of sin and death. From the most ancient times the Blessed Virgin has been honored and the faithful fly to her for protection in all their dangers and needs. This very special devotion differs essentially from the adoration which is given to God alone. The liturgical feasts dedicated to the Mother of God and Marian prayer, such as the rosary, which is an epitome of the whole Gospel," express this devotion to the Virgin Mary." (see CCC #966, 971)

MAIN COURSE:  As in all the mysteries of Mary’s life, she is closely associated with Jesus: Her queenship is a share in Jesus’ kingship. As Jesus was to be king of all creation, Mary, in dependence on Jesus, was to be queen. As Jesus exercised his kingship on earth by serving his Father and his fellow human beings, so Mary exercised her queenship through service to others and especially the disciples of her Son. As the glorified Jesus remains with us as our king till the end of time, so too does Mary, who upon her Assumption was crowned queen of heaven and earth.

In the fourth century Saint Ephrem, a Deacon and Doctor of the Church, who was a great author of prayers and hymns, called Mary “Lady” and “Queen.” Later Church fathers and doctors continued to use this title and expanded upon in various ways to honor Mary as queen, such as the popular prayer than many use to conclude the rosary: “Hail, Holy Queen".  Many other saints have also written prayer and books on Mary as Queen. St. Francis of Assisi (d. 1226 AD) was one of these and loved to honor her as "Queen of Angels", which is where Los Angeles, CA, gets its name.  St. Louis de Montfort (d. 1716 AD), the great teacher of True Devotion to Mary encouraged people to love Mary as Jesus did and honor her as "Queen of All Hearts".

But like all the mysteries of the rosary, they are not meant to be simply reflections on what was done for and by Jesus and Mary.  they are meant to teach us what God wishes to do for and with us, This mystery reminds us that we, too, shall be crowned with the glory in Heaven as a fitting conclusion to a life lived on earth in love and fidelity to Jesus Christ. This is the solid teaching of the New Testament regarding al Christians. Jesus promised that those who served him by serving others would reign with him in the kingdom of Heaven (see Matthew 25:31-45). St. Paul wrote of the crown of glory Christians shall receive upon being admitted into Heaven (see 1 Corinithians 9:25).

From November 29, 1932 to January 3, 1933, the Virgin Mary appeared 33 times to 5 children on the town of Bearing, Belgium with a message of prayer and peace. She identified herself as the Queen of Heaven appeared to the children showing her heart of gold and wearing a brilliant crown made up of golden beams of light.  The Church studied this visions extremely careful and declared them to be supernaturally authentic.  Just a few years later, Pope Pius XII established the feast of the Queenship of Mary in 1954 as a logical follow-up to the Assumption, and in our times it is celebrated one week after the Assumption on August 22.

I will close our last lesson with the text of the prayer that Pope Pius XII wrote for the occasion of establishing the feast expresses everything that it shelled mean to us as children of so loving a Mother and servants of such a merciful Queen.

From the depths of this valley of tears where sorrowing humanity makes weary progress,  we raise our eyes to you, O most beloved Mother Mary, to be comforted by the contemplation of your glory and to hail you as Queen of heaven and earth, Queen of mankind.  Reign, O Mother and Queen, by showing us the path of holiness and by guiding and assisting us that we may never stray from it.

So, too, reign over the entire human race, above all by opening the path of faith to those who do not yet know your Divine Son. Reign over the Church, which acknowledges and extols your gentle dominion and has recourse to you as a safe refuge amid the calamities of our day. Reign especially over that part of the Church which is persecuted and oppressed; give it strength to bear adversity, constancy never to yield under unjust compulsion, light to avoid falling into the snares of the enemy, firmness to resist overt attack, and at every moment unwavering faithfulness to your kingdom.

Reign over people’s minds, that they may seek only what is true; over their wills, that they may follow solely what is good; over their hearts, that they may love nothing but what you yourself love. Reign over individuals and over families, as well as over societies and nations; over the assemblies of the powerful, the counsels of the wise, as over the simple aspirations of the humble.

Reign in the streets and in the squares, in the cities and the villages, in the valleys and in the mountains, in the air, on land and on the sea; and hear the pious prayers of all those who recognize that yours is a reign of mercy, in which every petition is heard, every sorrow comforted, every misfortune relieved, every infirmity healed, and in which, at a gesture from your gentle hands, from death itself there arises smiling life.

Obtain for us that all who now in every corner of the world acclaim and hail you Queen and Lady may one day in heaven enjoy the fullness of your kingdom in the vision of your Divine Son, who with the Father and the Holy Spirit, live and reign forever and ever. Amen. 

DOGGIE-BAG: A little something to take with you for spiritual snacking...

Holy Quotes...

"Mary has a right to be loved as Queen of all hearts so that through her, hearts would be cleansed and themselves become immaculate, similar and like her own heart, and so worthy of union with God.”  (St. Maximilian Kolbe, d. 1941 AD)

"God has made her queen of heaven and earth, leader of his armies, keeper of his treasure, dispenser of his graces, mediatrix on behalf of men, destroyer of his enemies and faithful associate." (St. Louis de Montfort, d. 1716 AD)

Franciscan Prayer of Mary Most Holy Queen 
Hail, holy Lady, most holy Queen,
Mary, Mother of God, ever Virgin.
You were chosen by the Most High Father in heaven,
consecrated by Him, with His most Holy Beloved Son 
and the Holy Spirit, the Comforter.
On you descended and still remains all the fullness of grace and every good.
Hail, His Palace. Hail His Tabernacle. Hail His Robe.
Hail His Handmaid. Hail, His Mother.
and Hail, all holy Virtues, who, by grace and inspiration of the Holy Spirit, 
are poured into the hearts of the faithful so that from their faithless state, 
they may be made faithful servants of God through you. Amen. (St. Francis of Assisi, d. 1226 AD)

Personal Prayer of Consecration 
to Mary my Queen

My Queen and my Mother, 
I give myself entirely to you; 
and to show my devotion to you, 
I consecrate to you this day my eyes, 
my ears, my mouth, my heart, 
my whole being without reserve. 
Wherefore, good Mother, 
as I am your own, 
keep me, guard me, 
as your property and possession. 
Amen.

Scripture Verse to Memorize: "A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head." (Revelation 12:1)

25. PRAYING THE LIFE OF JESUS: THE FOURTH GLORIOUS MYSTERY - THE ASSUMPTION OF MARY INTO HEAVEN

APPETIZER:  Finally the Immaculate Virgin, preserved free from all stain of original sin, when the course of her earthly life was finished, was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory, and exalted by the Lord as Queen over all things, so that she might be the more fully conformed to her Son, the Lord of lords and conqueror of sin and death. The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin is a singular participation in her Son's Resurrection and an anticipation of the resurrection of other Christians.  By her complete adherence to the Father's will, to his Son's redemptive work, and to every prompting of the Holy Spirit, the Virgin Mary is the Church's model of faith and charity. Thus she is a "preeminent and wholly unique member of the Church"; indeed, she is the "exemplary realization" of the Church.   (CCC #966-967)

MAIN COURSE:  The last two mysteries of the rosary focus on the Blessed Virgin Mary. We are still "praying the life of Jesus" but in these mysteries we pray (ponder) on how this life of Christ is lived in his disciples, that is, in us today. You see, as the last sentence in our Appetizer tells us, Mary is the first and most perfect Christian (preeminent, wholly unique), she is the model disciple for each one of us. And the Church teaches that what God did for Mary he will also do for us, her spiritual children in the family of the Church. This is the very heart and soul of devotion to Mary which has been present in the Church in various forms since the first Good Friday when St John the Beloved Disciple took her into his home and heart (see John 19:25-27). 

So while the mystery we are contemplating in this Bitesize lesson is the Assumption, we need to take a small step back and look at all that God has done for Mary.  In this way we can better see what he has and will do for us.  First of all we need to never forget that Mary (Miryam in her native language of Aramaic) was an ordinary teenage girl when God called her. She lived in the backwoods village of Nazareth and was engaged to a day laborer of the same village whose name was Joseph (Yosef in their language). And yet God who is mighty has done such great things for her! And he will do the same for us if we are faithful as she was faithful.

God made her the Immaculate Conception, free from sin and full of grace form the very first moment of life in her mother's womb. And God frees us, her children, from the  alienation of sin and fills with the grace of the Holy Spirit from the first moment of our baptism. She is Mother of God who brought Christ into the world so that others may encounter him and receive the gift of eternal life. We are called to give birth to Christ in our lives by our fidelity to his Gospel; through us others are to be granted to opportunity to come to know, love and serve him. Our Lady is Ever-Virgin which means she is totally dedicated to God in mind, body and soul; her whole being proclaims Christ's unique status and presence among us. Like her we are each called to be totally dedicated to Christ and to love God with all our being: mind, soul, heart and strength.

And so this bring us to the gift which Christ has given to his Mother: her Assumption, body and soul, into the eternal life of Heaven. We, too, have been promised this same assumption when Christ comes to bring all human history to its completion. When he comes again we will each be lifted up from the dead and enter into the glory of eternal life with both body and soul. Theses what the Assumption of Mary proclaims to us. And intimately united with this is the 5th glorious mystery of her Queenship which we will consider in next week's Bitesize lesson. 

One question people have when pondering the Assumption of Mary is not so much that it happened, but wondering why it happened right away for her while we have to wait till the end of time.  The answer to this can be found in her in those two words that were sued to describe her relationship with Christ in the appetizer: preeminent and unique. These adjectives are directly related to Mary's gift from God as the Immaculate Conception, and inform us that she is both one of us and the greatest among us as disciples of her Son. Because she was immaculate and therefore, untouched by the original sin, she was not strictly speaking under the it's effects which included death along with the natural consequence of decay in the tomb. We look to her and see what God will indeed do for us (who have been freed from sin in Christ by baptism) by raising us up body and soul to eternal life. The Assumption of Our Lady is the guarantee of our own resurrection from the dead when Christ comes a second time to judge the living and the dead.

Another question that always roses on this topic is this: did Mary die or was she simply "taken up" into Heaven when it was time for her to leave this world? Official Church teaching does not answer this question, but the ancient tradition and liturgy of the Church seems to affirm that like her Son, and like all human beings, she died.  The oldest name for the Assumption is "the Dormition (Falling Asleep) of the Mother of God".  "Falling Asleep" was the ancient Christian term for death.  Ancient Christian icons of the Dormition show Mary laying on her deathbed surrounded by the Apostles, whom tradition says were summoned by the Holy Spirit to be with her.  in this icon we see the Risen Lord Jesus coming to take her to heaven, holding her soul like a little doll in his arms.

Church teaching on the subject simply says that when Mary's time on earth was complete she passed into eternal life body and soul.  Some traditions say that she came to the end of her time on earth in Jerusalem while others say she was in Ephesus (Turkey) when she passed from this life. At some point afterwards the Lord raised her body, reuniting it with her soul, and brought her into the glory of Heaven. 

The Assumption of Mary into Heaven is celebrated liturgically in both the Catholic and Orthodox Churches on August 15. Belief in the Assumption of Mary was widespread across the Christian world, since the earliest days of recorded Church history. The feast of the Assumption was celebrated as early as the 5th century.  St. John Damascene (d.749AD) records the following: St. Juvenal, Bishop of Jerusalem, at the Church Council of Chalcedon (451), made known to the Emperor Marcian, who wished to possess the body of the Mother of God, that Mary died in the presence of all the Apostles, but that her tomb, when opened upon the request of St. Thomas the Apostles, was found empty and so the Apostles concluded that the body had been taken up to heaven.

Along with the assurance of our own assumption into Heaven one day, I think the Assumption also teaches us that we have a Mother in Heaven who is a most loving and powerful intercessor for us here on earth!  Because she is reunited with her Son, and in the Presence of the Father and the Holy Spirit we can pray to her with total and utter confidence saying, "Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hours of our death. Amen. And she does!

DOGGIE-BAG: A little something to take with you for spiritual snacking...

Pope Quote: “Mary, who is a human creature, one of us, reaches eternity in body and soul. This is why we invoke her as the “Gate of Heaven”. There she awaits us, just as a mother waits for her children to come home. Every time we take the Rosary in our hands and pray to her”, he said, “we take a step forward towards our life’s great goal”. (Pope Francis, Assumption Feast, 2019)

Assumption Feast Hymn from the Liturgy of the Hours: The Liturgy (that is, the official worship) of the Church consists of  two parts:  1) Mass/Sacraments and 2) Liturgy of the Hours (often called the Divine Office). These are the highest form of public praise and adoration given o God by his people.

Praise to Mary, Heaven's Gate,
Guiding Star of Christians' way,
Mother of our Lord and King,
Light and hope to souls astray.

When you heard the call of God
Choosing to fulfill his plan,
By your perfect act of love
Hope was born in fallen man.

Help us to amend our ways,
Halt the devil's strong attack,
Walk with us the narrow path,
Beg for us the grace we lack.

Mary, show your motherhood,
Bring your children's prayers to Christ,
Christ, your son, who ransomed man,
Who, for us, was sacrificed.

Virgin chosen, singly blest,
Ever faithful to God's call,
Guide us in this earthy life,
Guard us lest, deceived, we fall.

Mary, help us live our faith
So that we may see your son;
Join our humble prayers to yours,
Till life's ceaseless war is won.

Praise the Father, praise the Son,
Praise the holy Paraclete;
Offer all through Mary's hands,
Let her make our prayers complete. 

Short Prayer to Memorize and Repeat During One's Day: Pray for us, O holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Scripture Verse to Memorize:  "My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior; for He has looked upon his servant in her lowliness and all generations shall call me blessed." (Mary's words of praise to God in the Gospel of Luke 1:47-48)

24. PRAYING THE LIFE OF JESUS: THE THIRD GLORIOUS MYSTERY - THE DESCENT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT ON PENTECOST

APPETIZER:  Fifty days after the Resurrection at Pentecost the glorified Jesus Christ poured out the Spirit in abundance and revealed him as a divine Person so that the Holy Trinity was fully manifest. The mission of Christ and of the Spirit became the mission of the Church. (Compendium CCC 144)  The Spirit builds us up, gives us a share in divine life to and makes us holy. As the Spirit of Love, he restores in us through Baptism the life of grace that was lost through sin and enables us to share, through Christ, in the very life of the Holy Trinity. He sends us forth to bear witness to the Truth of Christ and he bestows gifts upon each of us so that all might bear the fruits of the Spirit. (cf. Compendium CCC 145) 

MAIN COURSE: It's quite easy for us to misunderstand the Holy Spirit because, unlike the other Persons of the Trinity we cannot easily grasp or at least imagine who he is. We understand by analogy to our own experiences what it means when we call the First Person "Father". And of course we most easily relate to the Son because he became a human and lived as we do. But the Holy Spirit?  In the past it was quite common to hear him referred to as the "Forgotten Person of the Trinity".  But fortunately for us, the Catholic pentecostal movement which began in the 1970's has helped to clear up this confusion! All of the modern popes have declared that a deeper understanding of and devotion to the Holy Spirit is a gift of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal to the worldwide Church.

It’s important that we avoid the common mistake of thinking of the Holy Spirit as an impersonal powerful force rom God.  The word that misleads us in this regard is "spirit" but we are not talking here of such a thing as the "spirit" of a school or of a sports team, or of the driving force of an ideal or an energy. The Third Person of the Trinity is not “what” but “Who.”   Equal in dignity and majesty with the Father and the Son, the Spirit is very bit as much divine and desirous of entering into a relationship with us as are the other Divine Persons.  We can know and love the Holy Spirit just as we know and love the Father and the Son.  From Scripture and Tradition we have come to call him by various names: Paraclete, Advocate, Counselor, Spirit of Truth, Promise of the Father, Gift of God, and Divine Companion to list just a few.

When it comes to imagining the Persons of the Blessed Trinity, we also run into some issues and problems. We humans need to wrap our minds around some image when we speak of God - we cannot simply think of empty space! And so even though the Father and the Spirit never took on human nature like the Son, and are 100% spiritual beings, we tend to imagine them in physical forms according to what we know about them.  It has become common to picture the Father as an elderly wise man, with a powerful almost stern look about him. We get some symbols of the Spirit from the Bible and so we picture him under the symbols of a dove (peace of heart), fire (purifying us), and wind (mighty invisible force). 

The Holy Spirit did not suddenly come upon the scene at Pentecost. He has been present and active as part of the Trinity from all eternity. We first hear of him in the opening lines of the first book of the Bible (Genesis) where we are told he hovered over the waters at the creation of the world. Throughout Old Testament history he has been present active in the development of God's People and as made God's Word known to them as we proclaim every time we recite the Creed at Mass "he has spoken through the prophets." The opening stories of the New Testament show us that God's plan for our salvation was made possible through the power of the Spirit coming down upon Mary of Nazareth and bringing about within her the miraculous virginal conception of Christ in her womb. And of course is is active and present throughout the life of Jesus as noted in the Gospels and the Church as recorded in the Book of the Acts of the Apostles.

We get our fullest Biblical teaching on the Holy Spirit from the letters of St. Paul. He does not give us an academic theology of the Holy Spirit but reveals who the Spirit is by showing us what he does for us and in us. The Spirit of God dwells within us (Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 3:16) and is the proof that we are God's children because the Father has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who is the bond of the love of God (Galatians 4:6). He teaches us that we are only able to pray because of the Spirit who is within us praying in us and for us (Rom 8:26-27) and he proclaims that we are the living breathing temples of God the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). 

From the writing of St. Paul and the teaching of the Church we learn that the Spirit is the actual soul or life-force of the Church, which is the Mystical Body of Christ on earth. This is why we call Pentecost the "birthday of the Catholic Church."  This life-force is ignited and kept aflame by the active presence of the Spirit in every Christian as individuals and in all Christians together as the Church of Christ. The Holy Spirit gives to each baptized member of the Church charisms (spiritual gifts such as preaching, teachings, serving the poor, counseling  healing, singing, praying, etc.)  by which each one of us are able to participate in and carry on the mission of Jesus to the people of our time and place in history. 

It is the Spirit who makes the sacraments more that religious rituals which would be no more than simple prayer-services. His divine power and presence in our worship is what makes the sacraments powerful channels of God's grace that actually bring out supernatural effects and blessings into our hearts and lives.  Without the Holy Spirit, Baptism would not wash away sin and bring us a share in God's life; Confirmation would not bestow up on us the strength to faithfully follow Jesus as his witnesses; the Eucharist would remains imply blessed bread and wine and not be transformed into the actual Body and Blood of Christ; Reconciliation would be ineffective in forgiving serious sin and restoring us to a right relationship with God; Anointing would not relieve people of their pain and suffering of mind, body and spirit;  Matrimony would remain simply a legal marriage contract and Orders would be nothing more than a special ceremony of commissioning leaders and teachers in the Church.

So you see, though once called the "forgotten Person of the Trinity" the Spirit is now as well known and invoked in Christian life as are both the Father and the Son.  How does the happen in YOUR life? Do you pray (speak) with the Holy Spirit from the heart in our own words? Is there a favorite prayer or devotion in his honor that has special meaning to you? Do you ask for his enlightenment when you read Scripture or listen to he readings and homily at Mass? These are a few ways in which we can help to make the Divine Spirit an integral and active part of our lives. Don;t miss the opportunity to do so!

DOGGIE-BAG: Something to take away with you for spiritually snacking...

Prayer for the Guidance of the Indwelling of the Spirit
Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit, that my thoughts may all be holy. Act in me, O Holy Spirit, that my work, too, may be holy. Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit, that I love but what is holy. Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit, to defend all that is holy. Guard me, then, O Holy Spirit, that I always may be holy. Amen. (Saint Augustine of Hippo, d. 430AD)

Chaplet of the Holy Spirit

The Chaplet of the Holy Spirit is a rosary-type prayer that can be very helpful  in opening us up to the Spirit's presence and power! Unlike the usual rosary, there are no mystery meditations to ponder during each decade but many people find it very helpful to imagine the Day of Pentecost or some other Scriptural event associated with the Spirit's presence and power  This Chaplet is prayed using regular rosary beads as follows:

1. Begin with the Sign of the Cross. 

2. Skip the first 4 beads after the cross and go directly to the beginning of the 5 decades of your rosary.

3. On each "Our Father" beads of the rosary pray this invocation:  "Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in us the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and we shall be created, and you shall renew the face of the earth."

4. On each of the 10 "Hail Mary" beads of your rosary pray the following short invocation, taken from the Book of the Acts of the Apostles:  "Heavenly Father, through your Servant Jesus, send me the Holy Spirit!"

5. At the end of each decade (that is, after the 10th short invocation of each decade) pray the Glory Be: "Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be world without end. Amen."

6. End with the sign of the Cross.

Scripture Verse to Memorize:  "Because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.” (Galatians 4:6)

23. PRAYNG THE LIFE OF JESUS: THE SECOND GLORIOUS MYSTERY - ASCENSION INTO HEAVEN

APPETIZER:  Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. Christ's Ascension into heaven signifies his participation, in his humanity, in God's power and authority. Jesus Christ is Lord: he possesses all power in heaven and on earth. He is far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, for the Father has put all things under his feet. Christ is Lord of the cosmos and of history. In him human history and indeed all creation are transcendently fulfilled. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, #668)

MAIN COURSE:  Most of us are used to understanding that Christ’s Passion (his sufferings and death) is inseparably linked to his glorious Resurrection.  In other words, we easily grasp that Good Friday and Easter Sunday go together like bread and butter. But we might not realize that the Ascension is also an inseparable part of what we call the Paschal Mystery (a theological term for what Jesus did to save us and heal us from sin and death).  Something vitally important to human salvation is missing if we forget about the Ascension. Even though it was one Saving Event, let's break down the Paschal Mystery into three parts and take a closer look.

Good Friday shows us in a very real flesh and blood way that the Lamb of God offered himself up as the sacrifice for our sins. But when Good Friday night came to its end, all we had was a dead and buried Messiah. 

However, first thing Easter Sunday morning the Resurrection takes place and this changes the entire story! Why is this? Because the Resurrection was the marvelous sign and proof that God the Father had accepted the sacrifice of the God-Man Jesus of Nazareth on behalf of the human race. It was a total game-changer!

Easter shows us that Jesus' rescue and restore mission was successful! Human nature was healed of its spiritual wounds. The power of sin to drive a wedge between us and God was conquered.  Death, the ultimate penalty of sin, was destroyed and no longer had the last word over human beings. It was transformed from a deep dark dungeon of despair into a hopeful doorway to eternal life. 

However, though successful Jesus' rescue and restore mission was not yet fully accomplished. There was another step to go. Yes our sins were forgiven on the Cross. And yes death has been conquered by a human being by his rising from the grave.  But there is still more to come in God's plan for us human beings.  The Ascension takes up from where the Resurrection left off.  It leads us human beings into the glory of Heaven. It shows us that the whole person, the entirety of our human nature – body as well as soul - will experience this glory once we ourselves have passed through death and trampled it under our feet in Christ. And those last wo words make all the difference in the world!

You see, I think that many Christians have a misunderstanding when it comes to the Ascension.  They think that once Jesus rose up from the dead and returned to Heaven he left his humanity behind and is now worshipped and adored solely as God. But this isn’t the case at all! The Risen and Glorified Lord Jesus is at the right hand of the Father, living and reigning with him, as a Human as well as being Divine.  And that’s what is so awesome and marvelous about the Ascension.  It elevates us humans far above what we were originally created to be!  

By having one of us humans, namely Jesus of Nazareth, actually enter into the direct Presence of God and reign there in Heaven completes God's rescue and restore mission.  The whole Paschal Mystery is accomplished on Jesus' end, but now each one of us must become part of this story of salvation. It begins with our baptism, continues on with our living of an authentic Christian life, and will be complete with our resurrection from the dead, when we will each be lifted up, body and soul, to live and reign with the Ascended Christ forever in Heaven. 

So, you see, limiting the Paschal Mystery to only Good Friday and Easer Sunday actually strips the Ascension of its purpose, strips Jesus of all he has done for us, and strips us humans of our full dignity in Christ. There are those words again! In Christ.  But they are indispensable, awesome and sweet words! 

We are only saved and healed of sin and selfishness by becoming part of Christ, which means becoming a member of his Mystical Body the Church.  This happens first through Baptism and then we grow in this gift through our inseparable union with Christ by remaining part of his Mystical Body the Church. This happens  especially through Confirmation which completes our Christian Initiation and through the Eucharist., which is the nourishment of our life in Christ.  

This is why the teaching of the apostles, the teaching of the Church from Day One until now has been and always will be that salvation is impossible if people are not in someway linked to the Church, the community that forms the Mystical Body of Christ on earth. And this is why the next Glorious Mystery of the Rosary, the one that we will ponder in our next lesson, is the Descent of the Holy Spirit.   It is the Holy Spirit who is, as St. Paul the Apostle tells us over and over again in the New Testament, our connection, our bond, our link, with Christ.    Pentecost, the Day of the Spirit's Great Arrival, is the birthday of the Catholic Church. And it is the mission of the Catholic Church to go out to all the world telling others about Jesus and inviting anyone and everyone to be come part of Him so that they, too, can share in the blessing of the Paschal Mystery.

DOGGIE-BAG: A little something to take with you for spiritual snacking...

Notable Quote: “Jesus' Ascension into Heaven thus allows us to know this reality that is so consoling on our journey: in Christ, true God and true man, our humanity has been brought to God. He has opened the way. He is like the leader of a mountain climbing party that is roped together. He has reached the summit and pulls us to himself, leading us to God. If we entrust our lives to him, if we let ourselves be guided by him, we are certain of being in safe hands.” (Pope Francis,  Ascension 2013)

Prayer of Praise:  Come all you faithful, and let us climb the Mount of Olives and with the Apostles let us lift up our minds and our hearts on high. Let us behold our Lord as He is taken up to heaven and let us cry out with joy and gratitude : Glory to Your Ascension, O Most Merciful One! (From the Byzantine Catholic Liturgy for the Ascension)

Prayer of Petition:  Dear Lord Jesus Christ, before your Ascension into heaven you told your disciples to be Your witnesses to the ends of the earth. And to make this possible you promised to send down upon them the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. May I also become a witness to you and your Gospel message in word and deed.  Please pour out upon me the Promised Gift of the Father, the Spirit of Truth, that I may do so prudently and joyfully, with your help, your guidance, and your grace! And remembering this glorious event of your Ascension, help me to seek and keep my heart on what is above where you are seated at the right hand of our Father! Amen.

Scripture Verse to Memorize: "Both with and in Christ Jesus he raised us up and gave us a place in the heavens." (Ephesians 2:6)