Gulf Pine Catholic

Gulf Pine Catholic • May 10, 2024 5 MORE THAN FUNERAL DIRECTORS We are Professional Remembrance Planners Explore the many unique ways to honor and celebrate lives. Call or visit Bradford O’Keefe today. BRADFORD-O’KEEFE FUNERAL HOMES Professional. Compassionate. Dignified. 228-374-5650 • Bradfordokeefe.com Opening Remarks -- Embracing Truth: Have you ever noticed in the Scriptures that Jesus always prepared His disciples for the next step? He taught and challenged them to be ready to build the Church, knowing that He would not be physically present to speak inspired words and perform miracles while they watched. listened, and learned. Similarly, most of us have people in our lives who make demands. Some do it gently and with compassion to help us be our best self and accomplish things we might be unable to do on our own. Others can be harsh and self- centered with their over-the- top demands. This could be discouraging and cause us to off-handedly dismiss the advice because of its source. But if they are speaking the truth, we are obliged by God to listen and make corrections and adjustments accordingly. Jesus always spoke the truth, yet sometimes his words were harsh. Jesus’ ascension was not just a simple departure. It was a moment that was shocking, unexpected, and almost unbelievable, leaving His apostles utterly speechless. Now You See Him, Now You Don’t: In today’s first reading, Luke, author of the Gospel bearing his name andActs of theApostles, opens with a one-sentence synopsis of his Gospel. “I dealt with all that Jesus did and taught until the day He was taken up (the Ascension).” Luke’s Gospel includes not only the birth, life, ministry, and death of Jesus but also His resurrection and ascension. He then summarizes Jesus’ post-resurrection appearances to His Apostles, which included instructions for building the kingdom of God after receiving power from the Holy Spirit (at Pentecost). Imagine the emotional whirlwind the apostles must have felt. They had just experienced the trauma of Jesus’ death, followed by the elation of His resurrection, with the hope that He would once again be their leader. And then, in mid-conversation, Jesus was suddenly lifted from their sight. It’s no wonder they were left staring at the sky, frozen in disbelief at the task of building Jesus’ church without Jesus being physically present. Yet, they had already been prepared for the mission when He sent them out with His power and authority (Luke 9:1-6). Later, he sent seventy-two disciples with the same mission. With the Spirit’s guidance, they did well. Even through the most severe persecutions, the early church flourished. Despite the failings of a few of its human leaders, the church’s staying power proves it is not a human, but a divine institution, founded by Christ, built on the chair of Peter, and guaranteed to overcome the jaws of the netherworld (death) (Matthew 16:18-19). Although the apostles could not physically hold on to Jesus, they held on to His promises and yielded to the Holy Spirit’s leading. Their faith and trust in the Lord fueled a life of joy, worship, and a passion to evangelize, taking advantage of every opportunity and creating them when necessary. Further, they understood that since Jesus had ascended to heaven, they needed to be Jesus on earth. Praise the Lord: Psalm 47 is a hymn of praise to God for his faithfulness to Israel. In today’s liturgy, we express our praise through the psalm response: “God mounts His throne to shouts of joy. A blare of trumpets for the Lord.” Since in the apostolic age, the Church saw these words as the fulfillment of the Ascension of our Lord, Jesus Christ, into heaven, we too can grasp that same image with our hearts and minds raised to Jesus, who has gone before us to prepare our reception for eternity. It’s our turn: The question now comes to us. Where are you going? How will you get there? Do your plans include following Jesus’ way? As baptized believers, nourished by word and sacrament, and equipped with divine graces, we are called to take on the mission of loving the unlovable, visiting prisoners, comforting the sick, the dying, and the lonely, forgiving without reservation or retribution, and proclaiming Jesus as Lord and Savior to everyone we meet. Like the early disciples, our share of eternity does not come without hardship and faith challenges. But, by pressing through obstacles and difficulties and yielding to Holy Spirit empowerment, we too can experience the joy of accompanying family members, friends, coworkers, neighbors, and all who will listen to eternal life for the glory of God. Closing Comments: The Preface of the Mass for the Ascension of the Lord reads in part, “Christ has passed beyond our sight, not to abandon us but to be our hope…where He has gone, we hope to follow.” This is definitely an improvement over our current situation! Sure, there will be challenges and obstacles, but Jesus left nothing to chance. St. Paul writes to the Ephesians, “He appointed some as apostles, others as prophets, others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers, to equip the holy ones (that’s us) for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:11-12). Here are the lyrics to the song, The Summons, “Will you come and follow me if I but call your name? Will you go where you don’t know and never be the same? Will you let my love be shown? Will you let my name be known? Will you let my life be grown in you and you in me?” There are five more verses, so check them out. Deacon Ralph Torrelli lives in Hattiesburg and is assigned to St. Thomas Aquinas Parish. Visit his website: www.homilypearls.com. 1st Reading: Acts of the Apostles 1:1-11 Responsorial Psalm: 47:2-3, 6-7, 8- 9 2nd Reading: Ephesians 1:17-23 Gospel: Mark 16:15-20 Ascension of the Lord Improvement plan Deacon Torrell i Sunday Scripture Commentaries To submit your parish activities for the Bulletin board, email information to tdickson@biloxidiocese.org or submit digitially on gulfpinecatholic.com.