Dear Friends,
This sixth week of the Easter Season, in a strange year when we did not celebrate Easter in its usual way due to the viral pandemic, brings us the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord, which falls this Thursday, May 21. It may be a sign of hope that this liturgical celebration comes just a day after Governor Lamont begins to lift some of the restrictions that have been in place since the middle of March or even earlier. At this time, alas, we still await word on when (and how) our churches will be opened to the people for public liturgical celebrations. That decision rests with Archbishop Blair, but we can do our part by being as patient as possible, as flexible as possible, all the while praying for the restrictions to be eased.
We observe the Ascension of the Lord on the fortieth day after Easter in line with what Luke tells us in the Acts of the Apostles, namely that “[Jesus] presented himself alive to [the disciples] by many proofs after he had suffered, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.” What Luke seems to indicate is that the Risen Lord was not with the disciples at every moment during those forty days, but appeared as he wished to them to reassure and strengthen them in their faith. After forty days, the appearances ceased and as Luke tells it, this was preceded by their witnessing Jesus being lifted up to heaven, a cloud taking him from their sight. The disciples, we are told, remained there for some time, looking up to heaven, until they were told by two “men dressed in white garments”(angels?) that they should not stay there looking up, for this same Jesus would return one day in the same way as they had seen him taken up, an obvious reference to the return of Jesus in glory on the Day of Judgment.
The Ascension can leave us with mixed feelings as well. Like the disciples on that mountain that day, we look with longing for the Lord, wondering if he is there and if he cares, or if he has just abandoned us. This sense of absence and abandonment can be very much countered by the text we read this year from Matthew’s Gospel, which does not speak of Jesus leaving but remaining with his disciples until the end of time. As Matthew has it, Jesus says, “And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”
The Ascension of the Lord is a moment of transition. Jesus no longer appears among us in his visible glorified body, but he still is with us as he has promised. He is with us in his Eucharistic presence, even if at this time we can not receive Holy Communion. The church remains open both at St. Mary’s and St. Agnes for hours each day.
We can stop in and make a visit to the Lord, ever present in the tabernacle, and find comfort in that. As the Venerable Fulton J. Sheen once said when asked about what happened during his daily holy hour be-fore the tabernacle, “I look at Jesus, and he looks back at me.” We can still connect with the Risen Lord in prayer, in acts of service and love for those around us, and in other ways. We are not alone, abandoned, lost or forgotten.
On a more personal note, I am aware of the generous sacrifices that many have made in mailing in or dropping off their weekly envelopes. I know what they mean to you, how they express your devotion to and connection with your parish. For those sacrifices, I say a heartfelt thank you.
It is also important to note that, while the parish offices are closed, we are still available to you, accepting telephone calls and emails, and are willing to do whatever we can for you in these most unusual times. If you need a Mass card or would like to arrange for a Mass to be celebrated for a loved one or a friend in need, just give us a call at (203) 8783571 and we will be happy to assist you. Both myself and Deacon John are usually in the rectory most of the day, and if nothing else, we would be happy to hear from you.
May God bless you all!