The Ascension of the Lord. -Year B - Sunday, 12 May 2024 (EPISODE:478)
Readings for The Ascension of the Lord.- Year B
FIRST READING: Acts 1:1-11
Ps 47:2-3, 6-7, 8-9. "God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord."
SECOND READING: Ephesians 1:17-23, or Eph 4:1-13
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (Matt 28:19a+20b). Alleluia, alleluia! Go and teach all people my gospel. I am with you always, until the end of the World.
GOSPEL: Mark 16:15-20
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mage Credit—Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: 1210022299 - PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC—OCTOBER 13, 2018: The fresco of the Ascension of Jesus in the side apse of the church kostel Svatého Václava by S. G. Rudl (1900). Important information. Editorial Use Only. Photo Contributor- Renata Sedmakova
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Please listen to the audio-recordings of the Mass – (Readings, prayers and homily), for The Ascension of the Lord. Year B - Sunday, 12 May 2024 - by clicking this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/faith-hope-and-love-ascension-sunday-mothers-day-year-b-episode-478-1 (EPISODE:478)
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GOSPEL THIS WEEKEND
Homily: The Ascension of the Lord. Year B - Sunday, 12 May 2024
Happy Mother's Day to all mums as we celebrate Mother's Day here in Australia. Different parts of the world celebrate Mother's Day on different dates in the year. Still, whatever date it is celebrated, it is no coincidence that Christ used the image of an unconditionally loving parent to describe an essential characteristic of God's nature. What better example of unconditional love can be witnessed than the love of a Mother or a Father for their cherished child? Christ wants us to know and experience God's deep and abiding love for us by calling us God's daughters and sons. This weekend, we pray for all Mothers that they may be blessed for their goodness, kindness and self-forgetting love.
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The Ascension marks the completion of Jesus' earthly and bodily presence on earth….. Jesus had to return to the Heavenly Father, because his rightful place was with the Father in Heaven, ruling heaven and earth from his place in Heaven….. He needed to return to his Father so that he could send the Holy Spirit to make his work continue in and through his disciples…..
Our Catholic faith is big upon seeing beyond appearances….. to see deeper into things than just the surface….. it is a recurring theme throughout our faith and worship….
Jesus tells us, that God judges not by appearances but sees straight into the heart, into the inner dispositions and attitudes of the human person, and knows the truth of each one of us….. Jesus encouraged us to ensure that our lives, our attitudes, our values and our actions all flowed from our deep inner life, built upon love. mere outward appearances don't mean a lot in the gospel's scheme of things. This is a valuable lesson for us, and for the world….in a time and culture where appearances seem to be taken on more of a value than they should….. sometimes at the cost of inner value…
Jesus returned to the Father, and disappeared from our sight, so that we would look for and find the continuing real presence of Jesus, in different forms… that are not so obvious…… If Jesus still walked the earth the same way he did while he was with his disciples, there would be no need for us to look for him elsewhere. But Jesus' mission is to be "ALL IN ALL"…. to be draw all things to himself and to bring to life God's Kingdom in and through all of creation…… this requires Christ to transform and fill up with his presence … all people and all the world…….. He achieves this with the Holy Spirit, and with the cooperation of his followers who continue his mission.
Jesus Christ is not visible in the same way as he was when he walked the earth with his disciples….. but we believe Jesus is still present and active amongst us in new ways…. and through the power of the Holy Spirit….(which reminds us of all Jesus did and said and makes effective all that we do in Jesus' name). So, we all would become the hands and feet and heart of Jesus in our daily lives……
St. Teresa of Avila composed a prayer poem and it is a fitting for today….
As St Teresa writes….
"Christ has no body but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
Compassion on this world,
Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good,
Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,
Yours are the eyes, you are his body.
Christ has no body now on earth but yours."
And we become the body of Christ, by taking in the body of Christ in communion. We receive Our Lord as food and drink, and take in his presence, his grace and his values…. becoming, (with God's grace) more and more like Jesus with every day)…….
The outward appearance of the bread and wine does not change….but its inner reality does….into Christ's presence…. we look and seem the same, but inside, we believe Jesus has made a home in our hearts… and hopefully our actions and attitudes show that living presence within us…
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References:
Homily Fr Paul W. Kelly
Image Credit—Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: 1210022299 - PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC—OCTOBER 13, 2018: The fresco of the Ascension of Jesus in the side apse of the church kostel Svatého Václava by S. G. Rudl (1900). Important information. Editorial Use Only. Photo Contributor- Renata Sedmakova
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The Ascension of the Lord. Year B -(Sunday, 12 May 2024) (EPISODE: 478 )
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
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{{May Our Lord's justice sustain you}} welcome everyone, we gather - To Pray, listen and reflect upon God and God's Kingdom. On this The Ascension of the Lord.
As we prepare to celebrate the paschal mystery, let us admit our failings and ask the Lord for pardon and strength.
Lord Jesus, you came to gather the nations into the peace of God's kingdom: Lord, have mercy You come in word and in sacrament to strengthen us and make us holy: Christ, have mercy You will come again in glory with salvation for your people: Lord, have mercy .
May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.
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Memorial Acclamation
1. We proclaim your Death, O Lord, and profess your Resurrection until you come again.
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Ps 47:2-3, 6-7, 8-9. "God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord."
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (Matt 28:19a+20b). ). Alleluia, alleluia! Go and teach all people my gospel. I am with you always, until the end of the World.
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PREFACE: Ascension I or II
Eucharistic Prayer 2
(theme variation: theme 4 )
(post version: v2-short)
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{11. I pray that you have a wonderful and grace-filled week.}
A Prayer in Gratitude and Blessing for Our Mothers.
Good and Gentle God, Lord of creation, we pray in gratitude for our mothers and for all the women who have joined with you in the wonder of bringing forth new life and nurturing with love, young lives. Jesus, you became human through the Blessed Virgin Mary. Grant to all mothers the grace and strength they need to face the uncertain moments that life often brings us all. Give them the ongoing strength to love and to be loved in return. Give them the faithful support of family and friends and the wider community. May they receive peace and joy through their family and friends. Give them joy and delight in their families and friends, to sustain them through joys and sorrows. Most of all, give them the wisdom to turn to you for help when they need it most. Bless all our mothers and grant them reward for their unconditional love and kindness. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
4. Go in peace.
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Archive of homilies and reflections: http://homilycatholic.blogspot.com.au
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Details relating to the audio productions linked to this Blog:
"Faith, Hope and Love - Christian worship and reflection" - Led by Rev Paul Kelly
Prayers and chants — Roman Missal, 3rd edition, © 2010, The International Commission on English in the liturgy. (ICEL)
Scriptures - New Revised Standard Version: © 1989, and 2009 by the NCC-USA. (National Council of Churches of Christ - USA)
"The Psalms" ©1963, 2009, The Grail - Collins publishers.
Prayers of the Faithful - " Together we pray" by Robert Borg'. E.J. Dwyer, Publishers, (1993). (Sydney Australia).
Sung "Mass in Honour of St. Ralph Sherwin" - By Jeffrey M. Ostrowski. The Gloria, Copyright © 2011 ccwatershed.org.
"Faith, Hope and Love" theme hymn - In memory of William John Kelly (1942-2017) - Inspired by 1 Corinthians 13:1-13. Music by Paul W. Kelly. Arranged and sung, with additional lyrics by Stefan Kelk. 2019.
"Today I Arise" - For Trisha J Kelly. Original words and music by Paul W. Kelly. Inspired by St Patrick's Prayer. Arranged and sung, with additional lyrics by Stefan Kelk. 2019.
"Quiet Time." Instrumental Reflection music. Written by Paul W Kelly. 1988, 2007. & This arrangement: Stefan Kelk, 2020.
Sound Engineering and editing - P.W. Kelly.
Microphones: - Shure Motiv MV5 Digital Condenser. And (2024+) Rode Nt-1 + AI-1 Sound Mixer.
Editing equipment: -- MixPad Multitrack Studio Recording Software v10.49 (NCH Software).
NCH – WavePad Audio Editing Software. Masters Edition v 17.63 (NCH Software)
Sound Processing: iZotope RX 10 Audio Editor (Izotope Inc.)
[Production - KER - 2024]
May God bless and keep you.
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