The Ascension of the Lord. Year A - Sunday, May 21, 2023 (EPISODE- 421)
Readings for Sunday, May 21, 2023 - The Ascension of the Lord. Year A
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: Eph 1:17-23
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: Matt 28:16-20
Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: 148013489 - VIENNA - JULY 27: Fresco of Ascension of the Lord in the nave of Altlerchenfelder church from 19. cent. On July 27, 2013, Vienna. -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 A - Sunday, May 21, 2023, by clicking this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/faith-hope-and-love-ascension-sunday-of-easter-a-ep-421/s-1OD40kvegbL (EPISODE- 421)
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Prologue: (Fr Paul). The disciples receive their mission in Galilee, a marginalized region close to the pagan world and, as a result, an area viewed with contempt by the practising Jews of Judea, where Jerusalem is located. The proclamation of the gospel starts from an insignificant and despised land. This is not just a matter of geography; it is highly significant. It serves as an example. For us today, Galilee is the world of the poor and the marginalised. This is our starting place to proclaim the gospel to everyone without exception. We will do that with the conviction that the Lord will always be with us (Mt 28:20).-
"The Ascension of Christ is his liberation from all restrictions of time and space. It does not represent his removal from earth, but his constant presence everywhere on earth." (William Temple).[i] That is, Christ is now present and active in the world in a new and even more effective way-- freed from the limitations of being merely in a particular place at a particular time only.
(ii)
There is a cartoon that I found (above) that really sums up the heart of God's invitation to us all; an invitation for us to participate fully in his life and in his love.(*) I remember a similar cartoon from the Charles Shultz series, The Peanuts gang" (from many years ago)… I think it was Linus and Lucy sitting on a hill looking at sunset… and Lucy asks.. "Why did God allow people to be hungry and poor? Why doesn't he do something about it?" To which Linus replies.. "he DID do something about it. He asked US to go and help them, and we didn't" !!!
And similarly this story: …
"A woman saw a little girl in the street playing in the midst of filthy rubbish. The child was poorly dressed and ill-nourished.
The woman became angry and said to God: "Why do you let a thing like that happen in the world you created? Why don't you do something about it?" - To this question, God replied: "I did do something about it; I created you."
That story invites me to ask myself: How seriously do I take Jesus' command to transform our world into the kind of place God created it to be?"[iii]
In this gospel we have heard today….. it is Galilee which is the main setting of Jesus' preaching, a subtle touch seeking to emphasise the identity between the historical Jesus and the risen Christ. The encounter is very simple. There are no dramatic elements to make this moment spectacular. It is our Lord and master, continuing to teach and instruct.[iv]
(The message of Christ and his gospel is spectacular enough in itself).
The disciples receive their mission in Galilee, a marginalized region, close to the pagan world and, as a result, an area viewed with contempt by the practising Jews of Judea where Jerusalem is located. The proclamation of the gospel starts from an insignificant and despised land. This is not just a matter of geography; it is highly significant. It serves as an example. For us today, Galilee is the world of the poor and the marginalised. This is our starting place to proclaim the gospel to everyone without exception. We will do that with the conviction that the Lord will always be with us; to the end of the age. (Mt 28:20).[v] - What a beautiful ending that comes right at the end of the entire gospel of Matthew… and which we hear today in the gospel for the Ascension…. Perfect words from the Son of God as he ascends to his Heavenly Father…. Let us truly hear this message of faithfulness. Let us take it into our hearts. And let us live it!
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References:
Fr Paul W. Kelly
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[i] VISION – PRAYING SCRIPTURE IN A CONTEMPORARY WAY. YEAR A. BY MARK LINK S.J. P.154
[ii] Cartoon by the late Joel Kauffmann: https://anabaptistworld.org/tag/pontius-puddle/
[iii] VISION – PRAYING SCRIPTURE IN A CONTEMPORARY WAY. YEAR A. BY MARK LINK S.J. P.154
[iv] SHARING THE WORD THROUGH THE LITURGICAL YEAR. GUSTAVO GUTIERREZ. p/107
[v] SHARING THE WORD THROUGH THE LITURGICAL YEAR. GUSTAVO GUTIERREZ.p. 108
Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: 148013489 - VIENNA - JULY 27: Fresco of Ascension of the Lord in nave of Altlerchenfelder church from 19. cent. on July 27, 2013, Vienna. -Important information. Editorial Use Only. Photo Contributor: Renata Sedmakova
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The Ascension of the Lord. Year A (Sunday, May 21, 2023) (EPISODE- 421)
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (or/ The Lord be with You)
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{{Good day, everyone as we gather - Listening to God's Word.}}
My brothers and sisters, to prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries, let us call to mind our sins.
I confess to almighty God and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned, in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and in what I have failed to do, through my fault, through my fault,* through my most grievous fault; therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin, all the Angels and Saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God.
May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.
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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.
Memorial Acclamation
2. When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup, we proclaim your Death, O Lord, until you come again.
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PREFACE: Preface I or II of Ascension
Eucharistic Prayer II
(theme variation: 2)
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (or/ The Lord be with You)
{Good day everyone as we gather - Listening to God's Word.)
(pre+post variation: v2-short)
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{thank you for your company as we have given thanks and praise to our God.}
Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life.
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Archive of homilies and reflections: http://homilycatholic.blogspot.com.au
To contact Fr. Paul, please email: paulwkelly68@gmail.com
To listen to the weekly mass/homily audio podcast, please click this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/tracks
You are welcome to subscribe to Fr Paul's homily mail-out by sending an email to this address: Subscribe to mailing list to keep up-to-date (https://eepurl.com/hpETjf)
Further information 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.
- "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 MV5 Digital Condenser (USB)
Editing equipment:
NCH software - MixPad Masters v10.27. Multitrack Studio Recording Software
NCH – WavePad Audio Editing Software. Masters Edition v 17.42
Sound Processing: iZotope RX 6 Audio Editor v.6.10.4320
[Production - KER - 2023]
May God bless and keep you.
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