Ascension THURSDAY — 40th Day of Easter!
After our Lord hadst risen from the dead on the third day, as He hadst promised, He spentst 40 days teaching only His Apostles how to live, teach, preach, and spread/propagate The Faith to all others. He explainedst how He hadst fulfilled all of the Messianic prophecies. He also promisedst that He wouldst not leave them orphans when He hadst ascended into Heaven. This Promise He wouldst keep through sending The Paraclete to them, but also through leaving Himself behind for them (and all later Catholics) in The Most Holy Eucharist — The Greatest Act of God’s Mercy towards us after His Sacred Creation of us and His Sacred Redemption of us. If it weren’t for These Promises, The Holyday of Obligation of The Ascension would be a sad Feast.
BY THE WAY, this Holyday is a historical Feast, which took place on the 40th day of Easter, including Easter. The day following The Ascension, the first Novena was begun and completed by The Blessed Virgin Mother Mary and 120 Disciples, who persevered in prayer for 9 (novena) days. The Holy Ghost descendedst upon them on the tenth day, Pentecost. Unfortunately, in 1998, the majority of the US Roman Catholic Bishops decided to ignore these facts and change The Holyday of Obligation of The Ascension from Thursday — to Sunday (See: http://whispersintheloggia.blogspot.com/2013/05/he-has-ascended-or-not-yet.html ). I would say emphatically that The Lord Is not at all pleased with these Bishops or Catholics, who do not prepare well for or holily celebrate this Feast on its proper day — Thursday. In order to help make it up to The Lord for this disastrous decision and beg Him to help us return it to its rightful day, please:
1. Pray this prayer:
O Eternal Father, Who orderest all things mightily, please grant that we prepare for well and observe and celebrate holily and well the Feast of The Glorious Ascension of Thy Divine Son, Jesus, Body and Soul, into Heaven on the 40th day after His Triumphant Resurrection from the dead. Please grant that the Spiritual Fathers of our Church, the Bishops, formally change the celebration of this Holyday from Sunday back to Thursday, its proper day, in The Most Sacred Name of Jesus, in Unity with The Holy Ghost, and in Thy Holy, Extended Family’s Name. Amen.
2. Observe the (Minor) ROGATION DAYS, which are the Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, preceding Ascension Thursday. “The liturgical celebration now consists in the procession and the Rogation Mass.” ’ “All persons bound to recite the Office, and who are not present at the procession, are bound to recite the Litany, nor can it be anticipated”.’ (taken from: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13110b.htm)
a. Attend Holy Mass on the Rogation Days.
b. It would seem that the Litany of Saints is the most important prayer for the Rogation Days, and it should be done in procession if any parish actually does this. It seems to me that if ever we Americans needed help for our country to change for the better and, thus, appease God’s Anger, it would be NOW! Please see the following for the Litany of the Saints: http://www.marypages.com/LitanyoftheSaints.htm
3. Please encourage everyone you can to get to as many Holy Masses (only twice receiving Holy Communion) on Ascension THURSDAY and to treat it as much as possible as a Sunday.
4. Please encourage everyone you know to immediately write to your Bishop and emphatically request that His Excellency return the Holyday of The Ascension to its rightful day and strongly encourage His Brother Bishops of the USCCB to do the same. After all, don’t we do enough to anger our Lord without adding insult to injury? You could tactfully suggest that the Bishop send out a letter to all of his Priests, instructing them to explain to their parishioners just what a Holyday of Obligation is, why it is important, and what the consequences are when a Catholic does not at least go to Holy Mass on a Holyday of Obligation. Sundays are also Holydays of Obligation, and when one does not at least attend Holy Mass on Sunday, without there being an emergency or having to take care of someone, because no one else will, etc., one commits a mortal sin, objectively speaking, and one breaks one’s relationship with Jesus. One would then have to go to Confession before receiving Holy Communion again. (Please see: https://www.theholyfamilyhouse.org/2nd-chance-for-the-year/ for more information.)
5. Begin the Novena to The Holy Ghost on Friday after Ascension Thursday; please see: https://www.theholyfamilyhouse.org/pentecost-novena/
Returning to The Ascension:
we find it in the New Testament, in St. Luke, Chapter 24, following our Lord’s Appearance to His Apostles in the Upper Room, after His Triumphant Resurrection from the Dead:
[36] Now whilst they were speaking these things, Jesus stood in the midst of them, and saith to them: Peace be to you; it is I, fear not. [37] But they being troubled and frightened, supposed that they saw a spirit. [38] And He said to them: Why are you troubled, and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? [39] See My Hands and Feet, that it is I Myself; handle, and see: for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as you see Me to have. [40] And when He had said this, He shewed them His Hands and Feet.
[41] But while they yet believed not, and wondered for joy, He said: Have you any thing to eat? [42] And they offered Him a piece of a broiled fish, and a honeycomb. [43] And when He had eaten before them, taking the remains, He gave to them. [44] And He said to them: These are the words which I spoke to you, while I was yet with you, that all things must needs be fulfilled, which are written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning Me. [45] Then He opened their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures.
[46] And He said to them: Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise again from the dead, the third day: [47] And that penance and remission of sins should be preached in His Name, unto all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. [48] And you are witnesses of these things. [49] And I send The Promise of my Father upon you: but stay you in the city till you be endued with Power from on high. [50] And He led them out as far as Bethania: and lifting up His Hands, He blessed them.
([49] The Promise of My Father: that is, The Holy Ghost, Whom Christ had promised that His Father and He would send, John 14. 26, and 17. 7.)
[51] And it came to pass, whilst He blessed them, He departed from them, and was carried up to Heaven. [52] And they adoring went back into Jerusalem with great joy. [53] And they were always in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen. (taken from drbo.org)
According to St. Mark, Chapter 16:
[19] And The Lord Jesus, after He had spoken to them, was taken up into Heaven, and sitteth on The Right Hand of God. [20] But they going forth preached everywhere: The Lord working withal, and confirming the word with signs that followed. (taken from drbo.org)
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