Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Ascension, when Jesus ascended into Heaven before His disciples and was taken up into the clouds and then seated at the right hand of the Father. We celebrate that today. But in Philadelphia and various dioceses in the Northeast, Jesus ascended this past Thursday. I have actually celebrated the Ascension twice in one year, having been in New York on Ascension Thursday, and then here in Austin on the following Sunday. In either case we look for Jesus to come again in power and glory, and finally straighten out the mess our world is in.
Next Sunday is the great feast of Pentecost when, according to St. Luke, the Holy Spirit came down on the Apostles, Mary and the disciples 50 days after Easter. We consider this the birthday of the Church, so Happy Birthday!
Because the Holy Spirit came down on the disciples in the form of tongues of fire, we wear red vestments on Pentecost. I encourage you to search through your wardrobe and find something red to wear to church next weekend. It will be a visual reminder that as followers of Christ we are to be on fire with the Holy Spirit, so that by the example of our lives and by our words we will convincingly proclaim the Good News of God’s love for us in Jesus, leading to salvation from sin and death and to the fullness of life with God forever. That is the great prize Jesus won for us!
Pentecost brings to an end the 50 days of the Easter season. But we don’t return immediately to Ordinary Time. It is almost as if we are reluctant to let go of the season of Jesus’ triumph over sin and death, and try to stretch it out a little longer. So the Sunday after Pentecost we celebrate Holy Trinity Sunday. And then the Sunday after that we celebrate the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ, or Corpus Christi Sunday. Having exhausted all our excuses, we then finally return to Ordinary Time for the rest of the Summer. So enjoy and be inspired by the great feasts we are observing beginning this weekend. It is certainly a high-point of the church year. There is very good reason to celebrate!