Father Michael's Column

As the Church moves toward the last and greatest day of Easter, Pentecost, we pause to celebrate the feast of the Ascension. The Ascension actually leads to Pentecost because of Jesus’ promise that when he returned to the Father he would send us the Spirit. In fact, he says his ascension is necessary: “It is much better for you that I go. If I fail to go, the Paraclete will never come to you, whereas if I go, I will send him to you.” (Jn 16:7)

This feast is intrinsically bound up in the celebration of the Easter Event. The Gospel of Luke consistently presents the Paschal Mystery in terms of both the Resurrection and the Ascension. The glorification of Jesus would be incomplete without the Ascension, as far as Luke is concerned. The Gospel of John sees the three events of the Resurrection, the Ascension, and the Descent of the Holy Spirit as woven into a single spiritual tapestry, one great moment, as if everything happened in a single spectacular “Day”.

A good number of years ago, the bishops of the Province of Michigan (which includes 7 dioceses) decided to join most of the other provinces throughout the United States—and the world—in transferring the observance of this Feast (which I grew up thinking of simply as “Ascension Thursday”) from Thursday of the sixth week of Easter—to the seventh Sunday of Easter. In different parts of the world, either day has been used for the Liturgical observation of the Feast, and the bishops of our province decided to go with the Sunday, so that the largest possible number of Catholics can participate in this celebration. The transference of Solemnities and major feasts is not a new pastoral practice, and sometimes changing conditions within a society dictate that such changes should happen, in order to help people to stay better in touch with the important mysteries of their faith. Certainly, the Ascension qualifies as one of those essential mysteries. 

So, in summary, last Thursday was a regular weekday in the season of Easter, and this Sunday the Feast of the Ascension is celebrated.

In just one more week, it’s Pentecost. We are told that after the Ascension the Apostles returned to the upstairs room where they were staying, to await the coming of the Spirit, and “together they devoted themselves to constant prayer.” (Acts 1:14) Similarly, it’s appropriate for us to be especially prayerful over this next week. We are not just celebrating the historic event of the coming of the Spirit at Pentecost. Rather, we look forward and prepare for His coming again into our lives. We need to be constantly renewed! Pray especially each day for yourself and for our parish, that we might be receptive to the movement of the Spirit. 

If you remember, for a whole year prior to Pentecost of 2017, at Archbishop Vigneron’s request, we prayed for “a new Pentecost”, a new outpouring of the Holy Spirit, upon this Archdiocese. The Lord heard our prayers, and, since that time, parishes have started reclaiming their Mission of spreading the Good News. On the eve of that Pentecost in 2017, the Archbishop released his pastoral letter entitled, “Unleash the Gospel”, which came as a result of the recommendations from “Synod 16”, and defined the steps that we all need to take to reclaim our mission. 

You may have noticed that we almost always include a prayer in the General Intercessions at Sunday Mass asking for God’s help in our mission of bringing others to experience the Lord. I urge you to make such a petition a part of your personal prayer, as well. Perhaps the prayer might be something like this:

 “Lord, let me share your love, your peace, your forgiveness, with at least one other person today. Let that person experience Christ, in me.” 

 And while you’re busy praying, pray for the further outpouring of the Spirit upon St. William Parish in all the works of our parish! 

Keep in mind that we must color our frequent prayers with expectant confidence that God is going to “make all things work together for the good of those He has called….” (Romans 8:28) Then, what happens, is that our prayer creates subtle changes in our own attitudes and actions. This, in turn, allows the Holy Spirit to work through us to transform even difficult situations into God’s glory, whether within a diocese, a parish—or within your family. As I’ve mentioned often in homilies, even in the midst of tragedies or difficult situations God’s glory can be manifest. He can bring about great good—to the measure of the evil—in the lives of those who trust Him and act according to His ways. There’s nothing like a good dose of Pentecost to keep a parish growing! 

                                                      In Jesus,

                                                      Fr. Michael