The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ - A short reflection on Corpus Christi
The Ascension
Photo by K. Mitch Hodge on Unsplash
Friends,
The Ascension. The word leaves open so many questions. The apostles witnessed something unimaginable. Jesus leaves this earthly dimension and is joined to the Father in a higher way of being, yet still in the body. Truly he has ascended to that which we seek to attain but cannot yet know.
Practically, the Ascension gives us a pattern. This seems to be St. Paul's point in the Epistle for the Ascension, " Brothers and sisters, I...urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love, striving to preserve the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace: one body and one Spirit, ... one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all (Eph 4:1-6)."
At the center of the Ephesians quote are the words "unity of spirit." Unity of spirit begins when we pray out loud together. Even as small children, we can memorize simple prayers. The ‘Sign of the Cross’ and the ‘Glory Be’ are similar in length and complexity to children's nursery rhymes memorized by kindergarteners. The ‘Hail Mary’ and ‘Our Father’ are age appropriate for first and second graders to memorize. We simply need to say them often together in unity with the children. And, they will naturally memorize the prayer through our repetition with them.
When I pray with elderly Catholics in assisted living homes, many can barely be present to the moment. It is as if some God has already taken some part of them to God's self. But I start praying the Our Father, and the words come instantly to their lips. The prayer is so deeply embedded from childhood, that it remains. It is like a gift from their parents to their child's elderly self and those who will pray with them at life's end. Pray always and with each other in the Spirit.
Be well and God Bless,
Deacon Ed Souza
Thank you for reading this short reflection. For a more extended homily on the Ascension please link over to my Homily post on Catholic 365.
For more on St Paul's Letter to the Ephesians check out these Catholic365 articles:
"Reflections on St. Paul's Letter to the Ephesians", "The Letter to the Ephesians, Faith, and Marriage", and "Day 199 – The Letter of Paul to the Ephesians".
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About the Author
Dr Edward Souza is a permanent deacon presently serving in the Diocese of Salina at Seven Dolors Church, Manhattan KS. He has a long career in agriculture and the church and writes on rural Catholic life.
