Deacon Sabatino Carnazzo - Who Is the King of Glory?: A Biblical Study on the Ascension of Christ
The Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord may be celebrated either on Thursday of week 6 or on the
following Sunday. This holy Solemnity, which the Acts of the Apostles 1:3
situates forty days after the Resurrection, commemorates Jesus’ return to his
Father in heaven.
This solemn blessing for the Feast expresses its
significance for us:
Blessing for Ascension:
May almighty God bless you on this day when his only Son ascended into heaven to prepare a place for you.
R. Amen !
After his resurrection, Christ was seen by His disciples.
When He appears as judge may you be pleasing for ever in His sight.
R. Amen !
You believe that Jesus has taken His seat in majesty at the right hand of the Father. May you have the joy of experiencing that He is also with you to the end of time, according to His promise.
R. Amen !
IN YEAR A --- Mt 28:16-20 -- The Great Commission - Lili ngħatat kull setgħa fis-sema u fl-art.
Evanġelju
Lili ngħatat kull setgħa fis-sema u fl-art.
Mt 28, 16-20
Għeluq tal-Evanġelju skont San Mattew
F' dak iż-żmien, [Mt:28:16] Il-ħdax-il dixxiplu telqu lejn il-Galilija u marru fuq il-muntanja fejn kien ordnalhom Ġesù. [Mt:28:17] Kif rawh, nxteħtu quddiemu, għalkemm xi wħud iddubitaw. [Mt:28:18] Ġesù resaq ikellimhom u qalilhom: "Lili ngħatat kull setgħa fis-sema u fl-art. [Mt:28:19] Morru, mela, agħmlu dixxipli mill-ġnus kollha, u għammduhom fl-isem tal-Missier u ta' l-Iben u ta' l-Ispirtu s-Santu, [Mt:28:20] u għallmuhom iħarsu dak kollu li ordnajtilkom jien. U ara, jiena magħkom dejjem, sa l-aħħar taż-żmien."
Il-Kelma tal-Mulej
R/. Tifħir lilek Kristu
Tlugħ il-Mulej fis-Sema Sena A Mt 28, 16-20 (Fr. Hayden)
IN YEAR B --- Mk 16:15-20 -- 'Jesus gives the mission to the Apostles' - Ġesù jagħti l-missjoni lill-Appostli
[Mk:16:15] U qalilhom: "Morru fid-dinja kollha, xandru l-Evanġelju lill-ħolqien kollu. [Mk:16:16] Min jemmen u jitgħammed, isalva; iżda min ma jemminx, ikun ikkundannat. [Mk:16:17] U dawn huma s-sinjali li jsieħbu lil dawk li jemmnu: f'ismi jkeċċu x-xjaten, jitkellmu b'ilsna ġodda, [Mk:16:18] jaqbdu s-sriep b'idejhom, u jekk jixorbu xi xorb li jġib il-mewt ma jagħmlilhomx ħsara; iqiegħdu idejhom fuq il-morda u dawn ifiqu."
[Mk:16:19] U hekk il-Mulej Ġesù, wara li kellimhom, kien imtella' fis-sema u qagħad in-naħa tal-lemin ta' Alla. [Mk:16:20] Huma mbagħad marru jippridkaw kullimkien; il-Mulej kien jaħdem magħhom u jwettaq il-kelma bil-mirakli li kienu jsiru magħha.
Tlugħ il-Mulej fis-Sema (Fr. Hayden)
The Sign of the Times -
This is a reflection given by Fr. Andre M. Feain on the readings for the Ascension of the Lord, May 17th 2015.
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
- Jesus had trust in the Apostles He had chosen even through all their failures, disappointments and weaknesses...like the Church through all times...but this remains so, so that we remain conscious of how we need the presence, help and guidance of God in our lives, for without God we are nothing and do not consider anything wrong: Without God we are deceived by the devil to think that we are doing everything right...
(( I believe, that Jesus would have forgiven Judas Iscariot if Judas had asked pardon for his horrific, gravest sin; but in his desperate isolation, even from the Pharisees who took advantage of his weakness; and bombarded by the devil for his sin, Judas gave in to thoughts of guilt and had chosen to end his life - even though in repentance (whether in good or bad intention), he had thrown away the thirty pieces of silver))
THE FORGIVING BLOOD OF CHRIST:
Repentance of Judas - Matthew 27:3-4 3 When Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he repented and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders. 4 He said, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” But they said, “What is that to us? See to it yourself.”
[Mt:27:3] Mbagħad
Ġuda, it-traditur, meta ra li Ġesù kien ikkundannat, nidem u mar bit-tletin
biċċa tal-fidda għand il-qassisin il-kbar u x-xjuħ biex jerġa' jagħtihomlhom
lura; [Mt:27:4] u qalilhom: "Dnibt, għax ittradejt demm bla ħtija !"
Iżda huma qalulu: 'Aħna din x'inhi affari tagħna? Dak arah int !"
Pope: Clericalism distances the people from the Church - 2016-Dic-13 Vatican Radio
http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-clericalism-distances-the-people-from-the-chu
Pope Francis criticizes clergymen who feel superior to lay people - Published on Dec 13, 2016
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
"Later He appeared to the eleven themselves" --- 11= (incomplete, imperfect) --- but Jesus looks beyond and conquers over all: Though He has built His Church through limited, weak, failing humans, Jesus shows His Glory through His compassion, forgiveness, mercy and love and keeps on trusting in His Church for Jesus promised, "I will build my Church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it" (Matt. 16:18).
We must keep close to God, pray for guidance and for the virtues of courage, kindness, humility, patience, love - regardless the opposition and difficulties. We will be victorious, even through suffering for the Holy Spirit listens to the humble heart that prays and empowers it with His gifts and fruits...as He had changed the Apostles - from fearful, weak persons, into courageous, humble teachers full of the Word of God !
We must keep close to God, pray for guidance and for the virtues of courage, kindness, humility, patience, love - regardless the opposition and difficulties. We will be victorious, even through suffering for the Holy Spirit listens to the humble heart that prays and empowers it with His gifts and fruits...as He had changed the Apostles - from fearful, weak persons, into courageous, humble teachers full of the Word of God !
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
15 And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation." - ...starting from myself, to keep on learning about the immensity of God's Love that leads my life; teaching by my good examples --- in my environment, my family, my town, my country, in third world countries - regardless the knowledge, the colour and state - without preferences, without judging - for when I am close to God, it is the Holy Spirit who works in me and I begin to see Jesus in every person, trying to reveal Himself BEHIND the angered, the sick, the abandoned, the abused, the poor, the vulnerable, the rebel...
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
"17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: by using my name they will cast out demons" - Let us start from ourselves --- In the Name of Jesus I renounce all evil spirits in me or against me - evil spirits of revenge, hatred, vanity, vain-glory, greed, misjudgement, pride, presumption, jealousy, anxiety, fear, self-pity, despair (losing hope and trust in God)...that I am good for nothing...
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
"...they will speak in new tongues; --- The tongues of LOVE: Being sensitive to others' needs; being all loving, all forgiving in pure humility - reflecting the Divine Mercy of Jesus to all the people that He meets me with !
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
18 they will pick up snakes in their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them --- stop envying, stop judging, stop gossiping, stop telling lies; stop the snakes of defamation, heresies...
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
"...they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.” --- find time to listen to them, to be present with them, respect them, help them, pray with them...and they will feel secure and at peace by our sincere empathy, help and offering.
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
...while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that accompanied it. --- The power is in the Word of God: Let us learn to listen and notice the awe and wonder His amazing miracles that He blesses our life with: Let us notice the CHANGE that He has done in us, in our character, in our self-control - by the grace of unconditional Agape Love toward all others - even those who are living openly in sin; even our enemies.
We did nothing for God to choose us, on the contrary most of the time in our life we disappoint Him: God gives the merits to everyone, without anyone's merit - This is the beauty of the Sacrament of Baptism for everyone, right after we are born !
Pope: Do not refuse Baptism, don't give boring homilies
We did nothing for God to choose us, on the contrary most of the time in our life we disappoint Him: God gives the merits to everyone, without anyone's merit - This is the beauty of the Sacrament of Baptism for everyone, right after we are born !
Pope: Do not refuse Baptism, don't give boring homilies
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
Salm:84:6 Ħenjin dawk li jsibu fik il-qawwa tagħhom, li għandhom għal qalbhom il-pellegrinaġġ --- għat-tempju.
Psalm 84:5 Blessed those who find their strength in you, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage --- to the temple
IN YEAR C --- Lk 24:46-53 -- He withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven - Huwa u jberikhom,kien
meħud fis-sema.
IN YEAR C - THE GOSPEL ON THE SOLEMNITY OF THE ASCENSION OF THE LORD
Evanġelju
Huwa u jberikhom, kien meħud fis-sema.
Lq 24, 46-53
Għeluq tal-Evanġelju skont San Luqa
F’dak iż-żmien, Ġesù qal lid-dixxipli tiegħu: [Lq:24:46] "Hekk kien miktub, li l-Messija jbati u fit-tielet jum iqum mill-imwiet, [Lq:24:47] u li l-indiema għall-maħfra tad-dnubiet tixxandar f'ismu lill-ġnus kollha, ibda minn Ġerusalemm. [Lq:24:48] Intom xhud ta' dan. [Lq:24:49] U jiena, araw, nibgħat fuqkom lil dak li wiegħed Missieri. Imma intom ibqgħu fil-belt, sa ma Alla jkun libbiskom bil-qawwa tiegħu."
[Lq:24:50] Mbagħad ħadhom sa ħdejn Betanja, u rafa' idejh u berikhom. [Lq:24:51] U ġara li, huwa u jberikhom, nfired minnhom u kien meħud fis-sema. [Lq:24:52] Huma nxteħtu fl-art jagħtuh qima, u mimlijin b'ferħ kbir reġgħu lura lejn Ġerusalemm, [Lq:24:53] u qagħdu l-ħin kollu fit-tempju jbierku lil Alla.
Il-Kelma tal-Mulej
R/. Tifħir lilek Kristu
.
ASP - Fr. Jonathan Meyer - Conversion From Sinner to Saint - 5.8.2016
Present Everywhere
MONDAY AFTER ASCENSION SUNDAY
Pope at Santa Marta: The Holy Spirit makes real Christians, not "parlour" Christians - Published on May 9, 2016
JESUS the Messiah came down from Heaven in total obedience to the Father, for his redemptive mission as the suffering Servant: Mark 10:45 “The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many".
Whenever we receive the Holy Eucharist we are receiving Christ crucified. We are accepting the Cross, embracing it. The Holy Spirit teaches us to accept the Cross, that fills us with courage to conquer over shyness to confess our sins in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
How important it is for each one of us to keep fixed to the True Vine, JESUS, to receive the 'juice' of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. These gifts overflow from us as Fruits of living waters on others - The fruits of the Spirit are perfections that the Holy Spirit forms in us as the first fruits of eternal glory. The tradition of the Church lists twelve of them: "charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control, chastity
This is the true Evangelization - the only way that gives glory to the Word of God - to "love one another as I have loved you" John 15:12
The RESURRECTION is natural for God: The awe and wonder of JESUS is that He so humbled Himself to became human and offered His life to deliver us from the deceit of the devil, through His human death - He gave us everything. JESUS IS WITH US: He is offering us Himself - His Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity, united in the inseparable Holy Trinity - because it is Jesus Christ Himself who acts in and through the Holy Mass: He is offering Himself through the sacramental priest during the Consecration: We receive the Holy Trinity in Holy Communion !
Our Lady of the MISSION OF OUR LORD JESUS
Mother of the Church
Queen of the Apostles
Queen of the Apostles
MAN'S VOCATION LIFE IN THE SPIRIT
http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a7.htm
.
.