Sunday, May 12, 2024

This weekend we celebrate the feast of the Ascension of the Lord.  Jesus had done his part: He became one of us through the Incarnation and His birth; He lived and spoke the Good News, so that we would know how to be His followers; He suffered, died and rose from the dead. Now, with His work completed, He needed to get out of the way so that His followers, including us, could continue His work.  He articulated that work clearly in the statement we heard in the Gospel: go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature.
 
Our second reading, from Paul’s letter to the Ephesians (4:1-7, 11-13), gives us some good tips on how to do that, telling us to live the following in our lives:

• Humility: not always having to be first, but taking into     account the needs of others.
• Gentleness: others will make mistakes, as I do.  As I want people to be understanding with me, so must I be with    others.
• Patience: everything will not always go as I want or expect it to.  I need to relax and go with the flow.
• Bearing with one another through love: it is living Jesus’ commandment of love that will enable us to be humble, gentle, and patient.  Love is the root and source of these ways of interacting with others.

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The more we can live with love, the more peace and unity we bring to the world around us – and to ourselves. That is how we “proclaim the gospel to every creature” and continue the work that Christ began of building up the Kingdom of God. Let us make sure we are living Christ’s command to love one another through a life of humility, gentleness, and patience.  God bless.
 
Church sign of the week: Love is the only thing that can be divided without being diminished.