Ascension Day Blessings
To all dioceses that celebrate the Ascension today*, I wish you many blessings! We rejoice in the Risen Christ, Who Ascends to Heaven by His own power to prepare a place for us. Now to Heaven is our humanity glorified. For the scrupulous and the anxious, it is a day to recall as humanity is glorified in Christ's Ascension, we submit not to the fears of Earth below but keep our hearts and minds in Heaven. In a certain way as we recall Christ’s glorification of His Humanity united to His Divinity we recall the dignity of every human life and lament the ethnic cleansing and genocide taking place now in Gaza. Today let us pray in a special way for the people of Gaza that Christ’s triumph may be theirs as a permanent ceasefire may finally be implemented. We also remember the Souls of the Faithful Departed and pray that they might enter Heaven with Christ Who Ascended in glory! Christ's Head that once was crowned with thorns is crowned with glory now, Alleluia!
Today's Liturgical Color is White or Gold to honor the triumph and glory of Christ. The faithful can honor today’s feast by wearing these colors or a variation of them like yellow or they could wear blue for Mary, Queen of Apostles or to represent the clouds to where Christ Ascended.
The Ascension is The Second Glorious Mystery of the rosary , today would be a good time to stop and pray even a decade.
Some old customs for today aren’t very ethical. I'd say it's safe to assume that Christ would favor the refusal to eat birds or harm grasshoppers or fish today as He created them to be cared for, not consumed or used for entertainment.
As we ponder Christ's Glory, tonight is a wonderful night to star gaze.
Symbols and Info for the Ascension (Note: The Ascension no longer has an octave and the Paschal candle remains lit through Pentecost because the Easter Season lasts until then and thus we still reflect on the Risen Lord.)
Various other customs of this feast include the Blessing of the Sea as well as the "performance" of the Clock of St. Mark Plaza in Venice as well as the superstition of the healing power of Ascension Rain and the blessing of wells on this feast. The blessings related to water is because of the skies being blessed by Christ’s entrance therein.
10 Day Devotion to the Holy Spirit (Begins today regardless of local Ascension observance)
A special note for today's feast is that in The Church of the Ascension on Mount Olivet where Christ Ascended into Heaven, there is a rock containing what is believed to be a relic of Christ's footprints!
St. Gertrude and the Ascension
Today was a feast in which St. Gertrude customarily honored Jesus' Sacred Wounds, praying: 'Hail Jesus, beautiful Spouse I salute and Praise Thee in Thy Ascension joys!"
More Mystics and the Ascension ( #798)
Music for Ascension Day (See Also: "Before I Go" by UAB Choir and “Resurrecting” by Elevation Worship as well as this Easter playlist.)
*Dioceses such as New York celebrate the feast of the Ascension on a Thursday in accordance with the scriptural accounts stating it occurred 40 days after Christ’s Resurrection. Other Dioceses celebrate it the Sunday following so more people can attend Mass and participate in the Solemnity.
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