9 May
Thu 		Ascension of the Lord
Acts 1:1-11
Ps. 47:2-3,6-7,8-9
Eph. 1:17-23
Mt. 28:16-20
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What is the good news of the Ascension? The good news of the Ascension is - Jesus Christ is Lord and King. Jesus Christ is Lord and King because He is now seated at God's right hand" having "all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come." (Eph.1:20-21). With such a Lord and King we can face all challenges, all circumstances, all crises.

The good news of the Ascension is - we are not alone in our trials and tribulations. On God's right hand sits One with the scars of love all over Him; One who has Himself suffered, knows what suffering is, and therefore can walk alongside us in all our sufferings.

The good news of the Ascension is - we can live for God and do whatever God desires. This is because when Christ ascended He said, "you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes to you" (Acts 1:8). This power enables us to live for God and to be on mission for God.


'Lord and King', 'scars of love in heaven', 'the power of the Holy Spirit' - may the wonder of the Ascension continue to touch and transform us as we ponder on Christ's ascension today.

DAILY OFFERING
Eternal Father, I offer You everything I do this day; my thoughts, words, joys and sufferings. Grant that, vivified by the Holy Spirit and united to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, my life this day may be of service to You and to others. I also pray that all those preparing for marriage discover in Sacrament the source of Christ's grace for living a fithful and fruitful love. Amen.

PRAYING WITH THE CHURCH
INTENTION
That Christians may live their faith coherently and so be credible witnesses of the hope of the Gospel
Elaboration

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P R A Y I N G    W I T H    T H E    C H U R C H    

INTENTION : That Christians may live their faith coherently and so be credible witnesses of the hope of the Gospel

That we may live a "coherent faith" that is a faith which produces the testimony of good works is the ecumenical intention of the Holy Father. In the Joint Declaration on the doctrine of justification signed between the Catholic Church and the World Lutheran Federation in 1999 it is stated that "only through grace, by means of faith in Christ and his salvific work, and not through any merit of ours, we are accepted by God and receive the Holy Spirit which renews our hearts, enabling us to perform and leading us to good works".

It has to be understood that no human effort is capable of buying salvation. It is fundamentally a gift of God for which we have a duty to respond and co-operate through "faith-in-action" or "practised faith".

Hence, the strengthening of one's inner faith through prayer and the sacraments will assist in the growth of charity which leads us to live the new commandment of love more fervently. Now is the time to look at charity in a new way. It is not a matter of doing the same thing in the same way. It is a time to seek and find new expressions of love for every human being. Then we become "credible witnesses of evangelical hope"



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