Ascension Folio 13v of the Rabula Gospels (Florence)
The Feast of the Ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ occurs forty days after Easter (which this year is May 26). According to the Bible, Jesus took His Apostles to Mount Olivet forty days after He rose from the dead where He predicted the coming of the Holy Spirit and told them that they would be His witnesses to the ends of the earth. He was then “lifted up before their eyes, and a cloud took Him out of their sight” (Acts 1:9).
In a previous article, we discussed the meaning of
the Collect; today, let us turn to the broader meaning of the feast and some paraliturgical customs that grew out of it.
Meaning
It is tempting to see the Ascension as a sad occasion, for Jesus in the flesh has left us and we can no longer physically look upon His Holy Face. But the New Testament list several reasons not to lament but to rejoice.
First, Jesus tells us that it is good for Him to leave in order to send the Holy Spirit, who guides us unswervingly back to God (John 16:7).
Second, Jesus not only does not leave us orphans by sending the Paraclete, there is a way in which He never leaves us in the first place. While it is true that Jesus ascended body and soul into Heaven, it is equally true that He is really present in the Eucharist. Saint Luke, whom we believe wrote the Acts of the Apostles (which contains an account of the Ascension) also wrote the third Gospel, which includes the story of the disciples of Emmaus encountering the risen Jesus, where they recognize Him “in the breaking of the bread.” When Jesus of Nazareth walked the face of the earth, He was only visible to a handful of people. When Jesus is present in the Eucharist, billions can look upon His Holy Face behind the sacramental veils.
Third, there is a way in which the Ascension was not the end but the beginning. When Jesus was raised up to Heaven, there was no “Mission Accomplished” celebration, after which the Son of God took a well-deserved vacation. No, His work was just beginning. After passing through the Pearly Gates, the High Priest Jesus Christ entered the Holy of Holies with His own Precious Blood in atonement for our sins. He then took His seat at the right hand of the Father where He continually intercedes for us, pleading for us and showing His merciful Father His still-open wounds. The Ascension is the final—and ongoing—step of the Paschal Mystery, for which we spent all of Lent preparing and all of Eastertide celebrating.
Fourth, the good news about the Ascension is that Heaven is now open to us. Heaven was closed to man after the fall of Adam and Eve; indeed, they were even kicked out of the Garden of Eden. But when the Son returned to the Father, He brought with Him His entire humanity (which He assumed when He became incarnate in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary). Indeed, it is likely that He brought with Him a whole comet tails of souls which He rescued from Limbo when “He descended into Hell” on Good Friday. As St. John Chrysostom notes:
Through the mystery of the Ascension we, who seemed unworthy of God’s earth are taken up into Heaven …. Our very nature, against which Cherubim guarded the gates of [earthly] Paradise, is enthroned today high above all Cherubim.
Our humanity is in Heaven, which makes us sharers in Divinity. Not a bad deal, that!
Customs
Pageantry. The Ascension was originally the occasion of long processions that started in the city, exited through the gates, and culminated at the top of a hill, just as Jesus Christ led the Apostles towards Bethany (Luke 24:50). Jerusalem, Rome, and Constantinople all had their preferred routes and destinations.
Over time, the processions waned and were replaced by pageants, less liturgical or nonliturgical reenactments of Christ’s ascending into Heaven. The “pageant” could be as simple as a priest raising a crucifix when he read during the proclamation of the Gospel the verse Assumptus est in caelum (He was taken up into Heaven); such was the custom in Germany. More often than not, full-fledged pageants were performed after Mass but still in the church. In churches with a hole in the ceiling, a statue of Jesus would be hoisted up by ropes and disappear from sight as the people below raised their hands longingly towards it.
Plate with a black crow on it
Food. It was once a custom in Europe to eat fowl on the great Feast of the Ascension “because Christ ‘flew’ to Heaven.” Pheasants, partridges, pigeons, and even crows found their way to the dinner table—so what does it mean to eat crow on Ascension Thursday? Perhaps this is what the other Apostles served St. Thomas to needle him about his earlier doubts concerning the Resurrection. In any event, bakers in western Germany picked up on the volucrine theme and made far more delicious pastries for the occasion in the shape of various birds. Finally, there is a first-fruits tradition for Ascension Thursday. In some parts of France, apple fritters (beignets des pommes) are a popular choice.
Dos and Don’ts. The English once kept this day with games, dancing, and horse races, while in Central Europe, the idea was to picnic on a high place by hiking there. Mountain-climbing was therefore a yes, but swimming was a big no-no; you were more likely to drown on Ascension Thursday than on any other day of the year. Similar misfortunes awaited anyone who on this holy day worked in field or garden or sewed anything, for any clothing that has been touched by a needle on the Ascension will attract lightning and kill the wearer. Such superstitions are believed to be residues of old pagan fears about demons of death who roam the earth this time of year.
At the very least, these silly beliefs point to something true that is easily forgotten in our own day and age of phrenetic work and moveable feasts, namely, that the Ascension is one of the most important events of the year. If it is important enough to attract the attention of devils, it should be important enough to attract our attention as well and celebrate it with great solemnity, reverence, and joy. Keep holy the Ascension: take off work if you can, climb a mountain, eat a bird, and avoid bodies of water.
Source:
http://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2022/05/the-meaning-and-customs-of-ascension.html
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The NLM’s quote from St. John Chrysostom “Our humanity is in Heaven, which makes us sharers in Divinity” about the Mystery of the Ascension, just gives me the courage to submit the following comment which is about the hotly debated controversy of “Holy Mary is CO-REDEMTRIX with Her divine Son Jesus”.
The term “co-Redemptrix” is accepted by just a few nowadays, while it is also been rejected by many influential ‘elects’, such as the Dimon Brothers of Holy Family Monastery. Multitudes also have little clue about the essential role of the Blessed Virgin’s in the Redemption by means of Her Sorrowful & Immaculate Heart. This lack of understanding of the essentiality of the role of the BVM in the Redemption is also increased by the dumbing-down of Catholic’s teaching since V2. Mister Bergoglio, a product of Vatican 2, is a public negator (from the chair) to the role of Holy Mary as co-Redemptrix. Please reader of this NLM’s article give me a chance to expose my position, which may be proven right through the Mystery of the Ascension, in correlation with the Mystery of the Assumption.
I’ll use three sources for my ‘demonstration’, which admittedly is no discovery at all, but is a bringing back to the tradition of the Catholic’s teaching which has been buried by countless heresies since over sixty years ago by the counter-church under the yoke of six antipopes.
My first ‘source’ is the special ‘Communicantes’ prayer for the Mass of the Ascension. The…
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… My first ‘source’ is the special ‘Communicantes’ prayer for the Mass of the Ascension. The Tridentine Mass text from the St. Joseph’s Missal will be used.
My second ‘source’ is from ‘Les Méditations Ecclésiastiques, by M. Chevassu, curé du diocèse de Saint-Claude. Edition year 1824′. This classic old book is admitted & considered representing the correct teaching for the clergy. The Ascension day’s chapter (of Father Chevassu) is loaded with quotes from St. John Chrysostom, as well of the regular bible quotes.
My third and final sources is from a small print from the Society of St. Paul, Canfield Ohio, which promotes the devotion “Jesus Mary, I love you save souls” by Sister Consolata, Capuchin Nun.
Lastly, my motivation comes from no less than Ecclesiasticus 24, 31: “They who explain me shall have life everlasting”
Here is an excerpt of the ‘Communicantes’ prayer (during the Mass of the Ascension) translated from its originalLatin into the English at its salient points: “In The unity of holy fellowship, and keeping this most holy day on which Thy Only-begotten Son, out Lord set at the right hand of Thy glory the substance of our frail human nature, which He had taken to Himself; and also reverencing the memory, first, of the glorious Mary, ever Virgin, Mother of our Lord and God Jesus Christ; sed et beatorum Apostolorum ac Martyrum tuorum, Petri et Pauli, etc”. The humanity part of the substance of Jesus at the…
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…. The humanity part of the substance of Jesus at the right hand of the God the Father in heaven is been given a special amphatic attention on this particular day by our fathers of the Church -at least by the time of the Council of Trent, (and certainly much earlier). Why does the tradition insisted so much upon the “humanity” of Jesus Christ being at the right hand of God? The answer comes from Monsieur le curé du diocèse de Saint-Claude: It is for Our Lord to show His Five Wounds to the eternal Father as our divine Advocate. “How eloquent is the voice of His wounds!” (que la voix de ses plaies est éloquente!). This priest is expressing 2 John 2. 1,2 which is essentially saying the same thing: “My little children, these things I write to you, that you may not sin. But if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the just: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also of the whole world”.
So there we have the explanation as to why Our Lord did “carry” His blessed & glorified body into heaven (Some learned Catholics may smile at my own ‘discovery’, but I was never told that in Catechism taught by the “kiss & hug saccharine filled new-church of post V2 “…). The point that I wish to make is that if Holy Mary also went to heaven with both Her body & Her soul into heaven, it is for a similar reason. Holy Mary, the Blessed Virgin has a heart pierced with seven daggers to show to God,…
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…. The point that I wish to make is that if Holy Mary also went to heaven with both Her body & Her soul into heaven, it is for a similar reason. Holy Mary, the Blessed Virgin has a heart pierced with seven daggers to show to God, when She acts as our Advocate! Here is my ‘demonstration’ that since Jesus Christ Our Lord went to heaven with His body & soul, taking Himself His Sacred Heart, pierced with a lance, and his pierced hand and feet in order to be our Advocate, then the fact that Holy Mary also went the same way to heaven, taking Herself Her Sorrowful & Immaculate Heart as a witness of Her own repurchasing suffering, it is for the same effect towards Redemption. This si why, I dare claiming that Jesus & Mary are co-Redemptors.
The “Jesus, Mary, I love you , save souls” with the imprimatur by + M. Cardinal Fossati, & + Francis Cardinal Spellman are here to add weigh to the certitude that Jesus & Mary, who save souls, providing that we love them are non-factually declared as co-Redemptors, while to anyone who has eyes to see, and ears to hear understand that is both Jesus & Mary -providing that they are loved- are saving souls, then, two princes of the pre-Eclipse of the Church (of during the conclave of 1958), acting as two qualified witnesses have unofficially recognized Jesus & Mary as “co-Redemptors”.
One last word: let us never forget that only a dogma does put an end to any quarrel, such as the one talked about in this…
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One last word: let us never forget that only a dogma does put an end to any quarrel, such as the one talked about in this amateurish comment. In the years preceding the Eclipse of the Church, which began on October 26,1958 at sunset Rome time, the last three dogmas were two about Mary (Immaculate Heart & Assumption), and one dogma about the Vicar of Christ (infallibility). When the Eclipse of the Church will be over, may be the legitimate pope will pronounce one dogma, such as the “Sorrowful Heart of Mary”.
The RCC will then have a complete schematic of Holy Mary unquestionably been “Immaculate”;”Sorrowful”; and “in heaven in both body & soul”. This schematic will unequivocally prove that Holy Mary is a Redemptrix who will be our most glorious Advocate when Her adorable divine Son Jesus Christ, from Rédempteur will be constrained at becoming the Judge. Then Jesus Christ, the Savior, by fiat of the Father God almighty will no longer be Saving, but Judging as the just Judge who, for the sake of divine Justice will be obligated to listen to the devil who will put the sins in front of the divine tribunal. Holy Mary, will be the sole Advocate left who by Her Immaculate Heart and Her tears may plead in the favor of humanity.
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I sincerely wish that some more able individuals, or even a school of thoughts would take the relay to the lines that I have types, because, I believe them to be important.
Please remember dear brothers and sisters in Jesus & Mary. Love for Jesus & Mary is essential to see the face of God. The best example I can think of, is the veil of St. Veronica. Jesus left the imprint of His holy countenance of the veil held by Nike the loving disciple, as a divine message that those who love Jesus may see the Holy Face of God. Only those who love Jesus (and Mary) may see the face of God, and this is why the anecdote of the “Veil of St. Veronica” is not told in the Gospel, but only is told in a hidden way on the Ancient Testament through the mysterious verse: “Illumina, Domine, vultum tuum super nos” Ps. 66-1.
Why is the anecdote of the “Veil of St. Veronica” told this way in the Bible? May be for the same reason that Our Lord spoke in parabola without explanations, except to His disciples.