Ascension Sunday(Sigh)

http://mliccione.blogspot.com ^ | may 27,07 | Sacramentum Vitae

[catholicfreeper]

I hope you are jarred by that title: as most of you know, the feast the Church is now celebrating is traditionally "Ascension Thursday." It ought to be. But as is also well known, in this world there is a considerable difference between "ought" and "is." In this case, the difference is ironic indeed. For that reason, most American bishops don't get it.

They have have moved celebration of this feast from Thursday to the following Sunday in order to make it easier for people to celebrate it. But why, exactly, was it harder on Thursday? Driving to church for two services during certain weeks instead of one isn't terribly hard for people who assiduously drive kids to after-school activities, and themselves on errands, all week long. I know elderly church ladies who drive around almost as much as I do, and at work I spend most of my time driving. Weightier, however, is the problem of those with employers who won't give them the time to attend church on Thursday. My employer would not have let me out for a minute of the twelve-hour day I worked last Thursday, and many other people can't get a lunch break long enough to permit church attendance at midday. But should be the Church's response to that be to accommodate it? Doing so only reinforces it, and with it the idea that secular pursuits are more important than religious observances. It's just one more cave to the culture.

It's an ironic one because if this feast reminds us of anything, it is that our true home lies not in this world. Jesus told the Apostles that if he did not leave for heaven, the Spirit could not come. We are empowered to become what we are called to be only if the Author of Life does not remain visible as one of us but only through us. But the process of becoming what we are called to be is hampered when efforts are made to let us remain more like those who are of the world. We are "in the world, not of it." Given that the American bishops exempted themselves from the severe new rules they adopted for preventing and handling sexual abuse by Church representatives, it seems they still need reminding of that. posted by Mike L at 5/27/2006 10:19:00 PM Think first, then say it | Trackback

[catholicfreeper]

There are days that being an American Catholic is hard. I hate to say today I will be distracted again at Mass, wondering much similar thoughts like the author of this blog entry is thinking. I converted in 1988. I swear I can remember going to a Holy Day Obligation mass on Ascension Thursday for several years. It seems much ,like these things happen, our Bishop was able to move it to the following Sunday one year. Now I guess everyone does it. Its quite a shame. American Catholics want more Tradition not less. Was there an movement among the laity to move it to Sunday? I so doubt it. Plus has does a feast thats has a fixed date get so easily transfered to the following Sunday. Oh well, to bad we will not all be celebrating this in Union at the same time with the whole Church. Why does the Vatican approve such changes in North America? It seems we can get to a mass easier than say folks in Rural Mexico or Uganda.

Anyway we still have much to celebrate today. I shall try to keep that in mind at mass and not fall into an occasion of sin by not paying attention or should I say having praying attention at this great feast today.

[Mad Dawg]

I agree that it's not a good pastoral call to "make it easier". It's about "the sanctification of time" at the least, and also about an opportunity to witness. It's good for us to have to say to our bosses and the infernal schedulers of meetings that we havce to have some time on Thursday.

As to the rest, don't sweat the small stuff. It's still the same Lord, and the wonderful gift of Himself. If silly bishops can get between you and that, then the problem is more than silly bishops.