Liturgy: Sunday after the Ascension - Awaiting the Holy Ghost

"Today," says St. Augustine, "we shall keep the Ascension of our Lord in a fitting manner, with devotion, sanctity and piety, if we ascend with Him and keep our hearts on high." "Let our thoughts be there, where He is, and here on earth there will be peace."

Let us ascend with Him now, with our hearts, and when His promised day comes, we shall follow Him also with our bodies; but we should know that neither pride, nor avarice, nor lust ascend with Christ. If we wish to follow our Healer in His Ascension, we must put off the burden of our vices and sins.

This Sunday is a preparation for Pentecost. Before ascending to heaven, our Lord had promised, at the Last Supper, that He would not leave us orphans, but would send us the Holy Ghost, the Paraclete (Gospel, Alleluia); that in all things we might glorify God, through Jesus Christ our Lord (Gospel). Therefore, like the Apostles assembled in the Cenacle, we must prepare by prayer and charity (Epistle) for the holy day of Pentecost, when Christ, who is our Advocate with the Father, will obtain for us from Him the Holy Ghost. On Pentecost, by tongues of flame descending, the Holy Ghost will give His testimony that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. The Apostles will bear witness of what they have seen and heard, and seal their testimony with their blood. They will go forth to convert the nations, teaching them by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost.