THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH

Her Doctrine and Morals

Sunday after the Ascension

21 May 2023

[Image]

The Sunday

Sermon

Click the button on the right to be told about updates. Your address will be kept strictly private.

Dear Friends in Christ,

With the Ascension of Jesus into Heaven, we experience once again the pain of separation and loss. We know this pain is necessary because Jesus must return to The Father, and the Holy Ghost must come. This is also for our benefit. It is a part of our development and education. We are being led from the material to the spiritual world — from the natural to the supernatural.

From our fall in Adam, we lost sight of the supernatural and focused almost all our attention on the natural world. We look for our joy and pleasure in this world and this body as we give little, if any, thought to the happiness of our souls. Searching for happiness without concern for our souls and God, left us in constant frustration, pain, and suffering. This deplorable state lasted until the coming of Jesus Christ.

When Jesus came, it was nearly impossible to consider God, our souls, and the supernatural because we were so immersed in the physical world. During Jesus' public life, He performed many miracles for people's bodies. He multiplied bread and fish to feed multitudes. He healed the sick, the deaf, the dumb, and the lame, chased out devils, and raised the dead back to life. We were drawn to Him because of all the things He did for our bodies, but all the time, He speaks to us and prepares us to rise to the spiritual and supernatural reality.

Jesus turned water into wine to show us that He can just as easily change bread and wine into His Body and Blood to feed our bodies and souls. He healed the cripple to show us that He can forgive sin and heal souls. He taught us that observing the letter of the Law is not enough. We must understand and obey the spirit of the Law. God looks at and judges our hearts. If there is murder in our hearts, we are already guilty of murder. If there is adultery in our hearts, we are already guilty of adultery. God accepts the desire for the deed. What we do materially is not nearly as important as what we desire or intend spiritually. We must be ready to sacrifice our physical lives to truly enter into our supernatural happiness.

We heard these lessons and saw these examples that Jesus gave us; however, we still cling to the Humanity of Jesus. We love Him but are not ready to let Him leave us. He gave Himself to us physically hidden in the Blessed Sacrament and promised to remain with us until the end of time. But He must leave us so the Holy Ghost can come to us. We could not lift our hearts and minds to the supernatural if He remained with us. To see, hear, and touch Him is too attractive to us, and we tend to stay in the material realm, unable to rise to the supernatural realm that Jesus is leading us. This is why it is good for us that Jesus ascended into Heaven.

The pain and loss we feel is necessary to understand that this world is not our home. Our lives here on earth must come to an end. There is something much greater and better than this life and this world. We need to reach for and strive after the supernatural joys of Heaven.

The Holy Ghost comes to us on Pentecost Sunday. He does not bring a new or different doctrine but opens our hearts and minds to see and understand all that Jesus said and did. With the light and grace the Holy Ghost provides, we see that Jesus leads us from the worldly to the heavenly, from the material to the spiritual, and from the natural to the supernatural.

The material things God has made and given us are good, but there is a greater good that we must strive for. The physical Body of Jesus is good, but we must strive to be united with His glorified and spiritualized Body in Heaven which is better. Our lives and the things God has given us in this life are good, but we must be ready, willing, and able to sacrifice any and all of these to advance in the spiritual life God made us for and is calling us to live.

The Light of the Holy Ghost enables us to see that it is in denying ourselves and dying to ourselves that we begin to grow and truly live. This is the lesson that Jesus taught us in His words and actions. If we want to live, we must deny ourselves take up our daily cross, and follow Him. This life is good, but we are only passing through; it is not our home. This life is not enough to fill our hearts and desires; we were made for Heaven and the supernatural.

As we lose sight of the Humanity of Jesus, may we receive the Holy Ghost and open our eyes to our souls, the supernatural world, and the life we are meant to live.

May the Immaculate Heart of Mary inspire, guide, and protect us!