Gospel Reflections for June 2 2019
Time to go…
We celebrate the Ascension of Our Lord today …when Our Lord left His disciples and returned to Heaven…and yet the disciples seem glad about it!
I am sure they must have hated to see Our Lord leave but they also knew He had promised the Holy Spirit would come to strengthen them. They knew that a promise made by someone who rose from the dead is reliable!
The promised Holy Spirit did arrive, which we celebrate next week on the Feast of Pentecost. That Holy Spirit energized many disciples to make converts throughout the whole world …and with amazing success! Many thousands converted.
But something else happened with those converts…people around the world wanted to come to the Holy Land to see exactly where Jesus lived. They wanted to connect with the places where Our Lord walked. Because Jesus was a real historical person, they wanted to see where He preached His parables, performed His miracles, and especially died and rose. They wanted to connect with the real human person of Jesus.
Next week, I will leave for two weeks to lead 46 people on our annual pilgrimage to the Holy Land. This will be my 14th year leading this trip. I consider it my greatest honor and joy to help people walk in the very places where Jesus walked. I never get tired of going there!
Our trip will focus on the archaeological evidence of biblical events. It is very moving to connect with places that scientific analysis indicates are authentic. We will celebrate Mass only on the most archaeologically verified sites. I spoke about them in our University Series during this last season of Lent. I lead this trip every year, so perhaps you might consider it in the future. (click here for ore info)
The disciples soon discovered that Our Lord had never really left them, and that the Holy Spirit provided the energy they needed to fearlessly continue His ministry. That same Holy Spirit is yours for the asking today.
What makes any place holy is the presence of Our Lord. He is certainly here with you now in the Eucharist, just as He designed before He left. No need to travel far.
You can receive that same power in the most personal way at Sunday Mass. You can have the same happiness that the disciples had 2000 years ago!
God Bless!
Fr. Dave
Safe travels on your annual pilgrimage, Father Dave. Tom and I so enjoyed our trip with you in 2015.
Cheers, Linda Travis. SPB
Thank you! I remember that trip well. It was a great group.
Father Dave, Thank you for inspiring us in our beautiful Faith!!!Love our precious Jesus, love His Holy Spirit of Love, love our loving Blessed Mother and love our beautiful Faith!!! May our Holy Spirit overwhelm us, our families, our friends with sooooooooooooooooooooooooo much love!!! We are soooooooooooooooooooo blessed with our faith and in our Jesus’ love!!! Have a precious, loving trip to our Holy Land!! Dick and I have such fond, loving memories of our trip there with you!! Your first trip!!! To be in the places our Jesus,lived, taught and shared His love is an amazing touching experience!!! Enjoy your trip and all the people with you will be embraced in Jesus’ love!!!
With loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!
Loveeeeeeeeeeeeee, Franca and Dick
Well, you will just have to join us again!
Dear Father Dave, May God bless you and your 46 pilgrims on your trip to the Holy Land. I wish I were going with you. I so enjoyed my Pilgrimage with you in 2011. I will keep you and those 46 fortunate travelers in my thoughts and prayers as you journey through the blessed places where Jesus walked.
Thank you for your prayers!
Having His work on earth completed, Jesus ascended to sit at the Father’s
right hand What a glorious celebration that must have been!
Could it be that Jesus is in a better place now to do business from Heaven
and connect more deeply with us here on earth?
God speed you on your trip to the Holy Land, Fr. Dave!
Yes, you have described the exact theological understanding of the ascension. Well done!
May your 14th pilgrimage to the Holy Land be as safe and Blessed as always and inspiring for this year entire group.
Thank you for such kind words. I very much appreciate them.
You are taking quite a large crowd. I will be praying for your trip.
I also thought when being told to wait. In a time of everything is instant, I can see why He wasn`t here now instead of then. I like others are waiting for something and have to constantly remind myself that God isn’t like instant mashed potatoes. I remember the song and scripture that says … They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, etc…
God’s grace arrives in due time, and always at the right time!
Dear Father Dave,
Travel safely to the Holy Land with all the people you will be leading on the path of our Lord, Jesus. It’s a beautiful time of the year to travel, which is a bonus. You’re going such a long way from home, as you’ve done many times before. Still, be careful.
God bless you and all those with you. Return safely.
Many prayers flying your way.
Sincerely,
Kathleen A.
Thank you so much for your prayers!