![]() ![]() ![]() Today, leading up to Ascension Thursday, I would like to focus attention on the nature of intercessory prayer, prayer offered for our own particular intentions and prayer offered for the intentions of our loved ones or those most in need of our prayers. This is most unfortunate for any number of reasons, however, the most important in my judgment is that it has brought about a loss of the Church’s connection to rural life – a loss for those who work our farms and a tragic loss for city-dwellers who fail to appreciate how dependent we are on the land for the basic necessities of life. In other words, the change was intended to make the ceremonies more meaningful and better celebrated the reality, like so many other changes, had the exact opposite effect, so that the rogation days disappeared into oblivion for the most part. ![]() Several suitable Mass formularies can be found in the Roman Missal of 1970. Isidore the Farmer is also an appropriate occasion. This made sense since were a community located in a hemisphere where it was not seed-time, it would be better to transfer the ceremonies to the proper season for that locale. Thus episcopal conferences and diocesan bishops were encouraged to foster local observances connected to the same theme, namely, prayers for divine favor on the seed-planting and eventual harvest. With the reform of the general calendar in 1969, these days were not eliminated so much as transferred to other realities. As the Church “baptized” these rituals, they also became days of penitence, the idea being that one needed to do penance in order to gain a favorable response to one’s prayers to the Almighty. Actually, these days had their origin in the Robigalia of Pagan Rome as days of prayer (with processions) set aside to implore various gods for good weather and an abundant harvest. The liturgical rites surrounding the days consisted of the Litany of the Saints and an outdoor procession encompassing the parish boundaries and blessing the fields therein. Their purpose was to beg God ( rogare, to ask or beg) for His blessings on the harvest, thus prayers offered at the time of the sowing of the seed. Most importantly, the day signifies that God can be experienced anywhere and not just in time and space.The three days prior to Ascension Thursday have been traditionally known as “Rogation Days” or the “Minor Litanies,” with the “Major Rogation” being observed on April 25. Others may claim kingship but the only one who is Lord and King is Jesus. Jesus is Lord and that means that Lordship goes beyond mere humanity. The Ascension signifies that Christ is no longer bound by the time and space that he was while he was in the fullness of his humanity. This is not meant to be taken as a literal passage in the sense of a “beam me up” kind of story. ![]() RELATED: A Grand Entrance: What the Ascension is Really About They also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.” The scriptural basis for this feast comes from Acts 1:9-11.Īnd after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.Īnd as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them. The celebration of the Solemnity of the Ascension may also be transferred to the Seventh Sunday of Easter. If a diocese celebrates the Solemnity of the Ascension on a Thursday, it is a Holy Day of Obligation and Catholics are required to go to Mass on that day. It is a central element of our tradition and is included in the creed recited at Mass each Sunday. The Ascension refers to the day celebrated 40 days after Easter when Catholics celebrate the fact that Jesus returns to God after being with his disciples after the resurrection. Mary’s Basilica in Winnipeg, Manitoba (Catholic News Service photo/Crosiers) Therese of Lisieux Church in Montauk, N.Y (Catholic News Service photo/Gregory A. Clotilde Church in Chicago (Catholic News Service photo/Karen Callaway, Catholic New World) 2) St. (From left:) Christ’s ascent to heaven is depicted in a stained-glass window at 1) St. ![]()
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