28 May 2025
I am writing this on the Eve of the Ascension having just prayed First Vespers privately, and my thoughts are consumed with the blessings brought about by the daily mass at St. Mark’s. We are fortunate that for this great feast forty days after the resurrection, our church will celebrate a Low Mass at 12:00 noon, Vespers at 6:30 pm, and a High Mass with Procession at 7:00 pm. As is the case every weekday, Matins and Lauds will be prayed online at 9:00 am.
Earlier this week I saw the coverage in the local news about the lantern floating ceremony at Ala Moana Beach Park. I was struck by the number of people who said that they hoped to “conjure up spirits from the past.” I also noted that many of the participants demonstrated a legitimate, even if subconscious, need for pastoral care. They seemed to be searching for something spiritual, even if they have doubts about God, while also talking about the vibes of the universe or being in-sync with the cosmos. I suspect that much of the wellness industry, including the popularity of yoga and meditation practices, is a manifestation of this desire for spirituality.
Meanwhile Christians have begun to celebrate Ascension-tide, a period of ten days ending with the Feast of Pentecost, the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples and the emerging Church. For the Christian it is Christ who fills all things and who reigns over the cosmos. The Ascension makes this clear. Vibes are not needed in Christian parlance, because we have the loving reign of Christ, and we certainly do not need to conjure up spirits from the past, for all of God’s children find true rest in Jesus Christ.
At the midday masses this week, as is our custom, we remembered the departed. A week does not pass by in which a former giant of the faith from the parish is not remembered at the weekday masses. However, the reality is that we do more than remember the departed; we celebrate their new life in Christ. We name them at the altar as an act of thanksgiving for what Christ does for all the faithful. I have never understood the appeal of floating a lantern for the dead, when as Christians we are able to celebrate the new life of the departed in the resurrection feast of the Eucharist. The masses this week have also been notable for we are praying for a beloved parishioner who is now in hospice. At the Mass we give thanksgiving for the rich feast such a faithful soul is about to enjoy.
At the Ascension we celebrate the reign of Jesus Christ at the right hand of God. We also look forward to how the Holy Spirit infuses the Church with a new dynamism. Our God gives us everything we need for life and faith within the charisms of the Church. It is important to respect our neighbors, along with their customs and spiritual practices, but in the end, regarding life and death, and the eternal life to come, our God provides us with everything we could possibly need.
On this Feast of the Ascension, we give thanks that Jesus has gone up with the shout of the trumpet blast, and we take confidence that our God is truly the ruler of all that exists. We only need to look in one direction: we only need to look to the Ascended Christ blessing the universe with his expansive and infinite love.
Father Paul Lillie +
