8 May 2024
We have much to celebrate over the next few days and weeks. Tomorrow is the fortieth day of Easter, and according to the Acts of the Apostles, it is the Day of the Ascension. One of the great feasts of the church, we will celebrate the day with a Solemn Mass at 7:00 pm.
The Ascension is one of many weekday feasts ranked as a holy day of obligation. The Ascension, similar to Sundays, is not optional. Yet most Christians no longer subscribe to worship as an obligation. The concept of holy days of obligation became unpopular decades ago, and the American way, as well as local culture, gets nervous when speaking about duty, commitment, and responsibility. We must be honest that the local value of kuleana was buried long ago.
Nevertheless, obligations build character, and growth of any kind requires discipline. One cannot become a disciple of Jesus Christ, if one is not being formed by the worship of the church. Ultimately, we want our sense of duty to transform into a wellspring of desire for God and our neighbor. When desire overcomes obligation, we find that we never miss an opportunity to worship our Lord. Personally, I find that my motivation is a mix of duty and desire. Sometimes worship is easy, and sometimes I find I must commit to doing it.
After the Ascension, we are told in the scriptures that the disciples continued to worship God joyfully in the temple. They were filled with a desire to worship. In the coming days and weeks, we have many wonderful feasts to celebrate. Tomorrow is the Ascension. This Saturday we gather for a Sung Mass celebrating the patrons of Hawai‘i, Saint Damien and Saint Marianne. This coming Sunday the theme of the Ascension continues, and on the fiftieth day of Easter, we mark the Day of Pentecost with the descent of the Holy Spirit upon Mary and the disciples.
This time of the year is affectionately called "procession-tide." Many joyful hymns shall be sung, and many prayers shall be chanted. Stay tuned for more information about the first Sunday of June when we celebrate Corpus Christi. We hope to have an outdoor procession with the Sacrament. I am up for it, but we need to ensure a good number of laity have the energy for such a witness. Blessings to you and your loved ones this Ascension-tide.
Father Paul Lillie +
