Readings for May 31-June 1, Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord
By Fr. Edward Looney | For On Mission
Last year at Mass for the Ascension, during communion, as I walked to the elderly and infirm section to distribute communion to those unable to process up in the line, the musicians began singing, “Be Joyful Mary.” It is an English paraphrase of the “Regina Caeli.”
As I heard the words, I immediately asked the questions, “Was Mary joyful on the day of the Ascension? Wouldn’t it be a day of sorrow for her?”
Mary had moments of sorrow during the ministry of Jesus. Especially when he left for his public ministry and as she stood beneath the cross. And now she sees him ascending. No longer will she be able to speak to him so readily. Is this a moment of sorrow or joy?
What we know is that Mary persevered in prayer with the apostles until Pentecost. Just as she consoled the apostles from Good Friday to Easter Sunday, maybe the apostles now comfort her as they pray together.
For Mary, she could be joyful because she remembered her son and all the memories she had with Jesus from his childhood to his ministry. As Jesus leaves her, whenever she recalled and treasured those moments of Jesus’ life with her, his words and actions, she had a moment of joy.
She could be joyful in communion, too. That as Jesus gave the Holy Eucharist to the apostles on the Lord’s Day and celebrated the Mass, Mary would have attended the early Mass and received communion. That moment of communion, uniting her with Jesus in a new way, would bring her joy.
She experienced joy in her anticipation of what was to come. As she thought of Heaven and being with Jesus again, it stirred her to love and longing to be with the Lord. A love, which Archbishop Fulton Sheen says truly drew Mary into the kingdom of heaven — her love for Jesus and Jesus’ love for her.
Pope Benedict XVI, in his trilogy Jesus of Nazareth, concludes with an epilogue pertaining to the Ascension. He treats the topic of joy, quoting Luke’s Gospel from today that says they returned to Jerusalem filled with great joy.
Like Mary, could the apostles be filled with joy on the Ascension Day? Jesus has left them. He’s entrusted to them a lofty task of evangelization and discipleship. Pope Benedict suggested that they were joyful because they were aware of how Jesus’ presence was still with them.
The Ascension does not need to be a day of sorrow, but the Lord wants it to be a day of joy. Even in parting, there was joy.
As Mary waited with the apostles for the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit began to manifest the fruit of joy to them. Christian, be joyful today, and every day, and bring that joy to all you meet.
Fr. Edward Looney serves as the pastor of Sacred Heart Parish, Shawano, and priest celebrant of St. Martin of Tours Parish, Cecil. He has a new substack, Mary and the Pope (maryandthepope.substack.com), where he reflects on the Marian thoughts of Pope Leo XIV.
The readings for Sunday, June 1, can be found at Ascension of the Lord | USCCB