(Note: There are two reflections below: ‘Thursday of the Sixth week of Easter’ is used in those diocese where the Ascension is transferred to the Seventh Sunday of Easter. For those dioceses that celebrate the Ascension today, click here or scroll down.)

May 21, 2020
Thursday of the Sixth Week of Easter
Readings for Today

San Christopher Magallanes, Pari ug Martir, ug mga Kauban, mga Martir—Opsyonal nga Handumanan

“Amen, amen, sultihan ko kamo, maghilak kamo ug magbangotan, samtang ang kalibotan magmaya; maguol kamo, apan ang inyong kasubo mahimong kalipay.”  John 16:20

Ang kasubo, pagbangotan ug bisan ang paghilak kabahin sa kinabuhi.  Ang mga bata kasagarang mohilak bisan sa gamayng kalisdanan, apan kitang tanan makasinati og kaguol ug kasubo sa tibuok natong kinabuhi.  

Niining teksto sa ibabaw, gipahibalo ni Jesus ang Iyang mga Apostoles nga ang kasubo ug kaguol mahimong kabahin sa ilang kinabuhi.  Kini usa ka seryoso kaayo apan matinud-anong pahayag sa atong Ginoo mahitungod sa tinuod nga kahimtang.  Usa kini ka buhat sa Iyang gugma: ang prangkang pagsulti sa Iyang mga Apostoles mahitungod sa umaabot nga mga kalisdanan nga ilang atubangon.

Ang maayong balita mao nga gisundan ni Jesus kining pahayag sa balitang puno sa paglaom nga ang ilang “kasubo mahimong kalipay.”  Kini ang labing mahinungdanong bahin sa gisulti ni Jesus.

Tinuod usab kini sa atong kinabuhi.  Wala mosaad si Jesus nga ang atong kinabuhi mahimong gawasnon sa kalisdanan ug kasakit.  Wala Siya mosulti nga ang pagsunod Kaniya nagpasabot nga mahimong sayon ang tanan sa kinabuhi.  Hinuon, gusto Niyang masayod kita nga kon mopili kita sa pagsunod Kaniya, moagi usab kita sa Iyang mga tunob.  Nag-antos Siya, gidaogdaog ug sa kataposan gipatay.  Ug makapasubo unta kini pag-ayo kon wala Siya mabanhaw gikan sa mga patay, mosaka sa Langit ug maghimo sa tanang miaging kasubo ug kasakit nga mao gayod ang paagi sa kaluwasan sa kalibotan.

Kon mosunod kita sa Iyang mga tunob, kinahanglan natong tan-awon ang matag kasubo sa atong kinabuhi isip posibleng paagi sa grasya alang sa daghan.  Kon maatubang nato ang mga kalisdanan sa kinabuhi uban sa pagtuo ug paglaom, walay bisan unsa nga makapabilin kanato sa pagkalugmok sa kataposan, ug ang tanan mahimong magamit alang sa himaya sa Dios ug mosangpot sa dakong kalipay.

Pamalandongi karon kining mga pulong ni Jesus.  Hibaloi nga wala lamang Niya kini isulti ngadto sa Iyang mga Apostoles, kondili ngadto usab kanimo.  Ayaw katugaw o kakurat kon makasinati ka og kalisdanan sa kinabuhi.  Ayaw kawad-i og paglaom kon moatubang ka og pag-antos.  Itugyan ang tanan ngadto sa atong Ginoo ug tugoti Siya nga himoon kini nga kalipay nga Iyang gisaad sa kataposan.

Lord, I surrender to You all suffering in my life.  My grief, hardships, sorrow and confusion I place in Your hands.  I trust that You are all-powerful and desire to transform all things into a means of Your glory.  Give me hope in times of despair and trust when life is hard.  Jesus, I trust in You.

Novena to the Holy Spirit
Prayed in preparation for Pentecost
Beginning Friday, May 22

Dugang nga mga Pamalandong sa Ebanghelyo

Mga Pamalandong sa Diosnong Kalooy

Tanang Santos/Mga Kapistahan

Santos sa Adlaw – San Christopher Magallanes, Pari ug Martir, ug mga Kauban, mga Martir

Mga Kapilian sa mga Basahon sa Misa

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The Continuing Presence of Our Lord

Solemnity of the Ascension of Our Lord

Mga Pagbasa alang sa Pagkayab sa Langit

“Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.  And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20 (Year A)

Jesus completes His mission on Earth and ascends into Heaven to take His seat on His glorious throne for all eternity.  Or does He?  The answer is yes and no. Yes, He does take His seat on His glorious throne, but no, He does not complete His mission on Earth. The Ascension is both the end and the beginning.  It’s a transition to the next phase in the perfect plan of the Father.  And understanding the way this plan unfolds should leave us in wonder and awe.

Sure, the Apostles were probably somewhat frightened and confused.  Jesus was with them, then He died, then He rose and appeared various times, and then He ascended to the Father before their eyes.  But He also told them that it is good that He goes.  In fact, He said that it’s better that He goes.  They must have been confused.  Jesus also told them His Advocate would come to lead them into all Truth.  So the Apostles went from joy, to fear, to relief and more joy, to confusion and sorrow, to curiosity and uncertainty.  

Sound familiar?  Perhaps that’s the way some find their lives to be.  Ups and downs, twists and turns, joys and sorrows.  Each phase reveals something new, something challenging, something glorious or something sorrowful.  The good news is that the Father’s plan is unfolding perfectly.

The part of the perfect plan we find ourselves in with this solemnity is the part where Jesus begins to direct His mission of establishing the Kingdom of God from Heaven.  His throne is, in a sense, the driver’s seat of our lives.  From Heaven, Jesus suddenly begins to descend continuously into our lives fulfilling His mission in and through the Apostles, as well as all of us.  The Ascension does not mean Jesus is gone; rather, it means Jesus is now present to each and every person who turns to Him and surrenders their life to His mission.  From Heaven, Jesus is able to be present to all.  He is able to live in us and invites us to live in Him.  It’s the new beginning of the Church.  Now all the Apostles need to do is wait for the Holy Spirit to descend.  

Reflect, today, upon the abiding and intimate presence of our Lord in your life.  Know that Jesus invites you to share in His mission.  From His glorious throne He wants us to “preach everywhere.”  He wants to invite each one of us to do our part.  The part of the Father’s plan entrusted to each one of us is not entrusted to another.  We all have a share in that plan.  What is your part?  How does Jesus direct His mission through you?  Ponder this question today and know that He accompanies you as you say “Yes” to your part in the glorious unfolding of His perfect plan.

Lord, I do find that my life is filled with many ups, downs, twists and turns.  There are joys and sorrows, moments of confusion and clarity.  In all things, help me to continually say “Yes” to Your plan.  Jesus, I trust in You.

Novena to the Holy Spirit
Prayed in preparation for Pentecost
Beginning Friday, May 22

Dugang nga mga Pamalandong sa Ebanghelyo

Mga Pamalandong sa Diosnong Kalooy

Mga Santos/Kasaulogan Karong Adlawa

Mga Kapilian sa mga Basahon sa Misa

Dugang nga Basahon – Pagsaka sa Langit

Pamalandong sa Pag-ampo alang sa Pagsaka sa Langit

Image: Ascension by Benjamin West