The Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord helps us to orient ourselves on the earthly pilgrimage toward our ultimate goal. This solemnity also helps us to become firmly grounded in the reality, in the community, where God has placed us.
A short time ago a little girl came into St. Hedwig’s church with her grandmother. I was sitting behind the tomb, hidden from sight. From the time that they came into the church, the little girl kept asking her grandmother “where is God? Where is God?” This went on as they walked up to the front. The grandmother patiently explained – “here is God’s Mother” – and she lifted the little girl to touch the statue of Our Lady. She then took her in front of the altar and pointed out, “There is God on the Cross”; they finished on the right side of the church, by the statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. In her questioning, the little child needed to touch and see.
As we celebrate Ascension Sunday, perhaps we too come to realize that we are not very different from the little girl. For you and me it too is important to touch, to see, to smell, to feel, especially on our earthly pilgrimage, which at times takes us into darkness. Our faith tells us, and Sacred Scripture repeats, that our home is in heaven – we are destined to follow Jesus Christ in his ascension. We know, as the second reading from the letter to the Ephesians tells us, that we too have a “glorious inheritance” that is waiting “for us to believe”. Sometimes we too need to be strengthened in our belief, also by the people who walk alongside of us, fellow pilgrims, fellow believers on the journey.
A few weeks ago I preached about St. Hedwig’s being the local church, the territorial church, for Barry’s Bay and area. That homily ignited some lively debate and questioning, and I thank all of you who have voiced your concerns, doubts and challenges. Some of the questions included: has St. Hedwig’s become less hospitable than before? If I come in from another local church, am I still welcome here? Are not Catholics supposed to feel welcome in all churches? I think this touches upon the deep need for us to have a home; we need a home, a place where we know that we belong. We all know that we are part of the Universal Church, the world-wide Catholic Church: but for the vast majority of Catholics, the local parish is the place where they experience the Church. In this vein, in practical terms, it is easier to belong to, to commit to a church that is near us, that is local, a church that is not too distant from where we live our Monday to Friday lives…What does this mean practically?
First of all, the people of the parish and beyond realize that St. Hedwig’s has a pretty consistent weekday Mass schedule. From Monday to Saturday there is more often than not, a morning Mass here. This makes St. Hedwig’s an attractive place for weekday Masses, and all are welcome for weekday Masses.
Sunday Mass is different from weekday Mass. Sunday is the key and most important liturgy of the whole week. Normally, people should go to their home parish for Sunday worship. It is where their local assembly, their local church, their people gather. It is their community. The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy from Vatican II says: “Efforts must also be made to encourage a sense of community within the parish, above all in the common celebration of the Sunday Mass” (Sacrosanctum Concilium, 42).
Sometimes, it’s not that simple. Some people have to work on weekends. Here in the Valley, churches have changed and even eliminated Sunday Mass times, with priests now covering a couple of parishes, when before they only covered one. With the mobility of the present age, it is easy to get into a car, drive a little further, and arrive at a church where the Mass schedule fits my needs. And if you are in this situation, then please, by all means come to fulfill your Sunday obligation – we’re glad you came.
My suggestion and sincere hope is the following: that all Catholics, from Barry’s Bay and beyond, have a stable, home parish for Sunday worship; a church where you’re not a visitor or guest, but a church where you’re at home. A church where, as the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy says, the Sunday Mass encourages a sense of community. A church where you’re able to walk in with your child or grandchild, or friend and feel home enough to say, this is God’s Mother, this is God on the Cross, this is the Sacred Heart of Jesus. A church where you have your own favourite pew – there is nothing wrong with having a favourite place to sit! A church where you know that you’re known and loved. Sure, there will be Sundays when you’ll be somewhere else. Maybe you’ll be away from your home parish for an extended period – still, we all need a home – and I encourage you to try to be faithful to your home church on Sundays.
As we build the local church, the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord helps us to orient ourselves on the earthly pilgrimage toward our ultimate goal. This solemnity also helps us to become firmly grounded in the reality, in the community, where God has placed us.
(Fr. Pawel Ratajczak, OMI, June 2, 2019)
