lift off
"Wait, rather, for the fulfillment of My Father's promise." —Acts 1:4
We have been in intense prayer for eighty days — forty days of Lent and forty days of Easter. Today we reach the feast of the Ascension, the beginning of the grand finale of the Easter season. Two days ago, we began a Holy Spirit novena, nine days of prayer for a new Pentecost in our day. Our prayer will be answered as the Spirit will be lavished on us (Ti 3:6) without ration (Jn 3:34). Then we will have the power to be Jesus' witnesses right where we are and even to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). In the power of the Spirit, we will make disciples of all nations by baptizing them and teaching them to obey all Jesus commanded (Mt 28:19-20).
On this feast of the Ascension, we begin the countdown to a new Pentecost. Celebrate this feast with your whole heart. Don't just sandwich a quick Mass into the midst of a busy day. Make this a holy day — a day especially set apart for God. Plan for the Holy Spirit novena. Cancel or postpone whatever you can in this week before Pentecost. Give yourself more time to give God prime time. Go into the upper room with Mary and all the saints. Wait there for the fulfillment of our Father's promise, for "within a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit" (Acts 1:5).
Prayer: Father, may I thirst for the Spirit more than for anything else (see Jn 7:37).
Promise: "It is like the strength He showed in raising Christ from the dead and seating Him at His right hand in heaven." —Eph 1:19-20
Praise: Praise You, risen Jesus. You sit in majesty at the right hand of the Father. Alleluia!
Reference: (For a related teaching, order our leaflet Praying for a New Pentecost or our audio tapes AV 92A-1, AV 92A-3, AV 92B-1 or our video series of two tapes that starts with V-92A.)
Rescript: †Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, February 1, 2011
The Nihil Obstat ("Permission to Publish") is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have granted the Nihil Obstat agree with the contents, opinions, or statements expressed.