Sunday June 1, 2025 - Good News Ministries

Good News Reflections:
Making scripture meaningful to your daily life
by Terry Modica

When we receive Jesus in the Eucharist, we unite ourselves to his mission.

Good News Reflection for:

The Ascension of the Lord
June 1, 2025

Today’s Prayer:

My Lord, grant me the grace for waiting with faith and strength during difficult times, trusting that Your promise will be fulfilled and the joy will be awesome. Amen.

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Powerful Catholic prayers are available on our YouTube channel.

Today’s Readings:

Acts 1:1-11
Ps 47:2-3, 6-9
Ephesians 1:17-23
Luke 24:46-53
bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/060125-Ascension.cfm
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
bible.usccb.org/podcasts/audio/2022-05-29

Why did Jesus ascend to heaven?

Imagine how readily people would have converted if he had resumed his public ministry after his resurrection. Even the Pharisees who had seen him die would have fallen at his feet in repentance.

However, God’s salvation plan for the world was much bigger than that. While Jesus walked the earth, he was but one human. Afterward, by giving himself in the Eucharist to his disciples, he became every human who takes this gift seriously. When we receive Jesus in the Eucharist, we unite ourselves to his mission.

As we see in today’s Gospel reading, before he ascended to heaven, Jesus commissioned every disciple — including you — for this task. “Commission” means “with the same mission, working together. This commissioning rite is repeated at the end of every Mass, when the Jesus, through the priest, sends us forth to love and serve the Lord to make a difference in the world.

Humanly we are quite inadequate to change the world, so Jesus gave us his Holy Spirit. By uniting our spirit to his Spirit and then relying on God in every situation, adequacy is not the question. It’s willingness. Are we willing to put time and effort and spiritual growth into being Christ’s hands and feet and voice for the world?

Because Jesus ascended to heaven, he has no hands but our hands, and he has no voice but our voice.

Are you unhappy about the evils that exist in this world? God has great plans to bring his kingdom into these situations.

Are you concerned about the abuses you see? Immorality on television? Injustices in your workplace? Divisions in your parish or hurtful behavior in your leaders? Jesus is far more disturbed by these evils than you are. And he has a plan. What do you think your part in it could be as you work with him and let him work through you?

Ever since Jesus ascended into heaven and sent his Holy Spirit to earth, God has chosen to minister to the world through us, first in our homes, then extending his love into our parishes and beyond.

In celebration of the Ascension of Our Lord, please join me in praying this:

Lord Jesus, fill me with the presence of Your Holy Spirit and with the gifts You want me to use. Show me when and how to use these charisms. And help me to overcome my pride and fears and any other sins that are holding me back from the works that You are calling me to do. I want to be Your hands, Your feet, and Your voice, Lord Jesus. Amen!

Questions for Personal Reflection:
What thresholds or new beginnings are you facing? How are these opportunities for the continuation of the ministry of Jesus?

Questions for Community Faith Sharing:
In what ways are you doing the works of Jesus? Which parish ministries could use your gifts and talents? How do you rely on the Holy Spirit to get it done?

And here’s a scripture-prayer you can use:
wordbytes.org/social-justice-the-calling-of-every-christian.

For help in discerning your personal calling to the mission, try these: https://catholicdr.com/e-books/knowing-gods-will/.

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