Our Mission

The Feast of the Ascension is an important feast because it signifies the ending of Christ’s work on earth, through his physical body. His mission continues in and through his Mystical Body. Jesus fulfilled all the promises made to the chosen people through the prophets. Not only are all the promises fulfilled, but God has established a New Covenant, a New Israel, a New People. This God did, in and through the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. As Jesus touched people while on earth with his physical body, now he touches people through the Church. In all the works of the Church, the mission of Jesus is carried on. St. Augustine said that in the Mass and the Sacraments, it is Jesus who consecrates, Jesus who baptizes. Jesus is at work in and through the community he established as the New Israel. For us as the New People of God, we are reminded of the many parables where there will be accounting for all the great gifts God has given us in and through Jesus. We cannot bury these gifts. They must be used for the good of the community and the Glory of God. What an awesome responsibility is ours! Before Jesus ascended into Heaven, he commissioned his Apostles to go into the whole world and proclaim the “Good News” (Mark 16:15). As the people of the New Israel, we have the responsibility of living and sharing the faith.

Through baptism we are incorporated into the Church, the Body of Christ. We are called to holiness, to follow Jesus and share the Good News of our faith with others. Like the people of Israel, we are counted a kingdom of priests, a consecrated nation. We cannot spend our time looking back at the Jesus who walked the earth with his Apostles and disciples. No, we are to go forth, in the power and presence of the Risen Lord – to carry out the mission entrusted to us. To carry out our mission, we have received the gift of the Holy Spirit in Confirmation to empower us to witness to the Gospel. The Holy Spirit gives us the courage and strength to carry out the command of Jesus. St. Theresa of Avila expressed our mission in these words:

“Christ Has No Body”

Christ has no body but yours,

No hands, no feet on earth but yours,

Yours are the eyes with which he looks

with compassion on this world…

Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good,

Yours are the hands with which he blesses all the world…

Yours are the hands,

Yours are the feet,

Yours are the eyes,

Yours are his body.

Christ has no body on earth but yours.

We can pray to God in thanksgiving for the work we have been given, that of drawing others into the faith. And we can thank God for the feast that reminds us that we are not alone, but the Risen Lord himself is with us, both praying for us and working with us.

Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May (on May 25 in 2009). Formerly known as Decoration Day, it commemorates U.S. men and women who died while in the military service. First enacted to honor Union soldiers of the American Civil War (it is celebrated near the day of reunification after the civil war), it was expanded after World War I to include American casualties of any war or military action.

On this Memorial Day weekend, let us pray for all the military who have given their lives for us, and for all those who bravely protect us today.