St. Agnes Catholic Church

Fr. Nate's Homily for weekend of May 23/24

Today we hear in Acts of the Apostles, that,

“…you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you,
and you will be my witnesses . . . to the ends of the earth.” [Acts 1:8]

I don’t have to tell you that life is filled with times in which we are faced with the difficult task of letting go.  Especially the last few months we have be letting go more than we could ever have imagined.  Many of us, want nothing to do with “letting go”.  We sometimes resist it at all costs.

However sometimes when we refuse to let go, we can unknowingly prevent ourselves or others from growing in ways we need to grow.

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you,
and you will be my witnesses . . . to the ends of the earth.”

Today we are celebrating the Ascension of the Lord, a day on which we remember the moment Jesus took his rightful place at the right hand of the Father in Heaven.   On the surface, it may seem as if Jesus was abandoning his disciples.  I’m sure that they would have wanted Jesus to stay with them, continue teaching them, and tell them precisely what they needed to do.  Why couldn’t things go back to the way they had been in the beginning, before everything that happened after Jesus entered Jerusalem?  

Why would Jesus rise from the dead, only to leave them once again?  Why couldn’t Jesus simply care for them as he did in the past?   Why couldn’t they just follow him around as they had done for three years?

The simple answer is --- because he loved them and he loves us.  My guess is that Jesus knew that, for his followers to flourish, he would need to “let go” of them in a sense, allowing them to grow into the people God created them to be.  And that would probably not have been possible had he remained with them.  By choosing to return to the Father, he was letting them know that his mission would now be their mission, his work, their work. They would be the healers.  They would be the forgivers.  They would be the ones showing compassion and mercy.  They would be the teachers.  And they would help God transform hearts, one person at a time, and thereby transform the world.

Just as parents don’t stop loving their children after they have to “let go” of them as they grow into adulthood, neither does our Lord stop loving us or helping us or guiding us.  Jesus may have left earth in a bodily sense, but he did not abandon us.  He continues to be present to each of us --- through his Holy Spirit, and in many ways he is closer to us than ever before.
 

If you are in need of the Sacrament of the Sick please email Fr. Nate at [email protected] with name, address, phone number and times of availability.

Other Opportunities for Mass on TV or Radio

• Click this link to watch the Diocese Outreach May 17th Sixth Sunday of Easter Mass
• Each Sunday, the Diocese of Lansing airs the televised Outreach Mass at 6:00 AM and 10:00 AM on WLAJ Lansing, and at 10:00 AM on WBSF-TV Flint. Please check your local cable/satellite provider's guide for specific channel numbers.
• The Outreach Mass is also heard each Sunday at 11:00 AM on WJIM-AM 1240, Lansing, and on Good Shepherd Catholic Radio on 1510-AM and 93.3-FM, at 12:00 PM, and 4:00 PM.
• EWTN also broadcasts Daily Mass weekdays at 8:00 AM and Weekend Masses on Saturday at 4:30 PM and Sunday at 8:00 AM and Noon. Please check your local cable/satellite provider's guide for specific channel numbers.
  

Diocese of Lansing Coronavirus Response and Resources

St. Agnes Catholic Church is a community that worships God through sacred scripture, sacrament and service. Our purpose is to witness our faith by carrying out Christ`s teaching in ourselves, our church and our community. All are welcome to join our inspirational worship that is filled with praise and tradition.

Our parish is devoted to serving God, each other, and the community through the sharing of time, talent, resources, prayer and love. We are committed to grow in our faith, continue on the path of learning, and build our relationships in all aspects of our lives.