May 30, 2025

The Ascension, St. Peter and Future Priests, Solemnity of the Ascension, Altar of the Tomb, St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, May 29, 2025

15 minutes

Msgr. Roger J. Landry

St. Peter’s Basilica, Altar of the Tomb, Vatican

Rome Experience Program for Seminarians

Solemnity of the Ascension, Year C

May 29, 2025

Acts 1:1-11, Ps 47, Eph 1:17-23, Lk 24:46-53

To listen to an audio recording of today’s homily, please click below:

https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/catholicpreaching/5.29.25_Homily_St._Peters_Ascension_1.mp3

The following points were attempted in the homily:

St. Peter was present at the Ascension of the Lord and shows us how to live its three principal lessons.

The first lesson is about the reality of heaven and the desire we are called to have for it. Jesus has ascended to prepare a place for us. We’re called to seek the things that are above. St. Peter in his first letter, written to Christians under persecution, helped them to have real hope in heaven. He himself clung to Jesus, who had the words of eternal life, and wanted them to trust in Jesus’ promises, too. That gave them courage. He’s interceding for us to have a similar trust and desire.

The second lesson is about the great commission. Jesus entrusted to us his mission for the salvation of the world. St. Peter took that mission seriously and dedicated his life to proclaiming the Gospel to the ends of the earth to the end of his life, making his supreme testimony just a few feet from here and buried right behind this altar. He’s interceding for us to be just as “all in” to this work of completing Jesus’ saving mission.

The third lesson is about the gift Jesus gives us to help us desire heaven and proclaim him and his Gospel to the ends of the earth. It’s the gift of the Holy Spirit, who gave Peter a tongue of fire to proclaim the Gospel, and we see what a difference it made in Peter on that first Pentecost. The Holy Spirit seeks to make a similar impact on us. Jesus told Peter and the apostles to go to pray until they be given power on high. They did around Mary for ten days until Pentecost. We begin today the “decenarium” or ten days of prayer for the outpouring of the same Holy Spirit, invoking the prayers of Mary.

Jesus likewise gives us himself in the Holy Eucharist to strengthen us, just as he strengthened Peter, after his Ascension. Jesus links the Eucharist to his Ascension when he spoke about having to eat his flesh and drink his blood to have life in us and that if eat his flesh and drink his blood we will live forever. To those challenging his teaching as too hard to endure, he said, “What if you were to see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before?” The Eucharistic is meant to be lived eschatologically. A Eucharistic life is the path of our own Ascension, as we lift up our hearts to seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father. St. Peter is praying for us to unite ourselves to the Risen Lord Jesus in Holy Communion in such a way that this internal embrace will lead to an eternal one.

The readings for today’s Mass were:

Reading I

Acts 1:1-11

In the first book, Theophilus,

I dealt with all that Jesus did and taught

until the day he was taken up,

after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit

to the apostles whom he had chosen.

He presented himself alive to them

by many proofs after he had suffered,

appearing to them during forty days

and speaking about the kingdom of God.

While meeting with them,

he enjoined them not to depart from Jerusalem,

but to wait for “the promise of the Father

about which you have heard me speak;

for John baptized with water,

but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

When they had gathered together they asked him,

“Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”

He answered them, “It is not for you to know the times or seasons

that the Father has established by his own authority.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you,

and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem,

throughout Judea and Samaria,

and to the ends of the earth.”

When he had said this, as they were looking on,

he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight.

While they were looking intently at the sky as he was going,

suddenly two men dressed in white garments stood beside them.

They said, “Men of Galilee,

why are you standing there looking at the sky?

This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven

will return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven.”

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 47:2-3, 6-7, 8-9

R (6) God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.

or:

R Alleluia.

All you peoples, clap your hands,

shout to God with cries of gladness,

For the LORD, the Most High, the awesome,

is the great king over all the earth.

R God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.

or:

R Alleluia.

God mounts his throne amid shouts of joy;

the LORD, amid trumpet blasts.

Sing praise to God, sing praise;

sing praise to our king, sing praise.

R God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.

or:

R Alleluia.

For king of all the earth is God;

sing hymns of praise.

God reigns over the nations,

God sits upon his holy throne.

R God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.

or:

R Alleluia.

Reading II

Ephesians 1:17-23

Brothers and sisters:

May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory,

give you a Spirit of wisdom and revelation

resulting in knowledge of him.

May the eyes of your hearts be enlightened,

that you may know what is the hope that belongs to his call,

what are the riches of glory

in his inheritance among the holy ones,

and what is the surpassing greatness of his power

for us who believe,

in accord with the exercise of his great might:

which he worked in Christ,

raising him from the dead

and seating him at his right hand in the heavens,

far above every principality, authority, power, and dominion,

and every name that is named

not only in this age but also in the one to come.

And he put all things beneath his feet

and gave him as head over all things to the church,

which is his body,

the fullness of the one who fills all things in every way.

Alleluia

Matthew 28:19a, 20b

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Go and teach all nations, says the Lord;

I am with you always, until the end of the world.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Luke 24:46-53

Jesus said to his disciples:

“Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer

and rise from the dead on the third day

and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins,

would be preached in his name

to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

You are witnesses of these things.

And behold I am sending the promise of my Father upon you;

but stay in the city

until you are clothed with power from on high.”

Then he led them out as far as Bethany,

raised his hands, and blessed them.

As he blessed them he parted from them

and was taken up to heaven.

They did him homage

and then returned to Jerusalem with great joy,

and they were continually in the temple praising God.

The post The Ascension, St. Peter and Future Priests, Solemnity of the Ascension, Altar of the Tomb, St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, May 29, 2025 appeared first on Catholic Preaching.

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By Father Roger Landry

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May 30, 2025

The Ascension, St. Peter and Future Priests, Solemnity of the Ascension, Altar of the Tomb, St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, May 29, 2025

15 minutes

Msgr. Roger J. Landry

St. Peter’s Basilica, Altar of the Tomb, Vatican

Rome Experience Program for Seminarians

Solemnity of the Ascension, Year C

May 29, 2025

Acts 1:1-11, Ps 47, Eph 1:17-23, Lk 24:46-53

To listen to an audio recording of today’s homily, please click below:

https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/catholicpreaching/5.29.25_Homily_St._Peters_Ascension_1.mp3

The following points were attempted in the homily:

St. Peter was present at the Ascension of the Lord and shows us how to live its three principal lessons.

The readings for today’s Mass were:

Reading I

Acts 1:1-11

In the first book, Theophilus,

I dealt with all that Jesus did and taught

until the day he was taken up,

after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit

to the apostles whom he had chosen.

He presented himself alive to them

by many proofs after he had suffered,

appearing to them during forty days

and speaking about the kingdom of God.

While meeting with them,

he enjoined them not to depart from Jerusalem,

but to wait for “the promise of the Father

about which you have heard me speak;

for John baptized with water,

but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

When they had gathered together they asked him,

“Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”

He answered them, “It is not for you to know the times or seasons

that the Father has established by his own authority.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you,

and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem,

throughout Judea and Samaria,

and to the ends of the earth.”

When he had said this, as they were looking on,

he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight.

While they were looking intently at the sky as he was going,

suddenly two men dressed in white garments stood beside them.

They said, “Men of Galilee,

why are you standing there looking at the sky?

This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven

will return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven.”

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 47:2-3, 6-7, 8-9

R (6) God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.

or:

R Alleluia.

All you peoples, clap your hands,

shout to God with cries of gladness,

For the LORD, the Most High, the awesome,

is the great king over all the earth.

R God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.

or:

R Alleluia.

God mounts his throne amid shouts of joy;

the LORD, amid trumpet blasts.

Sing praise to God, sing praise;

sing praise to our king, sing praise.

R God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.

or:

R Alleluia.

For king of all the earth is God;

sing hymns of praise.

God reigns over the nations,

God sits upon his holy throne.

R God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.

or:

R Alleluia.

Reading II

Ephesians 1:17-23

Brothers and sisters:

May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory,

give you a Spirit of wisdom and revelation

resulting in knowledge of him.

May the eyes of your hearts be enlightened,

that you may know what is the hope that belongs to his call,

what are the riches of glory

in his inheritance among the holy ones,

and what is the surpassing greatness of his power

for us who believe,

in accord with the exercise of his great might:

which he worked in Christ,

raising him from the dead

and seating him at his right hand in the heavens,

far above every principality, authority, power, and dominion,

and every name that is named

not only in this age but also in the one to come.

And he put all things beneath his feet

and gave him as head over all things to the church,

which is his body,

the fullness of the one who fills all things in every way.

Alleluia

Matthew 28:19a, 20b

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Go and teach all nations, says the Lord;

I am with you always, until the end of the world.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Luke 24:46-53

Jesus said to his disciples:

“Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer

and rise from the dead on the third day

and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins,

would be preached in his name

to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

You are witnesses of these things.

And behold I am sending the promise of my Father upon you;

but stay in the city

until you are clothed with power from on high.”

Then he led them out as far as Bethany,

raised his hands, and blessed them.

As he blessed them he parted from them

and was taken up to heaven.

They did him homage

and then returned to Jerusalem with great joy,

and they were continually in the temple praising God.

The post The Ascension, St. Peter and Future Priests, Solemnity of the Ascension, Altar of the Tomb, St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, May 29, 2025 appeared first on Catholic Preaching.

...more