Readings:

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

Yesterday, on the Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virigin Mary, I had the privlege of attending the Mass of Ordination for our newest priest Fr. Alan Bridges. Tomorrow is the anniversary of my own ordination, and it is was a joy to vicariously re-live my own ordination through this new priest. One of the most touching parts of the Rite of Ordination is when the newly ordained priest has his vestments put on by another priest, usually someone very close. In this case, it was Fr. Bridges’ spiritual director—a priest advanced in years, and unable to stand. This priest sat in the row directly in front of me. I have to admit, when the young priest approached the elderly father, bowed down in front of him and received his stole, then his chasuble, it was hard not to tear up. Here he was, the old priest, handing the stole, the symbol of priestly authority, to the young priest, for the mission must carry on.

(Father Alan Bridges embraces his vesting priest, Father Michael Roach, a retired priest from Maryland who lives and works at Mount St. Mary Seminary and his mentor. EmmaLee Italia photo, TrentonMonitor.com.)

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord, who commissions his disciples to go teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. The priesthood of Jesus is inextricably linked to this commission, namely, preaching the Good News and welcoming new members into the Church through baptism. This is also the primary duty of the pastor. As is stated in Canon Law: The following functions are especially entrusted to a pastor: baptism, confirmation to those in danger of death, the administration of Viaticum and anointing of the sick, assistance at marriages and nuptial blessings, to perform funeral rites, the blessing of the baptismal font at Easter, leading processions outside of the church, and the more solemn eucharistic celebrations on Sundays and holy days (CIC 530). Perhaps the latter may shed some light on why the 11 o’clock Mass is more solemn.

Since today is the Ascension, I would like to posit that ordination to the priesthood is a type of ascension. Certainly we all recognize an elevation in rank, from the office of diaconate, to the office of priesthood, but we also acknowledge a deeper reality, namely, that by the laying on of hands and anointing, the priest is sanctified, that is, set apart for a unique purpose. The bishop said yesterday we have been chosen by God before we were born, as the prophet Jeremiah says: Before I knit you in your mother’s womb, I knew you. Some of us may take a bit longer to get where the Lord wants us, but praise be to God when we do. For by his grace, we fulfill the call and the work we are commissioned to do.

Jesus did the same for the apostles. Before they encounterd Christ, many of them were lowly fishermen. Had they never met Jesus, they would have likely lived out the rest of their lives that way. But, the night of the Last Supper, Jesus says, “I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father. It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain” (Jn. 15:15-16a). He then bestows on them the most sacred honor of memorializing his sacrifice through the Eucharist, saying do this in memory of me.

During the Rite of Ordination, after the bishop receives the gifts of bread and wine from the people, he hands them to the newly ordained saying: “Receive the obliation of the holy people, to be offered to God. Understand what you do, imitate what you celebrate, and conform your life to the mystery of the Lord’s cross” (Rite of Ordination, 135). What awesome responsibility is placed in the hands of the lowly priest. We were once slaves to sin, slaves to our passions, but now ordained, we become friends of Christ in a most intimate way. Anogite quod agitis; imitamini quod tractatis, know what you are doing; imitate what you handle. The bishop reminds us that we are to be aware of the great commission to which we have been called and to imitate Christ. We do so by picking up our cross daily and following him. As Jesus says to St. Peter, “Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go” (Jn. 21:18). But glory be to God when we are led in this way, for we are imitating Christ.

My former pastor told me that when we preach, we preach also to ourselves. Perhaps this homily was for me, but I hope that it gives us all a glimpse into just how much I love being your priest. Just as the old priest handed the stole to the young priest, so too, does Jesus entrust his disciples with continuing his mission to go out to all the world. That same mission has been handed on to all of us. And just as the disciples were promised the Holy Spirit, we too are temples of the same Holy Spirit, who enables us to pray as we ought, that is, to pray to Jesus who now sits at the right hand of the Father interceding for us.

And so, as we continue to reflect on the Ascension of our Blessed Lord, his entry into heaven where he sits on the Throne of power, let us eagerly await his return, first in sacrament, but ultimately, on the last day. He will bring salvation to those who eagerly await him. In the meantime, let us carry out his holy and true command, to teach all nations, to lead others to Christ.