Abbey News

Thursday, May 13, 2010

ASCENSION THURSDAY

With this antiphon for today's second Vespers we will conclude the glorious solemnity of Our Lord's ascension into heaven and the Church will begin the first of all novenas, the traditional novena in preparation for Pentecost. After Jesus' Ascension into heaven, He commanded His disciples to come together in the upper room to devote themselves to constant prayer (Acts 1:14). There they prayed for nine days before receiving the Holy Spirit on Pentecost.

Suggestions for making the novena can be found at Pentecost Novena and Novena to the Holy Spirit.

Missing Assistant Porter
At various times through the day a couple of brothers help our regular porter, Br. Louis, at the reception room receiving visitors and answering the phone. Regular visitors and callers expecting to find one of the helpers, Br. Christian, will not find him at his post these days. A few days ago he managed to break a hip in a fall and had to have a complete hip replacement.

The surgery at Strong Memorial Hospital was successful but now comes a stretch of therapy and rehabilitation as he learns to move about with his new parts. For that he has been transferred from the hospital to: The Friendly Home, 3156 East Ave., Rochester, NY 14618. The brothers who have visited him there report he is in his usual good spirits and the home is truly a friendly place to be. We're all looking forward to his complete recovery and speedy return home.

Coming And Going
This past Saturday Br. Isaac returned home from Catholic University for the summer. Glad to have him back with us. Then on Tuesday Fr. Gerard left to the join the Regional Novice Directors for their biennial meeting being held at our monastery of Holy Cross Abbey, Berryville, VA. We expect him back next Thursday.

Speaking of Br. Isaac, a friend of his from his seminary days at St. Vincent Seminary, Bill Apple studying for the diocesan priesthood, is with us for several days retreat.

Tuesday, being the feast of the holy Abbots of Cluny, is the day we traditionally doff the warm cowls for the summer season. We will resume them on September 14th, the beginning of the monastic fast, the monastic winter season. No sooner did we set them aside for the summer when the weather turned cold again, complete with frosty nights.

Authentic Christian teaching allows us to believe and to cherish the firm hope that the faithful today, who share in Christ's death through life's tribulations, will one day also share in his eternal glory.

But the angels who told the Apostles on the mount of the Ascension This Jesus who was taken up from you into heaven will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven (Acts 1:11), warned the faithful that they needed to busy themselves with good works while awaiting the final coming of Christ. Christ's earthly mission ends with the Ascension, and that of his disciples begins.

The Lord had said to them: Go therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Mt. 28:19); it was their duty to make his work of salvation permanent in the world by their preaching, administering the sacraments, and teaching others to live according to the gospel.

Moreover Christ wished this to be preceded and prepared for by a period of prayer while they waited for the Holy Spirit who was to confirm and strengthen the Apostles. Thus the life of the Church began, not with action, but with prayer, together with Mary, the Mother of Jesus (Acts 1:14).

Divine Intimacy
Fr. Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalen, OCD