Daily Archives: May 20, 2007

The Ascension of the Lord

We try but fail to get to St. Matt’s for ten o’clock mass. We run into streets blocked off everywhere trying to get out of our neighborhood. There’s some sort triathalon or race or something blocking everywhere.

Getting close to ten we just ditch the car on D Street across from the Capitol Police headquarters, which is just a block away from St. Joseph’s. We see on the board that they’ve got a 10:30 a.m. mass. Since we’ve got time, we walk the few blocks south to St. Peter’s. They’ve got a 10:30 as well. But we really like St. Joe’s so we head back.

Monsignor Antonicelli presides, although Deacon Bockweg handles the homily after reading the Gospel. He talks about the new Harry Potter book coming out soon, how everyone is waiting for it, wanting to know how the story continues. He likens it back to the movie serials he used to watch as a kid, specifically Hopalong Cassidy. And before that Dickens et. al. used to publish serials. And before that …

Well, before that, how about the ending of the Gospel of St. Luke and the beginning of Acts? Those are two of the readings we have today. Traditionally attributed to the same author, St. Luke’s Gospel ends with and the Acts of the Apostles begins with the Ascension. Except that, obviously, the story continues in Acts. Even better of course are the two men who grab the Apostles and ask, “Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking at the sky?”

I love that. Hey, dummies, quit staring up at heaven. There’s work to be done down here.

Work.

Acts.