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May 29, 2022Dear Parishioners,
This past week we celebrated the Ascension of Jesus into Heaven. I remember a song when I was growing up: “God is watching us from a distance.” I would often think of those lyrics in relation to the Ascension. It made me wonder: Why did Jesus leave His apostles? Why didn’t he stay here on earth? In fact, this solemnity seems to put us Christians at a disadvantage. Whereas the Apostles and the early Church had Christ with them, we have Christ from a distance. Yet, the solemnity of the Ascension is meant to tell us the precise opposite: that Christ is with us in an even more intimate way. There are at least three ways he does this:
First, we have an advocate with the father. Rhode Islanders know that it is all about who you know. If you want to get a favor, or you want some position, you must know someone already at the top. The same can be said analogously with Christ; we know someone literally at the top. St. John tells us that “if anyone sins, we have an advocate before the father.” Christ goes to heaven to direct operations more fully here on earth. This is why we pray: “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
Second, humanity itself has been brought to the heavenly realm. Prior to Christ’s entrance into heaven, no human being had entered heaven. The Incarnation celebrates the union of the divine and the human; the Resurrection celebrates the defeat of death and sin; the Ascension celebrates the taking of humanity into the divine realm; the inner life of God, the Trinity. It is through Jesus Christ that every other human being enters the life of God.
Finally, and in answer to the song, Jesus is closer to us now than he was to the Apostles. In the transcendent realm of heaven, Christ is no longer in a specific place in the world as he was before His Ascension. We don’t need to travel to Jerusalem or Rome to meet Christ. Instead, through conversation in prayer, and especially through the Sacrament of the Mass, we can be with Christ. With the Ascension God is not watching us from a distance but is closer than ever.
On Sunday May 15th we held our Annual 400 Club for our Parish School. Part of our mission that God entrusts to us at St. Teresa Parish is the formation and education of young people. This event helps support the school and involve the parish community. I want to thank everyone who donated, participated, and helped organize this event. I also want to thank Diane and Arthur Vincent who led this event. It was a great time.
Finally, we had our parish finance council meeting last week. We examined the budget for the parish. I am extremely grateful to everyone who supports the parish whether financially, in service, or through prayer. With just a few weeks left for the fiscal year I ask that parishioners continue to give, to the best of your ability, to the weekly collection so that we can end the year well. These past few weeks collections have come in lower than what we need to support our operating expenses. Of course, everywhere I look prices are rising, gas is up, and savings decreasing. This is not an easy time. Give what you can, and I will continue to do my part to use the resources you give the parish prudently and efficiently.
In the Ascended Christ!
Fr. Barrow
