Thursday, June 2, 2011

Ascension Thursday

"And it came to pass, whilst he blessed them, he departed from them, and was carried up to heaven." Luke 24:51
Today is Ascension Thursday, the day, forty days after Easter, when Christ Ascended into Heaven.
Unfortunately, in our diocese this is not a Holy Day of Obligation.  Fortunately, Mass will still be said tonight for the feast.
It continues to puzzle me why a diocese would choose to move feasts to Sunday.  Doesn't this reduce the importance of the feast?  I do understand that not everyone is able to make it to Mass on weekdays for Holy Days - yet there are still 24 hours in the day, plus the opportunity for a vigil.  Why give in to the pressure?
Unlike many feast days, the Ascension seems to get pushed aside.  I admit, my family doesn't have any special traditions.  Mass is the only thing that really makes it special.  How does one go about establishing traditions?  (Please note the lowercase "t," not a capital "T")  The most important thing is that the tradition means something.  A quick search doesn't bring up any specific traditions, except maybe picnicking.   There is even a lack of recipes out there!
Ok, how about this for an Ascension tradition?  Kite Flying!  What lifts your mind and spirit to the heavens more than a lovely kite (except maybe some beautiful music?)  I'm going to fly with it.  I'm off to fly a kite, everyone.  Happy Ascension Thursday!!!

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