Dear Parish Family,

We celebrate the Ascension of our Lord this Sunday. We began the Season of Easter six weeks ago with the announcement of the angels and our risen Lord to Mary Magdalene to tell the disciples to go to Galilee to see Jesus. Today's Gospel marks the moment when Jesus speaks to His disciples at Galilee. 

It is interesting to note how Jesus addresses His disciples at Galilee: "All power in heaven and on earth has been given to Me." You would think Jesus' next line would be, "I will go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations." Instead, Jesus gives this command to them: "(YOU will) Go and make disciples of all nations." The power given to Christ now comes to the disciples. This is the role of the Ascension and Pentecost for us. Jesus ascends to the Father and sends the Holy Spirit so that His power and authority may flow through Him to the Church. 

In a way, the Ascension feels like a farewell. Just when the disciples were beginning to be accustomed to Jesus' risen and glorified bodily presence with them, He tells them He is going to the Father. They will no longer see Him bodily, but in this fond farewell, they will soon greet the promised Holy Spirit at Pentecost who will remain with them always, allowing them to do the works and mission of Christ.

The mission of Christ is fourfold in His final instructions to His Apostles: "(1) Go, (2) make disciples, (3) baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, (4) teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you." A word of reflection on each of these commands:

• Go. We have a mission. Don't sit on it. We hear the imperative to "Go" at the end of every Mass. This encapsulates everything that He says afterwards. Christ sends us to go make disciples, go baptize, and go teach. 

• Make Disciples. Only Jesus can make people His disciples, but He has shared His power and authority with us who are His Body, the Church. The witness of a faithful life in Christ is deeply attractive to those who seek the truth. By the power of Christ, you can change hearts by inviting them into the life of the Church. 

• Baptize. Baptize means "immerse". Christ asks us to immerse people in the life of the Church, inviting them into a deep relationship with Him. We may never sacramentally baptize someone, but we can immerse others in Christ's love and mercy each day, inviting them to fuller participation at Mass and the Sacramental life. If they're not Catholic or Christian, we can journey with them in their pursuit of truth and meaning and invite them to be immersed in the Sacramental life of the Catholic Church as Jesus calls them to Himself.

• Teach. Teach means "instruct". Inevitably, after immersing people in the life of the Church, they will have questions, why and how this life in Christ is possible. We teach others by the witness of our lives and of the lives of the saints, by articulating the teachings of the Church with conviction and love to their circumstances, and by accompanying them through their questions and trials.

In sum, the Ascension is Christ's way of giving His Church the keys of evangelization. We share the Gospel with others through Christ's power given to us from His heavenly throne at the right hand of God the Father. 

We are creating a Tribute Book for Fr. Fabian. This is a chance to share your memories of Fr. Fabian, what he taught you during his time with us, and to send him your best wishes and prayers as he heads back to Korea at the end of June. Please visit our web page for information related to Fr. Fabian's Farewell that we will plan, and for the Tribute book link (https://stpatrickthompson.org/fr-fabian-farewell) or visit https://account.alifeuntold.com/contributor/tribute-for-fr-fabian-han for the direct link to the Tribute Book. Deadline for contributions is Sunday, May 31.

I am yours in Christ,

Fr. Scott Goodfellow