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RECTORY 3500 Sheridan Blvd. ✝ Lincoln, NE 68506 Phone: 402.488.0948 Fax: 402.488.7895 Web: www.cathedraloftherisenchrist.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/CRCLincoln
SCHOOLS Cathedral Elementary & Junior High 3245 So. 37th St. ✝ Lincoln, NE 68506 Phone: 402.489.9621Holy Family Center 3245 So. 37th St. ✝ Lincoln, NE 68506Phone: 402.488.3364 Pius X Catholic High School 6000 A St. ✝ Lincoln, NE 68510Phone: 402.488.0931
MASS SCHEDULE Saturday 5:00 pm
Sunday 6:00 am, 7:30 am, 9:00 am, 11:00 am & 6:00 pm
Weekdays & Saturday 6:30 am, 8:15 am & 5:00 pm
Holy Days Schedule will be printed in the bulletin
CONFESSIONS Monday 7:40 am to 8:10 am Wednesday 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm Saturday 11:30 am to 1:00 pm, 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm & 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm
BAPTISMS Sunday 12:00 noon Call Rectory to schedule classes
NEW PARISHIONERS Call or stop by the Rectory to register
* Photo Credits: Ed Malk, Amanda Svoboda, Laura Brouillette & Kassondra Photography.
GARY HELMANASSOCIATE BROKER®
CELL: (402) 890-2671 OFFICE: (402) 436-4663 E-MAIL: [email protected] WEB: HomeRealEstate.com/GaryHelman
JC Plus Plumbing
“Your Plumbing Done Right!”
402.477.7587
Colossians 3:23-24
5% Discount on all service and repair with this advertisement.
402-432-6181
LLCDarin Mennenga
Holy Family Medical, LLC
TIMOTHY FISCHER, MD • RICHARD WURTZ, MD PHILIP McNEELY, MD
7121 Stephanie Lane, Suite 105 402-484-8383
4300 O Street – 402.476.122540th & Yankee Hill – 402.261.5907
Directors: Tom Roper • Dean SchneiderJustin Wozny • Kimberly Wozny • Abbey ThiesFour Generations of Serving Lincoln’s Families
Kevin Hestermann | 402.488.3290Carpets | Upholstery | Tile & Grout | Area Rugs
Hardwood Floors | Stone Polishing | Pet Odor Control www.fivestarfloorcare.com
TRUCK MOUNTED STEAM CLEANING
Sales4700 R St.
402-464-8888
Service601 N. 66th
402-464-8277
Owners: Darold & Serita Karmazin
69th & O Street • Meridian Park • 402-466-6282
Diamonds • Custom Design All Repairs Done on Premises
Over 40 Years Experience
Conrad Quijas, OwnerKurtis A. Bomar, Owner5630 P StreetLincoln, Nebraska 68505
402.489.1700thestemgallery.com
][]a\j[]a\j[]a\j[FLOWERS & FINE GIFTS
(402) 489-1999 snyderpt.com2845 South 70th Street
Jerry Coniglio, Owner4815 So. 14th St. • (402) 423-2800Showroom located 2 blocks South of Hwy 2
www.lincolnmattress.com
Lincoln Tree Service, Inc.P.O. Box 6211 • Lincoln, NE 68506
Ph: 402-466-1627 • Fax: 402-466-0271 • [email protected] & Shrubs
Spraying & Injection • Pruning & Removal • Stump Removal
Jim Haas, President
Certified by Dept. of Agriculture Nebraska Arborist Association.
Licensed by the City of Lincoln.
RON MILLERGeneral Contractor
HOME: 402-489-8632 CELL: 402-560-2222
2737 South 41st • Lincoln, NE 68506
Maintenance • Repair • Remodeling
Trees • Shrubs • Evergreens • Flowers
Landscape Design & Installation4420 Lucile DriveLincoln, NE 68516402-489-6543
colorgardens.com
Angie Vandersnick (Parishioner)Terry & Ben Hastreiter
BernieDivis, GRI
REALTOR®
Associate Broker
402-432-8723 • 402-440-8723Interview the proven professional
www.bernie.divis.homerealestate.com
Andrew McNeely, REALTOR®
6120 Apples Way #100Cell: (402) 540-1689
[email protected] can sell your home for 3.5%!For more details, contact Andrew
Cornhusker BINGO
2940 Cornhusker HWY • 402.464.2558
$1,000 JACKPOT EVERY NIGHTWednesday & Sunday Nights
Doors: 5:00pm Early BINGO: 6:30pm • Regular BINGO: 7:30pm
Two Locations To Serve You4538 Cornhusker HWY. 402-441-48201500 Centerpark RD. 402-441-4800
• Complete Collision Service • American & Foreign Cars• Expert Painting & Glass Replacement
Employee Ownedwww.RussMarket.com
Dr. Derek F. BlumenstockOptometrist | Parishioner
1501 Pine Lake Road, Suite 1402.421.7773
Monte WilsonOwner
42 YEARSEXPERIENCE
Serving Lincoln & Surrounding Area
Phone: 402-840-8528
402-488-09344040 A Street
Lincoln, Nebraska
Directors:Patrick McCashlandJohn LoveJim Lovewww.bmlfh.com
“The Funeral HomeFamily & Friends
Recommend.”
O’Brien’s Lawn Service, Inc.• Quality Lawn Care, Reasonable Rates - 32 Years
• Nebraska Certified Applicators • Insured• Lawn and Tree Treatments
• Lifelong Cathedral Parishioner402-432-0271
10% New Customer Discount on First Season’s Lawn
Treatment Program
Kevin Erskine - OwnerPhone: 402-488-1893 Fax: 402-438-0007
RECTOR: Rev. Justin Wylie
IN RESIDENCE: Rev. Joseph Bernardo
Rev. Eric Clark
Email: [email protected]. All bulletin submissions must be received by 5pm on Tuesdays.
MASS INTENTIONS: MONDAY, May 18: 6:30- Poor Souls (MA) 8:15- Larry & Ethel Brouillette 5:00- Ron Schlautman TUESDAY, May 19: 6:30- † Dan Schmidt 8:15- Whitney Thompson 5:00- Mary & Calvin Kroon WEDNESDAY, May 20: 6:30- † Patricia Carter 8:15- † Kevin Morehouse 5:00- Deceased Members of the Stork & Weckman Families THURSDAY, May 21-The Ascension: 6:30- For the People 8:15- † John Coniglio 12:00- † Tom & † Jarmilla Mara 5:00- The Pfeifer Family FRIDAY, May 22: 6:30- The Harper & Neil Families 8:15- † Petro & † Josefa Witkowicz 5:00- † John & † Elizabeth Holten SATURDAY, May 23: 6:30- † Gene Witkowicz 8:15- † Robert Neugebauer 5:00- Fr. Joseph Bernardo’s Ordination Anniversary SUNDAY, May 24: 6:00- For the People 7:30- † Dan Gourlay 9:00- Larry & Ethel Brouillette 11:00- † Paul Reinsch 6:00- † Tom & † Jarmilla Mara
Readings for Sunday, May 17, 2020 1st Reading: Acts 8:5-8, 14-17 Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 66:1-3, 4-5, 6-7, 16, 20 2nd Reading: 1 Peter 3:15-18 Alleluia: John 14:23 Gospel: John 14:15-21 *Check your e-mail or Facebook each weekend for Fr. Wylie’s Sunday homily!
Prayer Intentions-Please pray for… - Bishop Conley - Martha, mother of Fr. Bernardo - Seminarian Mitchell Salcedo Schleiss, Pre-Theology 2 - Those who will be ordained priests and deacons at this year’s ordinations - All religious sisters - All those affected by the coronavirus - For the repose of the soul of † Leo Obershaw
An Act of Spiritual Communion My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen.
Prayer for Our Parish Family Please pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, and 1 Glory Be daily for this intention: that the Cathedral parish family will grow toward greater perfection in unity, love, and holiness.
Cathedral Prayer Line Call Barb (402-483-5105) or Mary (402-617-2233) to have Cathedral Prayer line members intercede for your intentions.
Stay Connected to Cathedral! This is a great time to update your contact information! Fr. Wylie has been calling parishioners on their birthdays so if you have not heard from him or if you are not receiving emails from the parish office, please provide us with your current phone numbers and email addresses. Make sure to like us on Facebook!
Child Abuse/Neglect Hotline: Notify DHHS
at 1-800-652-1999 or local Law Enforcement of any child abuse or neglect.
Misconduct Hotline: Notify the diocese of
any misconduct at 1-844-527-0596.
PARISH
From the Parish Office With public mass resuming, please see the attached insert from Father Wylie that lists the guidelines for public mass during the pandemic or visit this link: http://www.cathedraloftherisenchrist.org/documents/pdf/covid-19-guidelines.pdf. All ministries, meetings, and parish events are still suspended. The Cathedral School is closed for the remainder of the school year and the parish office is closed to the public until further notice. Our parish staff will be working from home during normal office hours of 8am-5pm Monday-Friday and will be available to answer emails. If you call, please leave a voicemail and we will try to reply in a timely manner. Reminder: You are more than welcome to make your visits to the church to light a candle or to pray. Please continue to be conscious of others already present in and around the church and remain at least six feet apart from each other.
Solemnity of the Ascension The parish office will be closed for the Solemnity of the Ascension on Thursday, May 21. Mass times are Wednesday, May 20 at 5pm and
Thursday, May 21 at 6:30am, 8:15am, 12 Noon, and 5pm.
ACTS Young Adults Group
Our next meeting for Bible Study is Monday, May 18 at 7pm. Please watch the next session of “Who am I to Judge” by Dr. Ed Sri called “Exposing the Mask: What Relativism is Often Covering Up” on www.formed.org before we meet. We will use Zoom to discuss the video. For the Zoom meeting ID or with questions, contact Jessica at 402-429-3455, Adam at [email protected], or on Facebook: “Cathedral ACTS”.
Baptisms Baptism prep classes are temporarily suspended but you can still schedule a baptism. Contact the parish office to schedule a baptism or with questions.
Bulletins
Bulletins will be available in the vestibule each weekend. However, please do not take one if you can access it on our website or your email. The bulletin will be posted by all entrances to the church and by the adoration sign-in book.
Charity & Stewardship Appeal 2020
The Charity and Stewardship Appeal has begun! Our parish goal is $116,080. To date, our parish has pledged $80,324.00 with 174 pledge cards returned (13.07% of our parish). If you received your pledge card in the mail, please use the return envelope to mail your pledge. If you did not receive your pledge card, please look for your card on the CSA table in the vestibule. You may then place your pledge card in the receptacle or mail it to the parish office. Please visit www.lincolndiocese.org/diocese/charity-and-stewardship-appeal if you prefer to give online. Thank you for your support!
CSS Clothing Drive
CSS is collecting gently used clothing items. Please enter the side door of the CSS trailer parked in the church parking lot and put clothes all the way to the back. Visit www.cssisus.org/ for other ways to help those in need!
Drive-Through Confessions
Confessions will continue to be in the northwest corner of the church parking lot. Times are Mondays: 7:40am-8:10am, Wednesdays: 4pm-5pm, and Saturdays: 11:30am-1pm and 4pm-5pm.
Join the St. Vincent de Paul Society! Did you know that in 2019, Cathedral SVDP served 208 people, made 90 home visits, provided $1,000 to Hurricane
Victims and over $16,000 in financial aid for medical, gas, transportation, rent, utilities, and beds? We even bought boots so a friend in need could have them for work. More importantly, we brought Jesus Christ to our clients through prayer, discernment, and discussion. All of this would not have been possible without YOUR prayers and support. If you are interested in joining the Cathedral SVDP Society, please contact Angela at 402-890-4148.
Knights Mowing Schedule 2020
The Knights have volunteered to maintain the Church grounds again this summer. Questions or to volunteer, please contact Dave Brady at 402-525-0480 or at [email protected]. May 23 group: Mike Clark, Dan Curran, Richard Danek, Jeffrey Steffensmeier, and Douglas DeBoise.
Liturgy of the Hours
While we are unable to meet in person on Monday evenings, you can still pray the Liturgy of the Hours on your own. Simply download the ibreviary app or visit ibreviary.com/m2/breviario.php.
Strategic Planning Open Forum!
Join us for the next Cathedral Strategic Planning Open Forum this Thursday, May 21 at 7:30pm on Zoom. The Strategic Planning Team will review the first draft of the plan and would love your feedback and input! Virtual Open Forum-Zoom Webinar: To join the webinar, click here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85441525801?pwd=T1QwN3pITEllUWRKQ2p6Sk1qdFFmdz09, then enter the Meeting ID: 854 4152 5801 and Password: 864847. Or, join by telephone: call 669-900-9128, then enter the meeting ID and password above. Questions, contact Eva Fujan at [email protected]. Join the Implementation Team! More volunteers are needed to be a part of the Cathedral Strategic Planning Implementation/Pillar Teams! Send your application to [email protected] by Sunday, May 31. You may find the application on our website or click here: www.cathedraloftherisenchrist.org/documents/pdf/StratPlanImpApp.pdf.
Perpetual Adoration
Attention Adorers: Adoration will be suspended during deacon ordinations on May 22 from 7pm-9pm, during priest ordinations on May 23 from 11am-1pm, and during the Chrism Mass on June 3 from 2pm-4pm. If you have an hour before these times, please end your hour early. If you have an hour after these times, please be aware of how many people are in the church before entering.
Adoration Open Hours: MON 1AM, WED 11AM, FRI 5PM, and SAT 4PM. Many share hours available. Subs are also needed. Call Rita: 421-2918 (daytime) or Cassie: 310-7799 (evening) to sign up. Adoration will temporarily revert to the Blessed Sacrament Chapel of the main church. Please enter through the doors with the combination lock and sign in at the Adoration sign in book.
Reach Cathedral If you know someone who is elderly and/or homebound and needs help with grocery shopping or simply needs to be checked on, please contact Reach Cathedral at [email protected].
YOUTH ~ FAMILY ~ SCHOOL
Arroyo Roofing
If your house was damaged from the recent hail storm, consider Arroyo Roofing. Not only are they a parish family business, but they will donate 5% of each roof repair to the Cathedral School. Contact them at 402-484-8140 and mention “Eagles-Cathedral”.
Give to Lincoln Day Give to Lincoln Day is Thursday, May 28 and Cathedral needs you now more than ever! Please help Cathedral School provide scholarships to
students who want to receive a Christ-centered education. Any donation you make between now and May 28 through Give to Lincoln Day will be matched by a $500,000 match fund. Please find it in your heart to invest in a child's future by donating online by visiting the following link: https://givetolincoln.com/nonprofits/cathedral-of-the-risen-christ-school.
OTHER
IHM Counseling Center The Immaculate Heart of Mary Counseling Center (IHMCC) offices have transitioned to "virtual" due to COVID-19. The social distancing we're all experiencing comes with a unique set of mental health challenges including isolation. However, know that you are not alone. Our trained clinicians are here for you via our telehealth counseling services. We are here for you! To reach out to us, visit immaculateheartcounseling.org/.
Priest Assignments To see the new priest assignments, visit https://www.lincolndiocese.org/news/diocesan-news/13904-clergy-appointments-2020.
Parishioner, Jeannie Travers, quietly and lovingly waters some flowers on the altar. The flowers were provided by Jeannie and Stem Gallery to honor our Lord and to remember Jeannie’s parents. Thank you to Cathy Haden for submitting the photo!
SIXTH SUNDAY OF EASTER MAY 17, 2020
NOTE: This chart does not reflect the IRA tithing contributions.
Adult,
Plate,
E-Tithe
5-10-20
On-line
Giving
5-3-20
Emergency
Fund – Total
raised to date
Adult,
Plate,
E-Tithe
5-3-20
On-line
Giving
5-10-20
STEWARDSHIP TIME~TALENT~TREASURE:
Stewardship gift from May 10:
Adult: $16,259.00 Plate: $1,171.92 E-tithe Weekly: $744.00 Online Giving: $11,368.53 Weekly budgetary need: $26,938.00 Total: $29,543.45
Emergency Fund to date: $13,355.00
Ways to give:
Place your tithe in the baskets provided during mass, mail your tithe to the parish office, or give online at giving.parishsoft.com/App/Giving/cath3500268. Thank you to those who made extra gifts or increased their tithing to the parish. We are grateful for your support of our parish family!
Ages 3+ May 17, 2020 • John 14:15-21
© 2020 CRI • PO Box 9290, Canton, OH 44711 • www.ChildrensBulletins.com
Enter your SECRET CODE to unlock games @games.childrensbulletins.com SED482
Ages 7+ May 17, 2020 • John 14:15-21
© 2020 CRI • PO Box 9290, Canton, OH 44711 • www.ChildrensBulletins.com
Enter your SECRET CODE to unlock games @games.childrensbulletins.com ZCKK17
+ Beloved Parish Family, What a great joy awaits us as we resume public Masses at Cathedral starting next Monday, May 11th! As much as you have missed being present at the sacraments, be assured that your priests have missed your presence all the more. I wanted to send you some information about forthcoming Masses, so that the whole parish is properly informed and reassured of their safety here at Cathedral. Firstly, daily Masses will resume according to the usual parish calendar. All Masses will be held at the high altar and no servers/acolytes/lectors/greeters/choir/cantors/offertory will be employed at this time. Secondly, the dispensation from the Sunday Mass obligation remains in force, so that endangered parishioners feel no pressure to come to church and so that parishioners can come to Mass any day of the week, rather than everybody attempting to come on Sundays. Elderly persons and those with compromised health – as well as those in contact with such persons – should NOT come to church at this time. Those who have any fears or doubts about the reception of communion are perfectly entitled to remain in their pews and make an act of spiritual communion, instead. It should be possible on Sundays to come to church without touching any surfaces, since the ushers will open and close the main doors and sanitize door handles after use. Hymnals and missalettes are removed from all the pews. Collection baskets will not be circulated but left in prominent places for you to deposit your own offerings. Hand sanitizer bottles and Clorox wipes will be available, and those who have to spare at home are asked to bring theirs with them for additional cleaning. Alternate pews will be taped off so that families can sit with the appropriate 6 feet social distancing. There will be no sign of peace exchanged. COVID-19 regulations currently in force have not required us to insist on the use of face-masks, but we will leave that to your own prudential judgment. Communion will be distributed at Masses but communicants will approach the communion rail in single file, 6 feet apart, and position themselves at the rail, 6 feet apart. Your priests are in optimal health and exercise rigorous hygiene. Should we find that the demand for places exceeds the available space, additional chairs will be arranged in the vestibule; and if necessary, we will explore seating the overflow in rectors’ hall
downstairs, with a live-feed projected on the screen and a priest who will bring communion to those seated there. Once again, we have 24 Masses at Cathedral each week, so do not feel in any way obligated to come only to one of the 6 Sunday Masses, but avail yourselves of any of the week-day Masses, as an alternative. We have a large church and I am confident there will be space for everyone if we plan prudently. I can’t tell you how much we are looking forward to being together again around the altar of the Lord! A special blessing this Sunday for all our Mothers. Please know how close you are to our hearts of prayer and how cognizant we are of the amazing ways in which you are fulfilling your vocations in these difficult times. God bless and protect us all! Father Justin Wylie, Rector
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• Cathedral of the Risen Christ School is deeply committed to the idea that NO child should be
denied a quality Catholic education based on his or her family’s financial situation.
• With enrollment continuing to grow we are called to be more generous, more giving and
accepting of the call to help make Catholic education available to all who desire it.
• Our in-parish Eagle families pay an average of $1,750 per student. While the cost to educate
each child is $6,250, our parish and supporters help cover the $4,500 difference. Our most
significant source of support comes from individuals and private donors.
• This year, more than ever, due to COVID-19 our families find themselves in financial situations
they didn’t plan on. Our scholarships will provide ON-GOING SUPPORT for these families. We
understand that things change due to jobs and personal reasons, and it is our hope that
through our Friends of Cathedral Scholarship Fund we can help these families.
• YOU can help make an immediate difference and provide a scholarship for a child. From now
until May 28th you can give to Cathedral through Give to Lincoln Day and have your donation
matched by a $500,000 match fund.
1. Donate online at: https://givetolincoln.com/nonprofits/cathedral-of-the-risen-christ-school
2. Check Donations: West Gate Bank, will accept Give to Lincoln Day donations via their drive thru
windows now through May 28. Please write your checks out to Lincoln Community Foundation and
write Cathedral of the Risen Christ in the memo line.
You can also mail your checks directly to the Lincoln Community Foundation office at:
Lincoln Community Foundation
215 Centennial Mall S Ste 100
Lincoln, NE 68508
Checks must be postmarked May 23 to be eligible.
To Help make a Catholic education possible for a child you can donate in one of two ways:
Women's Care Center is the largest, most life-saving pregnancy
resource center in the U.S.
Women's Care Center provides pregnancy tests, ultrasounds,
counseling, support, and education, all for free.
Last year, 16,264 babies were saved from abortion and born to
Women's Care Center moms nationwide.
Women's Care Center will be located in Lincoln at 5632 S. 48th
Street, directly across the street from the abortion clinic.
To find out how you can help support this life-saving pregnancy resource center coming to Lincoln,
go to https://supportwomenscarecenter.org/
or contact
Sarah Kroner
Women's Care Center Project Manager/Registered Nurse
P.O. Box 6954, Lincoln, NE 68506-6954
email: [email protected]
office: (217) 741-5177
C O M I N G S O O N T OL I N C O L N . . .
“We are proud that Nebraska will be the 12th state to host this
important apostolate. I am happy to give my whole-hearted support and
endorsement to this new initiative.”
-Most Reverend James D. Conley
In recent Sundays, our liturgical readings have been replete, some with agricultural imagery, and
others, with architectural imagery. As former attorney, myself, it’s not often that I come across a
Sunday where the liturgical readings are so rich in legal imagery, as this Sunday. Everybody knows that the question of our salvation and eternal destiny will be determined at the
Last Judgment. In this scenario, everything is arrayed like a court-room:
Christ return as the presiding Judge.
Also present, we are told, is a Prosecutor: Satan, accusing us day and night before the
judge.
What a terrible irony! Our Accuser is the very one who not only tempted us into
wrongdoing, in the first place, who then turns on us, in the next, to prosecute us for those
very crimes he incited. Should it surprise us, though, that the one who caused us to betray
God should then betray us?
This Sunday, we learn, also, that a special advocate is appointed to represent us in these
proceedings. Who is he? The Holy Spirit, the Paraclitus, a word which literally means
‘defender’. This Holy Spirit is our Defense Attorney.
We would do well throughout our life, then, to take Him into our counsel and confidence,
that He may put forward our best defense: in every trial – and especially, at that final trial.
We may and should befriend Him; but we can never pull the wool over His eyes. We are
told that He is a “Spirit of Truth”. This, “the world cannot accept” – and those of us who
live in a culture sick with the perma-cycle of fake-news and its spin-doctors should hardly
be surprised by that. But we who, in the beginning, were made in God’s image and likeness
are sorely fooled if we think that man’s constant attempt to remake God to his own likeness
could ever succeed.
All that’s missing, it seems, is the jury. Who constitutes the Jury? Who else? Our peers!
St. Paul, in our second reading this Sunday, admonishes us to render our testimony (once
more, a legal concept). “Always be ready,” he says, “to give reasons” for your hopes and
beliefs. The faith – the good news – is transmitted by means of this witness or testimony
that we render to those whom the Lord put on our life’s journey (that they, too, might be
saved). These are the souls whom we will find stacked on the jury at our own judgment.
Evidence can hardly be tendered that does not meet the procedural norms for cogency.
That our testimony must “give reasons for the hope that is in us,” presupposes, on the one
hand, that we nurture such hopes and beliefs; on the other, it supposes that these hopes are
reasonable. We may have faith “like a child” but we can never have childish faith! Christian
hopes would be risible as so much wishful thinking, were it not for the fact that they’re
eminently reasonable – for they are based on the best evidence of what has already been
verified in the Risen Jesus, victorious over sin and death.
In the final analysis, there must be some measure or standard against which the testimony
of our words and deeds can be adjudicated, and this is the Law our Gospel speaks of, when
it says: “Keep my commandments!” Before we move on from the court-room scenario and its participants, I’d like to pause for a
moment to remark on the extraordinary mercy of this arrangement. Of course, justice cannot be
trod upon; but still, God brings it forth it with such mercy. He is the one betrayed by our wrong-
doing; and yet, He is the one, also, who appoints the Holy Spirit to defend us; and He establishes,
as our Judge, the very one with whom we have been made one in baptism – Jesus. We need not
even look for the words with which to render our testimony: the same Holy Spirit, we are told,
will give eloquent and convincing expression to the inexpressible groanings of the yearning that
lies within us. With what confidence should this fill us! This brings me to another – mostly legal – concept alluded to by this Sunday’s liturgical readings,
namely; Adoption. The law permits – to prevent the perdition of children – that foundlings
orphaned by their parents might be subsumed legally into another family, as if they were that
family’s natural children. The law of succession and legal status does not permit that adopted
children are distinguished from naturally-generated children. All titles or inheritance accruing to
naturally-generated children accrues equally to legally-generated or adopted children, without
discrimination.
Why make reference to our theology of Baptism in the legal notion of adoption? It is because of
the unique position we are standing in in our liturgical year. The Risen Christ has emerged from
death’s grave, victorious in the cosmic battle between light and darkness, good and evil.
Everything “is accomplished,” as Christ Himself declared from the Cross. Now, His rightful place
is to return to the glory of God in heaven, where He belongs – if, for no other reason than our
selfish one: so that He can open the gates of heaven to our human nature, which He bears.
But there remains a little problem. God promised to remain with us until the end of time; yet now,
Christ ascends? His very name, in the prophecy – Emmanuel – means: God-with-us. Wasn’t it
bad enough that we lost Him on Good Friday, only to regain Him once more on Easter Sunday;
now, once more, 40 days later, to lose Him yet again? So, Christ addresses those who in 4 short
days will witness His departure in the Ascension: “I will not leave you orphans.”
Christ ascends, in order to ensure the descent of what St. Paul calls the “Holy Spirit of Adoption”,
which each of us received in Baptism, by which we are able to call God “Abba, Father!’ By rights
of title and generation, this Father has one only-begotten Son, the Christ. It is He who inherits
divinity, eternity, immortality, the Kingdom. By His gift – the love He has for us – He ensures in
going to the Father the legal adoption of all the Baptized into the family with God – such that we
become His brothers; and if brothers, then heirs, co-heirs with Christ, of these things.
It is no small gift that we celebrate in this Sunday’s readings!
As we approach the Solemnities of the Ascension and Pentecost in the coming days, let us emulate
the Apostles Peter and John, who in today’s first reading went to Samaria to pray for all those
desirous of faith, that they might yet receive the Confirmation of the Holy Spirit – so that there
might be experienced great joy, not merely in that city, but throughout the world – that all might
become adopted into the family of salvation and so become our brethren in Christ.
![NonlinearVibrationAnalysisofDamagedMicroplateconsidering ...downloads.hindawi.com/journals/sv/2020/8897987.pdfMay 18, 2020 · research, Veysi et al. [25] presented vibrational behavior](https://img.pdfslide.us/doc/110x75/6019541fed905205d625eebe/nonlinearvibrationanalysisofdamagedmicroplateconsidering-may-18-2020-research.jpg)
