Today we celebrate the Feast of the Ascension. Up until a few years ago, the Ascension was celebrated on Thursday. There are only a handful of dioceses that have retained the feast on Thursday. The day of Ascension marks a bittersweet day for the Apostles. On the one hand, the Risen Lord is now ascended to be with the Father in heaven. On the other hand, He is no longer physically present on earth with them. Christ is—and will always be—the head of the Church, but before He ascended He placed the Church in the hands of His disciples. Today, we the Church, celebrate Christ’s ascension by carrying on the mission of the first disciples: witnessing to the Risen Lord to the ends of the earth.
Jesus assures us in the Gospel that God will continue to dwell within us, and the Holy Spirit will teach and remind us of what He taught. This is good news for us because it means we are not making this Christian journey alone. We are promised by Jesus that the Holy Spirit will continue to enlighten us. Jesus leave the disciples and us one more thing—peace. Peace to keep their hearts from being troubled. Peace to protect them from fear. Peace to stay with them forever. On this Memorial Day weekend, let us reflect on the peace that only God can provide.
Congratulations to Mrs. Kathleen “Colleen” Boudreaux and Mrs. Jeanette Boé Roussel, for being this years recipients of the St. Louis Award.These ladies help out in various ways with the Altar Society and with the Bereavement Committee. Thank you for all you do for St. Peter Parish. They will receive the St. Louis Medallion today at St. Joseph Church in New Orleans by Archbishop Gregory Aymond.
Remember the Rosary Procession will be on Sunday, May 26th immediately following the 8:00 A.M. Mass. For those unable to participate in the procession, the Rosary will be prayed in church. All parishioners are invited and encouraged to participate as we honor the Blessed Mother.
If you grew up Catholic, you may be familiar with the phrase, “Pray, pay, and obey.” Well, today’s Gospel presents a command of Jesus that can be described by another popular phrase, “Pay it Forward.” Jesus’ message is simple and clear if we’ve figured out who He really is—then the conclusion is logical. “As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.” All true love has its origins in God, who is love itself, and so the Christian believer must seek to love as God loves, and to share love as abundantly as God shares it with His creation. Love is the hallmark of the Christian life.
HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY to all our Moms. May your special day be filled with God’s blessings, as we, your sons and daughters, honor you on this day. There will be a special blessings for Mothers during Mass this weekend. I will remember all mothers, living and deceased, at Mass this weekend.
As we celebrate the Third Week of Easter, we are reminded that Easter is not one day, but we celebrate the Easter Season for fifty (50) days. This week in the Gospel, we see Jesus appearing to the disciples on the shore of the Sea of Tiberias. For those who enjoy fishing, the Sea of Tiberias is a fresh-water lake where Jesus shared a meal with a group of disciples.