FIRST READING

The disciples are almost ‘told off’ by the Angels. ‘Why are you looking up at the sky?’ Instead of looking up, look around and get to work. The text also encourages a waiting for the spirit and its power so that each disciple can ‘witness’. Have you ‘waited in prayer’ calling for the gift and promise of the Holy Spirit? Consider how you could enter deeply into this prayer request leading to the celebration of Pentecost next week? Consider a place and time. The Spirit is often given through other people’s prayer. Who could you ask?

SECOND READING

The letter to the Ephesians describes what the Spirit can bring about in us constantly in the life of the Church. What part of the prayer attracts your attention… wisdom, revelation, knowledge, enlighten, hope, call, glory, great might….? Why do you feel the attraction? What may this reveal about a possible prayer journey with the Holy Spirit leading to Pentecost?

GOSPEL

Some disciples fell down and worshipped but others doubted. Matthew includes this acknowledgment of the persistent weakness and failure present always in the Church. Does this weakness of disciples give you comfort or cause you to complain? In your journey of worship and doubt what has helped you remain a disciple? How could you help a ‘doubter’?

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SOURCE: Living the Word resources are created by Fr Frank Bird a Marist priest and Mrs Bev McDonald, ACSD, distributed by Marist Laity Auckland, NZ 

FIRST READING

1. Significant transitions involved endings and beginnings. It may help to re- member your own experience of this in ordinary life. Perhaps too, there have been significant moments of “before and after” in your discipleship?

2. There is a palpable sense of anticipation in Acts 1:1-14. When you have waited on God, in prayer and in discernment? What did you learn? Prayer of openness to the Spirit.

GOSPEL

1. It is time for Jesus to return to his Father. He meets his disciples for the last time. His final words give them direction for their future. Perhaps you can recall such parting moments in your own life – leaving home, school, college, training, the death of a loved one. What was that like for you? Was there an occasion when words spoken then gave you direc- tion for your future?

2. Perhaps you can identify with Jesus in the story, when as a parent, teacher, or in some other way you sent someone on his/her way in life knowing you would not be with him or her as in the past. When did the way you parted help the other to make his or her own way in life?

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SOURCE: Hearers of the Word

FIRST READING

1. Jesus told his apostles that they would receive power when the Holy Spirit came upon them. They would be his witnesses unto the ends of the earth. On whom did the disciples depend for understanding what that meant for them? Did they understand right away or did it take some time? Do we depend on the same source for spiritual understanding?

SECOND READING

2. If the “eyes of your hearts be enlightened,” what might they see? People suffering? The good that people are doing to relieve suffering? Would some of the goodness we see be related to “the fullness of the one who fills all things in every way”? What might be some “everyday kinds of fullness”? What kind of fullness would you like to have in your life?

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SOURCE: Sunday Web Site at Saint Louis University

GOSPEL

1. (7th Sunday of Easter) Was there a “fire in the belly” of your Gospel proclaimer this weekend? Did you notice that he wanted to pound the pulpit with the Book of Gospels and pound the heads of the congregation? Did you notice that he wanted this High Priestly Prayer of Jesus to have an effect on heaven and earth? Maybe you did not, because he didn’t!

2. (7th Sunday of Easter) How can we be looking forward to the renewed coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost if the Church does not take seriously the High Priestly Prayer of Jesus? Do you have a sense that your parish, your family, your Small Christian Community, has taken this prayer seriously? Are you not yourselves a “priestly people”? Don’t you have a right to shake the world (and heaven, too!) with this prayer?

3. (7th Sunday of Easter) In what sense do you know Jesus Christ? How can we know God if we do not know Jesus Christ profoundly? Did you realize that it was rather simple to know Jesus Christ? The Father has revealed him to us. Pay attention!

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SOURCE: Portland Diocese

FIRST READING

1. After the Ascension, the disciples return to Jerusalem to await the coming of the Holy Spirit. What new or fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit do you desire at this time for your parish and for yourself?

GOSPEL

2. Jesus’ last message to his disciples is a commission to evangelize every creature. To what extent is your parish faithful to this Great Commission? How faithful are you? How can both you and your parish carry out more faithfully this commission of Jesus?

3. The Ascension is a time of transition for the Apostles. What has been one of the biggest transitions you have had to go through? What helped you to negotiate the transition?

4. Name one thing today’s Gospel says to us that we disciples of Jesus need to heed and act on.

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SOURCE: Ascension Catholic Parish, Melbourne, FL