The festivities of the Ascension of Our Lord began Wednesday in an intimate gathering of those Jerusalem faithful who were able to make themselves free in the middle of the afternoon. They joined the city’s Franciscans, gathered on the Mount of Olives in the Ascension enclosure, for a solemn entry accompanied by the singing of the Te Deum, followed by First Vespers and Compline.
As is the custom, tents were raised: one served as a sacristy, one as a refectory and two others as dormitories. They were available throughout the night to the friars and pilgrims who were observing the vigil of the feast.
For the pilgrims, being there on the very day of the feast is a grace. Gabriel, who came almost by accident and is happy he did, does not believe his eyes. The city of Jerusalem in its ceaseless, prayerful excitement speaks to him of Christ all day long. "It’s another universe, you feel like you are participating in the life of the city, the prayer of the Christians in Christ’s own time. It is extraordinary!" On the Mount of Olives, he joins in everyone’s prayer.
After the Office of Vigils, celebrated at 11:00pm, Masses are celebrated one after the other in the aedicule of the Ascension, without interruption. After the Hebrew-language Mass celebrated by Brother Apolinaris ofm, pastor of the Hebrew-language parish, it was time for the parish Mass in Arabic, celebrated by Brother Ibrahim Faltas ofm, pastor of the Arabic-language parish. During the night, Mass was celebrated in German, Slovak, Italian, French, Arabic with the Nazareth parish, etc. The last of the Masses was the Custody’s Solemn Mass.
In his homily, Brother Artemio Vitores, Custodial Vicar, presented the Ascension as the last phase of Jesus’ earthly life. He who left the bosom of the Father to come into the world, he who is the Word, the Truth and the Life, also made of his life a "way". A way that he invites us to follow. But if for Jesus the Ascension is the last phase of his life, it is not so for us. "Why are you standing there looking at the sky?" If the Ascension gives us the hope of heaven, it also sends us out into the world on a mission to announce the Good News and to do good.
As the assembly sang the words of the the Credo "He ascended into heaven", the siren that in Israel marks a time of silence in honor of the six million Jews who died in the Holocaust sounded. During the Prayer of the Faithful, Brother Artemio repeated this prayer intention, to which he added the memory of the dead of all wars and all the faithful departed.
At the end of Mass, the Franciscans returned to their ministries but the pilgrims will continue to come all day long. In their turn, they will look at the heavens to hear the angels invite them to return to their countries, each one to his place to bear witness to what they have seen and heard in the Holy Land. This missionary step will be the last phase of their pilgrimage in the Holy Land.
MAB
As is the custom, tents were raised: one served as a sacristy, one as a refectory and two others as dormitories. They were available throughout the night to the friars and pilgrims who were observing the vigil of the feast.
For the pilgrims, being there on the very day of the feast is a grace. Gabriel, who came almost by accident and is happy he did, does not believe his eyes. The city of Jerusalem in its ceaseless, prayerful excitement speaks to him of Christ all day long. "It’s another universe, you feel like you are participating in the life of the city, the prayer of the Christians in Christ’s own time. It is extraordinary!" On the Mount of Olives, he joins in everyone’s prayer.
After the Office of Vigils, celebrated at 11:00pm, Masses are celebrated one after the other in the aedicule of the Ascension, without interruption. After the Hebrew-language Mass celebrated by Brother Apolinaris ofm, pastor of the Hebrew-language parish, it was time for the parish Mass in Arabic, celebrated by Brother Ibrahim Faltas ofm, pastor of the Arabic-language parish. During the night, Mass was celebrated in German, Slovak, Italian, French, Arabic with the Nazareth parish, etc. The last of the Masses was the Custody’s Solemn Mass.
In his homily, Brother Artemio Vitores, Custodial Vicar, presented the Ascension as the last phase of Jesus’ earthly life. He who left the bosom of the Father to come into the world, he who is the Word, the Truth and the Life, also made of his life a "way". A way that he invites us to follow. But if for Jesus the Ascension is the last phase of his life, it is not so for us. "Why are you standing there looking at the sky?" If the Ascension gives us the hope of heaven, it also sends us out into the world on a mission to announce the Good News and to do good.
As the assembly sang the words of the the Credo "He ascended into heaven", the siren that in Israel marks a time of silence in honor of the six million Jews who died in the Holocaust sounded. During the Prayer of the Faithful, Brother Artemio repeated this prayer intention, to which he added the memory of the dead of all wars and all the faithful departed.
At the end of Mass, the Franciscans returned to their ministries but the pilgrims will continue to come all day long. In their turn, they will look at the heavens to hear the angels invite them to return to their countries, each one to his place to bear witness to what they have seen and heard in the Holy Land. This missionary step will be the last phase of their pilgrimage in the Holy Land.
MAB