Pope's Intentions
Universal: Care for the suffering That, rejecting the culture of indifference, we may care for our neighbors who suffer, especially the sick and the poor.
Evangelization: Openness to mission That Mary’s intercession may help Christians in secularized cultures be ready to proclaim Jesus.
The Ascension of the Lord - Solemnity - Year B
Commentary of the day
The Syrian Liturgy
“Rejoice with me for I have found the sheep that was lost” (Lk 15,6)
On the day of your Ascension, O Christ our King,
angels and men cry out:
“You are holy, O Lord, for you descended to earth and saved Adam,
the man of dust (Gn 2,7),
from the abyss of sin and death,
and by your holy Ascension, O Son of God,
heaven and earth entered into peace.
Glory to him who sent you!”
The Church saw her Spouse in glory
and forgot the sufferings endured on Golgotha.
In place of the weight of the cross that he bore,
he is borne upon a cloud of light.
See how he rises, clothed in splendor and glory!
Today a great wonder takes place on the Mount of Olives:
who can tell it?...
Our Master came down in search of Adam
and when he had found him who was lost
he bore him on his shoulders
and carried him gloriously into heaven in his company (cf. Lk 15,4f.).
He came and revealed to us that he is God;
he put on humanity and revealed himself a man;
he descended into hell and revealed that he was dead;
he rose and was exalted and revealed his greatness.
Blessed be his exaltation!
Mary rejoices on the day of his birth;
earth trembles on the day of his death;
hell is dismayed on the day of his resurrection;
earth exults on the day of his ascension.
Blessed be his Ascension!