tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post6590950713798172472..comments2024-03-25T17:14:03.066-07:00Comments on The New Theological Movement: Why did Christ ascend into heaven? Would it have been better if he had remained on earth?Father Ryan Erlenbushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07557817305024750902noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-21793770176799603662012-05-25T12:37:07.638-07:002012-05-25T12:37:07.638-07:00Thank you, Father. Peace and blessings to you. +JM...Thank you, Father. Peace and blessings to you. +JMJ+Clinton R.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-36507843271412892722012-05-24T08:50:01.470-07:002012-05-24T08:50:01.470-07:00Clinton R.,
Well, Jesus most certainly did go &quo...Clinton R.,<br />Well, Jesus most certainly did go "up out of their sight" ... but it is true that heaven is not "up there" or "out there" in the stars.<br />Indeed, heaven CANNOT be part of this universe (because our universe is subject to change).<br /><br />Sometimes people articulate this in a way that is a bit confusing and also somewhat dismissive of the piety of the people (and I think that is a shame).<br /><br />I did write about this in a couple articles, if you are interested:<br />http://newtheologicalmovement.blogspot.com/2011/06/where-is-jesus-body-after-ascension.html<br />or<br />http://newtheologicalmovement.blogspot.com/2010/08/where-was-mary-assumed-to.html<br /><br />Peace! +Father Ryan Erlenbushhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07557817305024750902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-37677395539577954642012-05-24T08:45:54.552-07:002012-05-24T08:45:54.552-07:00@Wild Bill and Grace,
The whole discussion with Ma...@Wild Bill and Grace,<br />The whole discussion with Mary Magdalene at the tomb is open to much interpretation ... please let me just say a word here ...<br /><br />What happened to the Apostles at the Ascension and Pentecost, occurred for Mary Magdalene at the death and Resurrection.<br />It was through the loss of the Lord's physical presence in the Ascension and the gift of the Spirit at Pentecost that the Apostles were brought to the state of perfection -- this was there "dark night of the soul".<br />BUT for Mary Magdalene, this occurred at Jesus' death and Resurrection -- and St John of the Cross states this explicitly in "Dark Night".<br /><br />So, this is part of what is happening when Jesus says to her: "Do not touch me" ... she is already undergoing something of an "Ascension experience" on the morning of the Resurrection.<br /><br />Hope that helps a little bit ... much more could be said, of course! +Father Ryan Erlenbushhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07557817305024750902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-873531985855248192012-05-24T08:41:20.046-07:002012-05-24T08:41:20.046-07:00@Howard,
Yes, you make a very good point. Many of ...@Howard,<br />Yes, you make a very good point. Many of the Fathers say that Christ remains present with his Church through the Sacraments ... and the Eucharist most of all!<br /><br />Peace! +Father Ryan Erlenbushhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07557817305024750902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-68238368554602819162012-05-21T10:05:07.466-07:002012-05-21T10:05:07.466-07:00The differentiation of tasks among the Three Perso...The differentiation of tasks among the Three Persons of the Trinity are clearly defined in the Ascension. As the Son came to relate and define the Father's will for us, so the Holy Spirit came to bring us counsel and understanding. Had Christ remained on Earth, although as equal persons in One God it could be possible, the confusion of Persons in God we would have would be exacerbated through a failure to identify the distinctness of roles and identity between them. As God know us better than we know ourselves, many here are still confused over the Trinity, the confusion seems to emanate within those who do not recognize the Son as the Son, even among those who bear His name in their chosen religious identity. In that failure to recognize the Trinity, they also fail to distinguish the ascension as essentially that...an ascension to the Father; they attribtute it to a wandering away, a virtual vanishing, rather than a true ascension and removal from physical frame of reference, leaving the true presence in the Eucharist as the visual presence. In God, all things are possible, but we cannot understand what the Son teaches us about the Father without the counsel of the Holy Spirit. To paraphrase St. Paul, we receive no revelation by means of our own efforts, presumptions, or suppositions. Everything God does has distinct purpose and is never serendipitous.Deacon Bill Gallerizzonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-52248661748041547992012-05-21T07:02:28.222-07:002012-05-21T07:02:28.222-07:00Dear Father,
Thank you for an excellent post! Th...Dear Father,<br /><br />Thank you for an excellent post! The relationship of the Ascension of the Lord and the Descent of the Holy Spirit is so important for our meditation, and reaps abundant fruit in our Christian life. On a related subject, the other day while praying the rosary, I thought that when Our Lord descended into hell to the Souls of the Just, He went to them as they were, without His glorified Body, and then, at the Ascension, they followed Him into Heaven in a great procession; Our Lord in His Glorified Body, the Holy Souls still without their glorified bodies, which we will all receive, by the mercy of God, at the Last Judgment. Does that sound right? Thank you Father, Happy St. Christopher Mag Day!Michelangelonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-71664416911303720372012-05-21T06:00:40.790-07:002012-05-21T06:00:40.790-07:00My thought is that the only way for us to get to h...My thought is that the only way for us to get to heaven is for Christ to come down here and take us up with him. When we die, we step out of time and join ourselves to Christ. Then he takes the saved to heaven with him when he ascends. It does not matter when you die (it is past, present, or future to us - but all times are the same to God), you ascend with Christ.Brother Juniperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03106991469009619453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-60726251365369173522012-05-21T00:56:54.143-07:002012-05-21T00:56:54.143-07:00Father,
I am on the RCIA teaching team at my pari...Father,<br /><br />I am on the RCIA teaching team at my parish. The handbook for the readings we received has commentary on each Sundays's readings from a priest. For the Gospel on the Ascension, he says Jesus did not actually ascend up into Heaven, as Heaven is not above us, but He went into another dimension. Is this sound Catholic teaching? I have never heard of Heaven described as a different dimension.Clinton R.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-33912151643776797372012-05-20T20:01:33.096-07:002012-05-20T20:01:33.096-07:00FR. Erlenbush,
could you elaborate on "...eve...FR. Erlenbush,<br />could you elaborate on "...even through the causality of the Sacred Humanity of our Savior."<br /><br />Thank you..Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-16752404447764158312012-05-20T14:37:57.744-07:002012-05-20T14:37:57.744-07:00I suspect the Ascension was in part to direct us t...I suspect the Ascension was in part to direct us to the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist.Howardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04843514873861242426noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-15647153910762020432012-05-20T10:25:21.362-07:002012-05-20T10:25:21.362-07:00I still don't understand why Christ told Mary ...I still don't understand why Christ told Mary Magdalene not to touch him. Can you elaborate on that, please?Gracenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-49959462542818309432012-05-20T09:33:43.039-07:002012-05-20T09:33:43.039-07:00Father, could you enlarge upon the "noli me t...Father, could you enlarge upon the "noli me tangere" passage, please? I don't see how it follows from the temptation to believe that Jesus had risen to a restored natural life only - a notion from which he could easily disabuse us, especially today after 2000 years. I just think there has to be something more.Wild Billhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10102416427157404108noreply@blogger.com