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WOF Radio > Sermons > Sermon Archive for 2012 > Sermon 593 : Seated at the Right Hand of the Father : The Ascension of the Lord

Current rating: 3.6 (18 ratings)

Sermon 593 : Seated at the Right Hand of the Father : The Ascension of the Lord

5/20/2012

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Jesus was the meeting of heaven and earth. His Ascension returned him to God in order to reign as the world's new king, and his orders to the disciples to build his church were to be done with his leadership and assistance. And this is our mission - much like that of the disciples - finding what it is that Christ wants us to do to continue to build his church.

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Comments

Carla

My pastor gave a homily and said he gives us our marching orders, and we have to wait for his direction. Is that true or not?
If it is, then what happens when he has left, and never gave orders or direction? You make it sound as if it is a process of discovery through the work of the Holy Spirit. Finding out what God wants through cooperation with the Holy Spirit is what I thought marching orders were too. If it is, then is it okay to bypass the previous pastors directives? There must be congruence in leadership directives to be released to do God's will. If there is no congruence, there is no cohesion, and if there is no cohesion, there will be a diminishing presence of the Holy Spirit, right?

5/15/2012 1:34:08 PM

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James

As a Protestant, I have been fed by God through your homilies. Your insight and application of Scripture are profoundly wise and in tune with the Word and the Spirit. Your connection of Christ's Ascension to Christ's universal reign is but one example. Blessings, friend!

5/15/2012 2:52:01 PM

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nenette hechanova

thank you Father Barron. ıt ıs very clear from the very word of Our Lord Jesus Chrıst, that He has to leave for a whıle, But, Hıs Spırıt ın us, each and everyone ınsıde us, ıf we try to understand that the HOLY SPIRIT ıs movıng ın our heart, the Spırıt of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Chrıst ıs ınsıde our body and soul, that we must remaın pure and clean , that we must Love one another for God loves us so much, the flesh of man Jesus must go up ınto the Father, to be one ın the form of the Paraclet the Holy Spırıt...our Teacher, our Healer, Our Provıder, Our Strenght, our Everythıng, our LOVE and Our Lıfe...

5/15/2012 3:08:15 PM

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LD8

Carla – you do not have to wait for anyone. Check out John’s gospel, chapter 8 verses 31-36, especially 36: “So if a son frees you, then you will truly be free.”
Also Luke 4:18-19
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring glad tidings to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.”

You can read all this for yourself at http://www.usccb.org/bible/

5/15/2012 8:56:20 PM

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Anonymous

It’s good to know I've been praying for the right thing; discernment to know what God wants me to do…

5/16/2012 8:25:54 AM

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Mary@42

It is great to be back to you, Fr. Barron. May I grow steadily in the knowledge of my Catholic Faith through your Spirit-inspired Sermons

5/16/2012 10:58:47 AM

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carla

LD8-

Sometimes it is confusing and hurtful when priests make your salvation about their control, direction and efforts, rather than yielding to the Holy Spirit. For me,I know that it is the important that I am obedient to the church. However, God does not give you any more than you can handle. It has been really difficult receiving spiritual guidance, to separate God's will, and the ego of the Priest or the Pastor.
That is why it is important to have an awareness of the experience of the priest, their character, and their typical behaviors if they are giving you spiritual advice, so that you can detect if they are going off course, or something doesn't seem right. A good Director will never lead you off course, and leave you stranded. They will recognize if you are stuck, afraid, or leaving because you have lost your way. Especially if they recognize their role to ensure you remain obedient to the church, throughout your growth, and see you want to cooperate with that obedience. If they do leave you stranded, it was always more about them, than it was about you and God. No worries. For me, God had His hand in that too, and it all may have been for the salvation of the this priests soul, and other souls, and not necessarily about my salvation. I guess that makes me a fool for leaning on others instead of God. Lesson learned.

Fr. Barron is right. God wants our salvation to be fulfilled. The discernment of His plan and our purpose is the most important thing we need to accomplish in our lifetime on earth. It is best to cooperate with God's needs and wants, for our salvation, i.e., God's plan, which is for both our benefit, and His. God does not come up with salvific plans, in order to not have an interest in those plans. Discernment and cooperation over His plan for our salvation is critical. It's why we are here.

5/16/2012 12:00:36 PM

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Kathy

Carla, you seem to have lost trust, and your need to dissect the priests, the Church, sounds like you are in a wrestling match, and in pain. You talk of being stranded. Just want you to know, I hear you, as do others on this blog, and pray God's light will lead you closer to His Peace, His Truth,
His balm of Love.
God Speed!

5/16/2012 3:06:54 PM

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Carla

Hi Kathy,

You are right. I have lost trust. I've shared my experiences as an average, middle-aged Catholic woman, to bring to an awareness mistakes I've made, and the church has made, in the process of growing spiritually. Like I've said before, I freely entered into the struggle to seek guidance and direction. Before all of this began, I didn't understand what the priest meant when he told me "I only provide a certain type of person with spiritual direction, with the intention to lead them to a certain place." I had no idea what that meant. I didn't ask for clarification. Of course that meant heaven!! I was naiive. All I thought was that I could trust him, because he gave ethically, morally and spiritually "good" homilies.

I came out of the experience trusting humans less, but trusting God more. I'm not sure if I was suppose to have slid all the way back to basic trust vs. mistrust (Only a priest could tell me that. This isn't Chutes and Ladders, right?), but the important thing is, I know God is there, and I have a stronger sense of His presence than before I began. Maybe this WAS God's plan, and we are ALL where we are suppose to be. I've got some work to do from now until I die, with the love your neighbor ( which includes clergy) as yourself. I do know what that feels like, because I was there before, so I can probably get back there again. This time I'll go back with a greater awareness of the fact that I can't exercise blind trust (foolish, I know), even with the religious. Thank you for your prayers, because I really need them.

5/16/2012 6:36:35 PM

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AvecLuiJeVis

I remember, not so long ago, a priest told me there was a time for drinking milk and a time for walking on my own two feet. I misunderstood at the time and withdrew from the Church, thinking I should be more independent. At 38 I'm a bit wiser and Fr. Barron's homily is annoyingly nudging. What if I've been cowardly and negligent towards my vocation. Carla's comments reminded me of Jacob's ladder. Somehow it seems to fit this week.

5/16/2012 11:44:02 PM

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Paul Mugerwa

Carla,
I have been following your postings and I noticed something; it looks like you're playing a blame game on everyone else but yourself.

Faith is a gift from God. On many occasions Jesus said that nobody comes to him unless drawn by the Father. So my dear, play for strong faith and if you are genuine in your prayers it will be granted - Faith proceeds understanding. It seems you are giving other people too much powers over your soul than they deserve. Stop gambling your eternity Carla you can make. I will pray for you.

5/18/2012 11:49:01 PM

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Christine

Would you please connect the brilliant insights here to dealing with the major life losses of loved ones, from the very young, through all life stages, and capturing this Communion of Saints concept with this sermon? I think it may assist many people in dealing with the pain of isolation/desolation experienced spiritually and be effective in translating 'living' to more of what the Ascension of Our Lord offers us.
Thank you again for the flash of light from the facets of your diamond-like spiritual guidance.

5/19/2012 12:22:03 PM

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Carla

Paul I did talk about "mistakes I've made." Spiritual growth is about learning to trust in God, and do God's will. Paul you said "It seems you are giving other people too much power over your soul, than they deserve." But Paul, unless you become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Children DO hand themselves over to others, and they must trust. At some point, Children of God have to let go, and we have to trust that where our spiritual leaders want to lead us is closer to God. Even if it is through the the very real trials of harsh spiritual discipline, that were super painful. I think I am coming to the reality, that yes, those lessons hurt a lot, but I am where I'm suppose to be. It isn't so much playing the blame game, as it is that I'm coming to a realization that we wanted the same thing, whether I was blogging about the priest/teacher or the parishioner/student. As I continue to grow,I'll probably learn to appreciate some of those lessons I endured more. In the future, will I know better, and ask for different spiritual guidance? Yes. I'll go a different route. But it doesn't mean that I don't have faith that God didn't bring me through all of that for a good reason. It's an ongoing growth process, and God isn't finished with me yet.

5/19/2012 9:34:10 PM

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vito benigno

Thank you Father Barron for the message on the Ascension of our LORD JESUS!In the World today,i often find myself defending Holy MOTHER CHURCH and the Holy Father. To simply speak the truth with love and kindness and if the response is negative i shake the dust from my feet and move on.Iam very hopeful of the new springtime blessed John paul spoke of.As i thank all Catholic priests for answering the call of God.It can not be an easy vocation but you are greatly needed.You are loved and prayed for daily by us the body of CHRIST our Lord.MI IMMACULATA

5/20/2012 6:46:56 PM

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Peter Morris

I am listening to your sermons from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia - and am thoroughly enjoying them. Thank you very much and God bless.

6/1/2012 1:52:11 AM

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JMJ

@carla. maybe this will help
rcspiritual direction find a spiritual director

6/5/2012 10:46:25 AM

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Maritza

THANK YOU FATHER BARRON FOR YOUR SERMONS, WE ARE TRULY ENCOURAGED AND GUIDED BY THEM. WE CAN SEE THE LOVE OF JESUS IN YOU. I THINK THAT WE SHOULD CONCENTRATE ON THE WORD OF OUR LORD AND IF WE LISTEN CAREFULLY THE WALLS OF DIVISION AND CRITISISM WILL DIMINISH. YOU HAVE MENTION IN YOUR SERMON THAT WE FORM ONE BODY IN OUR LORD JESUS. I TRULY AND HONESTLY BELIVE THIS. WE LOVE YOU. WE TRY TO SHARE THE WORD OF OUR LORD WITH THOSE AROUND US. WE OFTEN THANK THE LORD FOR YOU AND PRAY FOR MORE PRIESTS LIKE YOU. YOUR GRACIOUS WAY TO TALK ABOUT OUR LORD HAD BROUGHT US CLOSER TO HIM. THANK YOU

6/23/2012 7:52:44 PM

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