Heather will receive a copy of The Catholic Family Connections Bible, a $27.95 value.

The Catholic Family Connections Bible helps families connect to:

- Each other- through family faith conversations
- Faith through practices of prayer and devotion
- Community-through participating in Christian service together

The Catholic Family Connections Bible uses the New American Bible text and is woven around the core content of the bestselling Catholic Youth Bible® (loved by nearly two million Catholic young people), which includes:

- Over 700 lively articles help you Pray It! Study It! Live It!®
- Catholic Connection" articles provide a presentation of key Catholic doctrine
- 28 articles address the seven principles of Catholic social teaching
- 75 inspirational illustrations
- Helpful index to life and faith issues
- Easy-to-use glossary of Scripture-related terms
- Sunday Lectionary readings for all three cycles
- "Catholic Connections" index
- "Sacraments Connections" index

The Catholic Family Connections Bible
ISBN: 978-1-59982-088-0, paper, 1968 pages

’Tis the month of our Mother,

Those blessed and beautiful days

When our lips and our spirits

Are glowing with love and with praise.

Does anyone remember May processions? (Some parishes still have them, so maybe some of you need not remember that far back.) In the days of long ago, they were not just for children. The whole parish turned out, on a balmy May evening, for the procession and crowning of Our Lady. In our parish, the chosen eighth-grade girl (the one with the best academic average, of course: No popularity contest here!) would climb the ten- or twelve-foot ladder (which was decorated with white ribbons to soften its industrial look), in puffy gown and low-stacked heels, and place the crown of flowers on the head of the statue of Our Lady. Even without considering the possibilities for mishap, it was a thrilling moment.

It made the pre-procession anxiety worth it. Could my mother let out the hem of one of last year’s nice Sunday dresses so it would fall below my knees and meet the dress code? (This meant, for girls: pastel dresses, below the knees and with sleeves, Sunday shoes, white anklets; for boys: ties, blue or white long-sleeved shirts, jackets.) Would my hair behave? Would we, as a class, remember where to turn and when to genuflect as one body? In my fifth-grade year, because I had changed schools the previous January, I didn’t know that I had to provide my own headgear. (My previous school had given all the girls identical lacy headbands to wear.) When everyone arrived in our classroom, all dressed up after supper, the girls were wearing artificial flowers, carefully chosen at Kresge’s, as headbands. Everyone but me! So my classroom teacher, the ever-resourceful Sister Mary Cleophane, plucked some ivy off a window plant and pinned that to my head. And we were off!

To the fairest of Queens

Be the fairest of seasons, sweet May.

Sweet May! How much do we need sweet May this year! For most of us, spring has been a long time coming. I especially welcome the return of the lilacs, those natives of the Baltics, so familiar with ice and snow and so triumphant over it. Many of us in northern Indiana (near Chicago and Lake Michigan, a region which has come to be known as "the Rust Belt" for its decaying steel mills) were also natives of the Baltics, so we had a natural affinity for this strong and beautiful plant, a sweet-smelling icon of May. Those of us who had lilacs growing in our yards cut them in abundance for school and home May altars, and, with their fat blossoms and sweet smell, the cold, snowy winter was almost erased from memory.

Of course such a beautiful season would be dedicated to Mary, who, in her yes to the amazing plan of God, brought springtime to the world. I wonder if she still remembers what spring was like on earth. I imagine she does. And every May she is reminded all over again, as are we, that, in the renewal of the earth, everything is possible with God.

Does all this have anything to do with catechetics? Yes, because catechetics has everything to do with celebrating the gifts of God in our lives! First, thank God for the gift of spring. Thank God for the celebration of Resurrection, in nature and in our own lives. And thank God for the ice and snow that the lilacs need to be the best they can be, and for the trials and tribulations that spur us to grow when we would rather curl up under our own miseries. Thank God for hope and hope realized: We have a triumphant Queen who has crushed the serpent’s head! Thank God for the ultimate triumph of good over evil, a triumph in which we participate:

Do not let evil defeat you; instead, conquer evil with good (Romans 12:21).

We have had enough winter. We have had enough tragedy and evil. Bring on the lilacs! Bring on the processions! Bring on the May altars! Bring on the blessed and beautiful days!

Blessings on your ministry!

Peace and joy,

Joanna

A note on the Year of Faith: You might like to take a look at the Vatican Web site (http://www.vatican.va/phome_en.htm) and click on the Focus column to the left, with the words Annus Fidei and icon of the barque of Peter. Clicking on that icon will bring you to a menu which includes "Catecheses of the Holy Father during the Year of Faith." This heading brings you to the latest remarks of Pope Francis made during his general audiences, beginning with April 3. (Pope Emeritus Benedict’s general audiences are also in this list.) In the latest audience posted, April 24, Pope Francis has a special word for young people, based on the parables of Jesus: "The parable of the talents emphasizes our responsibility to use wisely God’s gifts, making them bear abundant fruit. Here I would ask the many young people present to be generous with their God-given talents for the good of others, the Church and our world. Finally, the parable of the final judgment reminds us that, in the end, we will be judged on our love for others and especially for those in need." (See http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/francesco/audiences/2013/documents/papa-francesco_20130424_udienza-generale_en.html.)

Overview:

Honoring Mary, the Mother of God and Mother of the Church, goes hand in hand with honoring our own mothers. This project will involve teens in honoring their own mothers with words of love and prayer.

Materials needed:

• One large glass jar with lid for each teen
• One 12-inch length of pretty ribbon for each teen (various colors)
• A book of wallpaper samples or pretty scrapbooking paper, one sheet for each teen
• Two or three boxes of small paper clips
• Large adhesive labels for the jars
• Markers in various colors
• Rulers (optional)

Directions:

Ask the teens to think about some things they would like to say to their mothers as a gift on Mother’s Day. Invite them to write some of these thoughts down on scrap paper. Then, give each teen one sheet of colorful paper (wallpaper or scrapbook paper). Assure them that they can share with others to mix and match the colors. Ask them to cut the paper into strips, about 6 inches long by about an inch wide. They may want to use rulers to mark off the strips. Invite the teens to write messages to their moms on the back of each strip. Encourage them to include reasons why they love their moms, prayers for their moms, words of thanks, etc. Instruct them to roll each strip into a circle (not too tight) and fasten it with a paper clip. Direct them to fill a jar with these colorful round messages, put the lid on the jar, and tie a ribbon around the top. Give each teen a label and markers to decorate a label for the jar: Messages for Mom, Why I Love Mom, A Jar Full of Love, etc.

You might like to put a jar together ahead of time to show the teens what the finished product will look like.

Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord
May 12, 2013
Luke 24:46-53

Opening Prayer
Jesus, before you ascended into heaven and took your place at the right hand of the Father, you commissioned your disciples to go into the world to proclaim your good news of repentance and forgiveness. We gather today in our YES! group as your disciples, sharing your word with one another. Send your Spirit to be with us so we can continue to proclaim your gospel in the world today. We ask this with confidence, knowing that you, Jesus, will be our constant companion on this journey of faith and life. Amen.

Context Connection
Jesus, the only Son of the Father--God from God--came in the flesh to live on earth as a human being through the mystery of the Incarnation. Jesus returned to the Father in a similar manner after fulfilling his mission. We celebrate this event as the Ascension of Jesus into heaven. A quick read of the Ascension accounts of Jesus in the Bible reveals that the different authors place the Ascension at different times and even different places. In Mark, the Ascension seems to occur on the same day as the Resurrection, and we assume this took place in Jerusalem. In Matthew, Jesus tells the disciples to go to a certain mountain in Galilee. The account ends there with no mention of the Ascension. In John, on Easter Sunday, Jesus asks Mary Magdalene to stop holding on to him (see John 20:17) because he has not yet ascended to the Father. Jesus tells her that he is going to the Father. This passage suggests that Jesus was in the process of ascending to the Father when Mary encountered him. Later that day Jesus appears to the disciples and he allows them to touch him. In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus ascends on Easter Sunday from Bethany (see Luke 24:50-51). However, in the Acts of the Apostles, the authorship of which is attributed to Luke, the Ascension happens forty days after Easter (see Acts 1:3). Catholics continue to observe this traditional timeframe of Jesus' Ascension.

To the authors of the various accounts, the when and the where of Jesus' Ascension were not as important as the truth the event revealed. All the accounts have one thing in common: Jesus returned to the Father at the end of his earthly ministry and promised that he and the Father would send the Holy Spirit to be with the Church.

In Sunday's Gospel from Luke, the story of the Ascension begins with the two disciples who, while on their way to Emmaus (see Luke 24:13-35), encountered the resurrected Jesus. After this encounter, the disciples returned to Jerusalem to share their experience with the other disciples. While they were sharing their experience, Jesus appeared to all the disciples. Jesus greeted them with "Peace be with you" (24:36) and presented himself as the risen Jesus, assuring the disciples that he was not a ghost but flesh and bones. Jesus explained that the Messiah had to suffer and rise again on the third day. He then asked the disciples to spread the Good News by quoting from the Scriptures: "Repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning in Jerusalem" (24:47). Jesus told the disciples that they "are witnesses of these things" (24:48). Then he instructed his followers to return to Jerusalem and wait for the promise of the Father--the coming of the Holy Spirit who would clothe them with power.

Luke tells us that Jesus then took the disciples "as far as Bethany," blessed them, and "was carried up into heaven" (24:50-51). After Jesus was gone, the disciples "returned to Jerusalem with great joy" where "they were continually in the temple" (24:52-53) praying and giving praise to God.

Tradition Connection
Luke writes that Jesus was carried up into heaven. As Catholics, we believe that Jesus ascended and took his rightful seat at the right hand of God. Each Sunday we profess this truth in the Nicene Creed when we say, "He [Jesus] ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end."

Have you ever wondered why the Nicene Creed specifically says that Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father? Taking a look at a few scriptural references may help us understand this idea better.

In Psalm 110, the psalmist portrays God inviting the king of Israel to take his throne at God's right hand. To the one who sits upon that throne God gives the power to judge nations. So Jesus, who knows the human condition because he had taken on human form and had been crucified for our sake, has been given the power to judge humankind.

We read in Romans 8:34 that Jesus, "who is at the right hand of God, . . . intercedes for us" with the Father. During Mass the priest often says, "We ask this through our Lord, Jesus Christ," or something similar. Jesus is the great intercessor. An intercessor is one who intercedes or acts as a mediator on behalf of another. Jesus is a mediator on behalf of all humanity because he is both human and divine. Jesus understands what we experience as humans, but because Jesus is also divine, he can stand in our place before God. Jesus is the absolute mediator in a way that no one else can be. "For there is one God; there is also one mediator between God and humankind, Christ Jesus, himself human, who gave himself a ransom for all" (1 Timothy 2:5).

In Hebrews 1:3, we read that Jesus "sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high [God]." This enthronement at God's right hand established Jesus as the true Messiah and his kingdom as a messianic Kingdom. Jesus is not only the great intercessor but also the one who will judge all humankind. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that Jesus's "being seated at the Father's right hand signifies the inauguration of the Messiah's kingdom" (paragraph 664). It also states that "Jesus Christ, having entered the sanctuary of heaven once and for all, intercedes constantly for us as the mediator who assures us of the permanent outpouring of the Holy Spirit" (paragraph 667).

Wisdom Connection
Luke wants his readers to understand that as followers of Jesus, they have been called to be witnesses to Jesus' Resurrection and message of repentance--to proclaim the Good News. They are to be more than eyewitnesses to those events; they are to be ministers of the word. Through the disciples' sharing of the word, future generations will come to know about the life, death, and Resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. As evangelists they are to proclaim Jesus' name to everyone. For Luke this role as an evangelist is part of being a disciple of Jesus. This does not apply only to the original Apostles but also to us today.

Before Jesus ascended, he promised that he and the Father would send the Holy Spirit to help the disciples. He promised that this Spirit would clothe them with power, giving them the ability to be witnesses. This same Spirit is present within the Church today helping Jesus' followers proclaim the Good News.

Acknowledgments
The scriptural quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, Catholic Edition. Copyright © 1993 and 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. All rights reserved

The quotations labeled Catechism are from the English translation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church for use in the United States of America. Copyright © 1994 by the United States Catholic Conference, Inc.--Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Used with permission.

In the spring, our thoughts naturally turn to growing things, and we can look to Saint Isidore for help and inspiration at this wonderful time, whether we have a green thumb or not. Interestingly, Saint Isidore was not a farm owner but a farm laborer who worked for hire. His wife, Maria de la Cabeza, also became a saint. They had one son who died in childhood. In 1947, Saint Isidore, the patron of farmers, was proclaimed the patron of the National Catholic Rural Life Conference in the United States. Learn more about Saint Isidore. This link also provides a link to an online article about Saint Isidore from St. Anthony Messenger. Saint Isidore’s feast day is May 15.

If you are interested in rural life issues, see the Web site of the National Catholic Rural Life Conference at http://www.ncrlc.com/. Explore topics such as Food and Justice, the Ethics of Eating, and Spiritual Resources, as well as current issues related to agriculture.