Ascension Catholic Church

06/19/2026

ASCENSION DAILY PRAYER June 19, 2026

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth,
where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal.
But store up treasures in heaven,
where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal.
For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.

“The lamp of the body is the eye.
If your eye is sound, your whole body will be filled with light;
but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be in darkness.
And if the light in you is darkness, how great will the darkness be.” MATTHEW 6: 19-23

Jesus warns against prioritizing material wealth, which perishes, over eternal, heavenly treasures. Jesus uses the metaphor of the eye as the body's lamp, teaching that a clear focus on God fills our lives with light, whereas a divided heart plunges us into spiritual darkness.

“For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be” (Matthew 6:21). This principle invites an honest assessment of daily priorities. If time, energy, and resources are dedicated primarily to accumulating material security, the heart becomes anchored to the earth. Conversely, investing in heavenly treasures—such as charity, prayer, and faith—binds the soul to God. We are encouraged to share our gifts with the most vulnerable, give alms, and offer daily sacrifices and prayers to the Lord. By reordering priorities, Christians seek first the Kingdom of God, finding true security in Him rather than in wealth.

Lord God, allow me to honor You in all I say and do. AMEN

06/18/2026

Welcome to Ascension Catholic Church-Online. Today we celebrate theThursday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time with Bishop Manuel.

06/18/2026

ASCENSION DAILY PRAYER
June 18, 2026

“If you forgive others their transgressions,
your heavenly Father will forgive you.
But if you do not forgive others,
neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.” MATTHEW 6: 14-15

Jesus establishes the unbreakable link between divine forgiveness and human forgiveness. This passage immediately follows the Lord's Prayer (specifically, "forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us"). Jesus singles out this specific petition for further commentary, emphasizing that God’s mercy cannot flow through a heart that refuses to release the debts of others. By holding onto bitterness, we build a spiritual barrier that blocks God's mercy from taking root in our own souls.

True forgiveness is an act of the will. It doesn't mean pretending a hurt didn't happen, but rather actively choosing to let go of the desire for retaliation and surrendering lingering resentment to God. When you harbor unforgiveness, you often end up trapping yourself in a cage of bitterness and anger, poisoning your own soul. Forgiveness is ultimately for your own spiritual and emotional liberation. If you are struggling with this teaching, try praying for the person who hurt you.

Lord, help me to learn to forgive, as You forgive me. AMEN

06/17/2026

ASCENSION DAILY PRAYER June 17, 2026

Whoever loves me will keep my word,
and my Father will love him
and we will come to him. JOHN 14: 23
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

We are so blessed to hear in a Catholic Mass, scripture from the Old Testament, the Psalms, the New Testament and the Gospel. We hear God’s word spoken to us then a reflection on this scripture in the Homily. Too often, Catholic Christians think they have little knowledge of scripture, when in fact, if a person attends Mass every day for three years, a large part of the bible will be heard. Here are the statistics according to Catholic Answers:

Sunday Masses use a three-year cycle of readings, whereas daily Masses use a two-year cycle.
It has been reported by Fr. Felix Just, S.J., that the Sunday and weekday Lectionaries contain:
• 13.5 percent of the Old Testament (not counting the Psalms)
• 54.9 percent of the non-Gospel New Testament
• 89.8 percent of the Gospels
• 71.5 percent of the entire New Testament

Father and Doctor of the Church, St. Jerome, said, “Ignorance of scripture is ignorance of Christ.” A Pew Report study has shown that “those who have a habit of reading through the Bible a little each day say they have experienced a helpful, life-changing quality in their lives.” Challenge yourself to read scripture every day as part of your prayer time.

God, Your Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. (Psalm 118:105) AMEN

06/17/2026

06/17/2026

What a beautiful Holy Hour with Bishop Manuel last night! He spent the rest of the evening at the reception, meeting and chatting with our parishioners. He will close his 3 day visit to Ascension tomorrow, Thursday, with Mass at 7:00 p.m. We hope our local parishioners will fill the Church for this Mass. We will also be livestreaming here on Facebook and on YouTube. Don't miss this chance to meet our dynamic new Bishop of Palm Beach, Most Rev. Manuel de Jesus Rodriguez.

06/16/2026

ASCENSION DAILY PRAYER June 16, 2026

Jesus said to his disciples:
"You have heard that it was said,
You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.
But I say to you, love your enemies
and pray for those who persecute you,
that you may be children of your heavenly Father,
for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good,
and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.
For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have? MATTHEW 5: 43-46a

Jesus challenges human conventions by commanding His followers to love their enemies and pray for their persecutors. He challenges us to move beyond superficial affection, which even non-believers offer, and instead imitate God’s radical, unconditional love for both the good and the bad. The command to love an enemy does not mean you must feel a natural affection or emotional fondness for them. Instead, it means actively willing their ultimate good, desiring their healing, and praying for their salvation

The Church recognizes that forgiving and loving those who persecute us is virtually impossible through human effort alone. It requires drawing deeply on the grace of the Holy Spirit, often cultivated through prayer and the sacraments. Loving an enemy does not mean ignoring injustice or remaining passive. It is an act of active nonviolence where we refuse to let the cycle of hatred, bitterness, or revenge take root in our own hearts, entrusting ultimate justice to God.

Lord, open my heart to love others as You love them. AMEN

06/15/2026

ASCENSION DAILY PRAYER June 15, 2026

A lamp to my feet is your word,
a light to my path. Psalm 119: 105
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

“I would very much like all Christians to be able to learn ‘the sublime science of Jesus Christ’ through frequent reading of the Word of God, as the sacred text offers nourishment for the soul and is the pure and perennial source of the spiritual life of us all. We must make every effort so that each believer may read God’s Word, because as Saint Jerome says, ‘ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ.’ ”
— Pope Francis in an audience with United Bible Societies, Sept. 29, 2014

As Catholics who attend Mass either daily or weekly, we hear an abundance of scripture. At a Sunday liturgy we encounter God’s Word in readings from the Old Testament, the Psalms, the New Testament and a reading from one of the 4 Gospels. There is a message that connects all the readings, which is usually highlighted in the priest’s homily.

To dive deeper, a Catholic bible study can open up God’s Word to a greater understanding. Here at Ascension, we offer a FREE subscription to FORMED, which is a Catholic media app, offering thousands of movies, books, videos and bible studies. To get FORMED, simply go to formed.org/signup and follow the prompts to join THROUGH A PARISH. Then enter our zip code, 33487. You will create your own username and password and have an amazing collection of Catholic media available for you and your family. After you have FORMED on your phone, you can add it to your apps on your television.

Lord God, allow Your Word to open my mind and heart to know Your Son Jesus. AMEN

06/14/2026

ASCENSION DAILY PRAYER June 14, 2026
11TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

At the sight of the crowds, Jesus’ heart was moved with pity for them
because they were troubled and abandoned,
like sheep without a shepherd.
Then he said to his disciples,
“The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few;
so ask the master of the harvest
to send out laborers for his harvest.” MATTHEW 9: 36-38

Jesus looks upon the troubled, wandering crowds and is moved with deep, visceral compassion. He sees the vast "harvest" of souls in desperate need of spiritual guidance and urges His disciples to pray for more laborers to carry out the work of the Kingdom.

Jesus states, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few" (v. 37). While this verse is frequently applied to praying for vocations to the priesthood and religious life, the Catechism and Catholic tradition emphasize that it is a universal call. Every baptized Catholic is a "laborer" meant to bring the Good News into their own spheres of influence—families, workplaces, and local communities.

Lord, we pray for more men to answer Your call to the priesthood. Then, lead me in my own path to holiness and service to Your Church. Amen.

06/14/2026

Welcome to Ascension Catholic Church-Online. Today we celebrate the Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time.