05/24/2026
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A MESSAGE FROM FR. RYAN...
The Preface for this weekendโs Mass, which comes right after the response, โIt is right and just,โ talks about the completion of the Paschal Mystery. The Paschal Mystery is the foundation, or the seed, of the entire Christian faith. It encompasses the sacrificial Passion, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension of Jesus; and today, comes to completion in Godโs sign of approval of that sacrifice by the Descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost in the appearance of flames.
Although every Mass celebrates the perfect sacrifice (โMay the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands...โ), Pentecost is our annual revisit of this fulfillment in a special way. We also call Pentecost the Birthday of the Church, because it is when the Apostles receive their โmission to teach all nations and to preach the Gospel to every creatureโ (LG 24). This mission continues to the end of time in the Catholic Church, which means we are all part of the completion of the Paschal Mystery: Passion, Death, Resurrection, Ascension, and the Pentecost Mission.
One of the most important teaching documents to emerge from the Second Vatican Council (Vatican II) in the 1960s is called Lumen Gentium, or The Light
of Nations. It is the current authoritative document for how the Church understands herself and her role in the world, and is meant to inspire and set up this mission in the modern world. It is easily accessible online and worth considering as a summer read or prayer exercise.
๐ก๐ฎ๐ฟ. ๐ก๐๐ช๐ท ๐๐ฌ๐ด๐ถ๐ช๐ท๐ท
