Paige Marie Ambrosius Thomas Philip Bleich Madissen Marie ...

Beyond this World and With It – Ascension Sunday
2 St. Katharine Drexel Parish
A Message from Fr. Mike
The First Communion ritual really speaks volumes about the nature of Easter. Parents have their children so nicely
dressed. The children are prepared to receive the Eucharist with complete excitement. The children are both of
heaven and with us on Earth on this beautiful day.
Jesus’ ascension has him traveling from our world yet somehow staying a part of it. Only with the eyes of faith can
we see and hear Him. When we see Him, no other person is more radically with us.
The bishops of these United States have kicked off a two month campaign entitled Fortnight for Freedom
(http://usccb.org/issues-and-action/religious-liberty/fortnight-for-freedom/). In this campaign they wish us to take a
look at the first amendment and advocate for a separation of church and state especially regarding the mandate for
health care coverage. There is great concern that parts or the whole of Catholic Institutions may be forced to pay for
government care that is against our church teaching (especially of concern is abortion in all of its forms).
This is, of course, a complicated question as the Catholic Church has been advocating for many years for a right to
health care for all citizens. So now we need to be with the need for health care yet apart from the moral challenges of
particular forms of health care.
Perhaps we can think this through by looking at our constitutional documents:
Preamble to the Constitution:
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic
Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty
to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
The First Amendment
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;
or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to
petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Some look into these basic documents and only see the extremes of libertarianism and communism. In reality, they
contain a balance of both. We see that people will want to freely assemble to look after the welfare of the whole but
also want to have independence from others. Perhaps it is the human condition to be with and apart – depending
upon our mood or our self interest.
So why is Jesus both with us and apart from us? He wishes us to be the Body of Christ. His presence gives us hope
that we can know reconciliation. His going before us encourages us to say our own yes to the Holy Spirit and boldly
express God’s love.
When it comes to health care – it seems we are called to unity of purpose in caring for the welfare of all while still
saying no to the sin of abortion.
When it comes to state politics – it seems we are called to say no to the sin of deficit spending while allowing people
to freely assemble.
With Jesus Christ we can do both, for He does both. We can say yes to being fundamentally with each other while
allowing independence necessary for healthy relationships where we can challenge each other’s sins.
Once again, with Jesus Christ, all things are possible.
Fr. Michael Erwin