Monthly Archives: May 2023

The recent coronation of King Charles III presented a powerful image of the human ideas of enthronement and power. By contrast, this Sundays readings for the solemnity of the Ascension address those topics from the perspective of our faith. The authority that Jesus receives at his enthronement is the result of his vulnerability on the cross and the humility of the people who place their faith in him.

All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go and make disciples of all nations. (Mt 28:16-20)

Liturgical day

The Ascension of the Lord

Readings

Acts 1:1-11, Ps 47, Eph 1:17-23, Mt 28:16-20

Prayer

How can spiritual power be of help in the midst of brokenness?

When have you encountered the power of faith in unexpected places?

Does Christ have the power to change a situation for you?

My professor in Rome, Jos Luis Sicre, S.J., taught me how narrative and theology can clash and blend within scripture. (If you can read some Spanish you may enjoy his blog post on the Feast of the Ascension.) The narratives of ascension and enthronement in this Sundays readings subvert human fantasies of strength and instead present a theology of divine power that flows from vulnerability.

The power of God is so different from our own notions of strength that whenever it appears in Scripture it leaves people perplexed. In Lukes narrative, the angelic beings associated with exercises of Gods power highlight the confusion of the human witnesses. For example, in this Sundays first reading, when the men of Galilee are standing around awe-struck in the presence of an ascending Christ, two beings in white robes appear and say, Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesuswill come as you saw him go (Acts 1:11). In Lukes Gospel, the women weeping at the tomb of Jesus encounter two beings in dazzling white robes who ask, Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but risen (Lk 24:4-5). Finally, a mysterious angel of the Lord with an entire heavenly army proclaims to awestruck shepherds the birth of a child, Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to those whom he favors! (Lk 2:9-15).

It is as if the divine messengers, when they speak to us mortals, need to ask, Why are you puzzled by the power of God? The angels declare glory to God who sits in the highest heaven because this creator can raise the dead, send his holy one to us again, and proclaim favor to people of good will. All the authority one could possibly imagine, at levels of reality which our minds can barely grasp, has become the gift of God to Jesus Christ.

Lukes narrative context highlights the role of vulnerability in spiritual power. On the one hand, all dominion is given to Christ, who shares it with his church. On the other, Luke shapes this theological insight with grieving women, waiting shepherds, and even the birth of a vulnerable baby seeking shelter from the cold. Within their stories we find Gods understanding of power on earth. When the church reads the end of Matthews Gospel today, All power in heaven and earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations (Mt 28:16-20), it is only after first being reminded of the humble characters in Lukes narrative. It is to people like them that the dominion of God is now entrusted.

The readings for the Feast of the Ascension can remind us of the place of divine authority within our faith journey. Almighty God raises all people of faith to new spiritual life. The mightiest people are those who, even when defeated, can still pray in hope. They can still pray for peace, for justice, and for each other.

Thus no one should equate such spiritual power with human fantasies of strength. God does not engage in a battle of wills with anyone. Instead, Jesus Christ receives the authority of God to inspire hope, heal brokenness, forgive sins, and raise the dead to new life.

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Stories of Power from the Vulnerable People - America: The Jesuit Review

All things considered, Denham Springs High football coach Brett Beard came away from Saturdays spring scrimmage against East Ascension with a good feeling about where the team stands heading into summer workouts.

Neither team scored during the portion of the scrimmage with a set number of plays, and the Spartans outscored the Yellow Jackets 14-7 as the teams competed in two live 12-minute halves.

With our inexperience, I was really excited to see the new faces, the new names, these new kids after their offseason, just show up and compete and really show us what they had been working on and show us what they were ready to do, Beard said. We got everything out of it we wanted and more and couldnt be more excited about this group and where its heading.

I walked away very pleased, Beard continued. When you are so inexperienced and you get into a dogfight, a physical fight like we got into with EA, it can really go a bunch of different ways. It can unravel at times. It can get ugly at times, but our kids stayed real constant, competed, got physical back, executed (in) some critical situations and did some good things and created some turnovers and got hit in the mouth and kept hitting back. It was a lot of fun to watch them compete and continue to grow up.

The DSHS defense forced five turnovers in the first part of the scrimmage, with LSU commitment DaShawn McBryde getting an interception to set the tone.

The inexperience in the box, Beard said. We still have a lot of work to do there, but our kids were physical. They flew around, and when they had opportunities to make plays, they made them. The very first throw they make, DaShawn McBryde picks off, which is something that weve become quite familiar with. We have to do a good job of putting them in situations where theyve got to throw the ball. Youve got to win first and second down, and then offensively, weve got to finish some drives to get people uncomfortable and pulling the trigger a little more to really use the strengths of our DBs and let them not only be really good against the run but create those turnovers and fly around and get picks.

Beard was also pleased with the effort of his offense in different areas, starting with the offensive line.

Our O-line is very inexperienced, and I thought they did a good job, Beard said. They battled. They competed. You could see them get a little more comfortable as time went on. Thats really a big thing for us. With our football program, were going to have to do some things as coaches to protect these O-linemen and do some things with our personnel to protect them until they get comfortable because all of them are new.

Elsewhere, Beard said the Jackets hit a screen pass to RJ Johnson on a third-and-long to pick up a first down.

Its set up perfectly, Beard said of the play. Its a big timing play, and to see our guys execute that (got us) really fired up. I thought we did a good job, for the most part, running the football. There are just some things weve got to clean up in the passing game. Im excited to see the growth of this offense. Theyre going through with a change with (DSHS offensive coordinator) Coach (Kyle) Caskey, and everythings new. Its just going to take time, but you could see growth, and thats whats most important. We were a lot better Day 10 (of spring practice) than we were Day 1.

Beard said the scrimmage helped lay the foundation for the Yellow Jackets summer workouts.

Weve got to continue to get comfortable with our offense, and weve just got to continue to grow, Beard said. Offensively, theyve got to continue to get comfortable together O-line wise, and were still looking for guys to step up and get those guys reps in 7-on-7 and then see what young guys are still on the bubble of blowing up and giving us guys that can play varsity.

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SPRING FOOTBALL | Beard pleased with Yellow Jackets' work ... - The Livingston Parish News

Temperatures in Germany are hotting up as May gets into full swing, with highs of between 20 and 30 degrees forecast for the Ascension Day public holiday and the coming weeks into June.

It feels as though spring arrived just a week ago,but already temperatures of between 20 and 30 degrees have been forecastfor Germany for the Ascension Day weekendand coming weeks.

Saturday will see highs of at least 25 degrees in most federal states, as a rush of warm air passes across Europe from the south. Temperatures in eastern Germany are expected to jump faster than in the west. In the north, temperatures will reach as high as 30 degrees.

According to FOCUSmeteorologist Jan Schenk, summer temperatures are set to arrive from one night to the next. The quick transition will occur on the night ofSaturday, May 20 to Sunday, May 21.

Temperatures of between 20 and 30 degrees are predicted to last well into June across Germany but are likely to be seasoned with some days of rainstorms and showers in western and southern parts of thecountry.

Thumb image credit:hanohiki / Shutterstock.com

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Highs of 30C expected in Germany over Ascension Day weekend - IamExpat in Germany

Ascension Catholic was looking for its fourth state championship in Sulphur Saturday, but it was not to be as the Bulldogs lost 8-0 to the Ouachita Christian Eagles.

ACHS advanced to the finals with a 4-1 victory over Glenbrook. The Bulldogs trailed the Eagles 1-0 heading to the bottom of the fifth inning, four consecutive 2-out hits by the Eagles led to five runs.

The Eagles added two runs in the bottom of the sixth for the final tally.

ACHS starter Bryce Leonard (7-1) scattered four hits and struck out six until the fifth inning. ACHS tallied one hit against OCS starter, Karson Trichel, a leadoff single by Leonard. Trichel mixed his pitches the entire game and shut down the Bulldog offense. The Eagle defense was outstanding with zero errors and a couple of great plays to steal hits from the Bulldogs.

ACHS (25-9) advanced to the finals behind a masterful pitching performance by Brooks Leonard. He gave up one run in six innings and limited a very good Glenbrook offense with strikeouts and outstanding fielding.

The offense was led by Jackson Landry, Layton Melancon and Luke Husers. They combined for six hits and drove in three runs. The Bulldogs, under the direction of coach Gee Cassard, played a difficult schedule and had wins over 5A St. Amant and Dutchtown.

The Bulldogs beat D3 non-select champ Berwick and took 2 of 3 from D2 Select finalist ED White.

ACHS says goodbye to seniors Brooks Leonard, Bryce Leonard, Trent Landry, Layton Melancon, Collin Brown, Jacob Latino and Cullen Nolan. The Leonard twins will be heading to Northwestern in Natchitoches to play baseball.

This senior group won three district titles and made two quarterfinal appearances and a final. The Bulldogs will return junior starters Jackson Landry (ULM commit) and Jake Landry as well as sophomores Harrison Ledet, Austin Paine, Gavin Gregoire and Husers.

Several new faces will be called to step up as the Bulldogs look to continue their winning ways and chase another state title. ACHS won titles in 1993, 1994 and 2018. They were runner up in 1988, 1991 and 2023.

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ACHS baseball denied 4th state championship in D4 finals - The Advocate

A Homily for the Ascension of the Lord

Acts 1:1-11 Ephesians 1:17-23 Matthew 28:16-20

The philosopher George Santayana wrote that those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. Should we add that willful ignorance of history is a sin? Two reasons for saying that. The first is Santayanas point: our inability to move forward when we forget our past. The second is more properly theological: our inability to appreciate the heaven of history that awaits us.

Lets explore that odd turn of phraseheaven of historywith a bit of history.

In the summer of 1917, President Woodrow Wilson was leading the United States into its first European warand only the second to be fought entirely outside American borders. Then, as now, there were many in America who viewed international conflict as an instrument to enrich the already wealthy. One such group was a labor union founded in 1905, the Industrial Workers of the World, the I.W.W., though they were more commonly known as Wobblies.

Adam Hochschilds book American Midnight: The Great War, A Violent Peace, and Democracys Forgotten Crisis (2022) details the often quite illegal abuse the Wobblies suffered for their unwillingness to assist in the birth of what would become Americas military-industrial behemoth. If you think that America only recently became a dark and threatening place for liberty and civil rights, this book is a must-read.

The mineral copper would be essential to the American war effort. It was already being sold in vast quantities to the Allies, funding American investors in the largest domestic copper mine, located in Butte, Mont. Hochschild writes:

In the summer of 17, a fire broke out in the Butte mine.

That is a bit of history. Now let us consider heaven.

If our Lords ascension into heaven represented only his departure from us, it would not be a cause for celebration. No, our reason for joy is contained in a phrase from todays second reading from the letter to the Ephesians:

When Christ entered heaven, he took something with him: a human nature forged by the story of our striving and suffering. When Christ became man, God entered human history. When Christ returned to his Father, human history entered God.

Now, God is no longer the unmoved mover, the impenetrable, the eternal stillness and satiety of Greek thought. Now, we proclaim that God has walked among us, fallen in love with us and forever bears our wounds. This is Christs inheritance among his holy ones. This is heaven!

In the summer of 17, an I.W.W. organizer named Frank Little stepped off the train in Butte, Mont.

That sort of talk could notor would notbe tolerated after America had just entered the war to end all wars.

A few days later, armed men broke into Littles boarding house room and seized him.

What did the numbers mean? One theory is that they are the dimensions of a grave.

No one would ever be arrested for the crime, and 11 days after Frank Littles death, federal troops entered Butte with loaded rifles and fixed bayonets. They would remain there for three years, ensuring that strikes did not slow the war effort. Woodrow Wilsons vice president Thomas Marshall cynically coined a pun on the victims name. In solving labor problems, he quipped, A Little hanging goes a long way.

It matters greatly to us that history should be taken into heaven. This is Christs inheritance among his holy ones. It is where long-denied justice is done, and the wrongs of time are redressed. But that can only happen because in Christs ascension, history enters heaven. It does not, as we popularly assume, stop at heavens door.

Heaven does more than set history right. It transforms human striving from the ephemeral to the eternal. Far from being forgotten, in heaven, countless unknown acts of valor and sacrifice are revealed as foundations stones for the city of God.

At the wars end, Wilson broke down during a dedicatory speech for what would be the first of many European cemeteries for American soldiers. Looking out on a field of 1,500 crosses, the president took responsibility for them, saying, I sent these lads over here to die.

Those poor but celebrated lads! In heaven they march with the unsung coal miners of Butte. They parade together, nay, arm in arm, to hear Frank Little speak. Why? Because in heaven, history matters still.

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Why history still matters in heaven - America: The Jesuit Review

THIS Gospel highlights a mystery. What on earth is glory? The Bible tells us that glory is an attribute of God. Theologians suggest two kinds: intrinsic (how God is glorious in himself) and extrinsic (how God manifests his glory to us).

Glory is also a process. Father glorifies Son, Son glorifies Father. We glorify them both. Regular readers know that I love Latin; but, by giving us the verb glorify, it makes it sound as if we make God glorious, when glorifying means acknowledging Gods glory, not creating it.

When we interpret words, we start with their original or literal meaning, which is concrete, physical. From this come derived meanings, which are not. For example, we can talk of the root of a problem, because we know what the root of a plant is; or we can say that Christ will be a light to lighten the Gentiles, because we know what the light of the sun is.

In the New Testament, glory translates a Greek word, doxa. It is familiar from the label doxology, which we use for praise at the end of a psalm or hymn. Doxa starts by being a word for what things look like, for their appearance. That led to the emergence of a further meaning: reputation, honour. This is how, in scripture, it developed into a term for divine splendour.

When the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament was translated into Greek, the translators used doxa to translate the Hebrew term kavod. That meant weighty, important. It came to mean riches, as when Joseph tells his brothers about his glory in Egypt (Genesis 45.13). The human mind moves easily between wealth and importance, then as now.

In moments when we feel close to God, our proximity enables us to see his glory. This is not the same as observing something that is beautiful: it is closer to ecstasy that dissociation from the physical self in which a vision comes. The vision need not be anything so grand as a one-to-one encounter with God. It is more about insight than physical sight: a feeling of clarity, reaching us like the voice of God himself, in a sound of sheer silence (1 Kings 19.12).

The Greek word doxa has reminded us that one vital component of glory is that it is visible. We could call Johns Gospel the Gospel of Glory; for the very moment of the incarnation (John 1.14) is also the moment when the revelation of Christs glory begins. John is in harmony with Luke. Both put glory at the centre of the incarnation. That text in Luke that we know as the Nunc Dimittis makes a statement of fact: that God expresses his glory in the salvation of his people (2.32).

Johns Gospel is undoubtedly preparing us for the glory-fication of the Son of God. To understand how that works, we should read chapter 17 as if we had never read it before, with no idea how the story would end. When we do that, we notice that the tone is triumphant. It sounds as if glory is a guarantee of winning, succeeding, earning the right to impose authority.

This way, Jesuss priestly prayer reads like many a prayer of ordinary people in Bible days, and still today. Shorn of that knowledge of what comes next, it sounds nakedly transactional (I have done ABC for you; now you do XYZ for me). That is not inappropriate; for prayer is supposed to be reciprocal. Both parties, beseecher and besought, get something out it. And it explains why the disciples were so devastated by Jesuss arrest and crucifixion. The prayer at which we must remember that they (except for Judas) were present sets them up to expect a triumph, not some bitter and shameful humiliation. The incarnation turns the meaning of glory inside out and upside down.

Above all else, Gods glory is not an abstract quality, but something visible and close to us. The pillars of cloud and fire in the wilderness (Exodus 13.21) were not images of Gods glory: they were epiphanies of it. God was right there, in the cloud and fire, among his pilgrim people.

We may still be unclear about what Gods glory is. But one thing we know beyond reasonable doubt: we have the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 4.6).

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7th Sunday of Easter (Sunday after Ascension Day) - Church Times

Staff Report| Gonzales Weekly Citizen

The New Orleans Opera Associations Jobs Off the Stage Career Day event returns from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. June 3at Ascension Parish Libraryin Gonzales.

Students in grades K-12 are invited tohear from artisans and technicians about the manybehind-the-scenesjobs requiredto successfully produce an opera.NOOA aims toinspire the next generationto explore the world of opera through student-centeredconcertsand free educational programming.

Opera requires so many skills and talents,andoftentimes, people dont know the communal effort it takes behind the scenes to make it happen, said NOOAs Director of Community Engagement and Education Dr. Tara Melvin.With events like these, New Orleans Opera can shine a light on the ways that everyone can put their skills to useand contribute to the art form, whether on the stage or off.

This partnership with NOOA is more than a chance to spotlight new career paths for our youth. The librarys commitment to literacy and lifelong learning is how we help with career development and community connection, said APLs Youth Services Librarian, Alicia Schwarzenbach. We dontwant people to think libraries are only for reading. We are a place where people of all ages can learn new skills and hobbies that can lead to a career path.

The New Orleans Opera is the largest arts employer in Louisiana during its production season employing more than 400 skilled laborers for each production. Jobs Off theStage highlights theseuncommonly known positionswith live talks and demonstrations by the technicians who hold these roles.These positions include stage management, scenery, sound production, makeup, and more.

Formore information, visitwww.neworleansopera.org.This event is free,and no RSVP is required.

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New Orleans Opera Association presents Jobs Off the Stage career ... - Weekly Citizen

Staff Report| Gonzales Weekly Citizen

Our Lady of the Lake Health has announced Dr. Christopher Tom Trevino as its new vice president, physician executive of Baton Rouge Market Emergency Services.

According to a news release, Our Lady of the Lake Health treats about 200,000 people across its six emergency rooms each year, and Dr. Trevino will help to improve outcomes at all sites of care.

Dr. Trevino is a well-respected leader both at Our Lady of the Lake Ascension and within the community of Ascension Parish, said Chuck Spicer, president of Our Lady of the Lake Health. His experience in emergency medicine and in his current role make him a great fit for this position to serve our entire market and most importantly the people entrusted to our care.

Dr. Trevino is Board Certified in emergency medicine. He received his medical degree from LSU School of Medicine in Shreveport and has been in practice for more than 25 years. Since 1999, he has served in numerous medical director roles at Our Lady of the Lake Ascension, which was known as St. Elizabeth Hospital the time. Dr. Trevino will continue in his administrative role at Our Lady of the Lake Ascension as its chief medical officer.

This role takes a specific person with leadership, experience and a deep-rooted compassion for the community we serve, said Dr. Catherine ONeal, chief medical officer of Our Lady of the Lake Health. Dr. Trevino has served in leadership roles with Our Lady of the Lake Health for many years. I am excited to see the impact he can bring to our emergency services in this new role.

Dr. Trevino wears many hats in the Ascension Parish community. He is the medical director of all EMS and fire services in Ascension Parish and is a sheriffs deputy in the Ascension Parish Sheriff Office where he serves as the medical director and emergency medical support for the Crisis Response Team. Dr. Trevino is also a lieutenant colonel in the Louisiana National Guard.

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Our Lady of the Lake announces Dr. Chris Trevino as VP, Physician ... - Weekly Citizen

Ahead of the pilgrimage to the shrine of Our Lady of Fatima above Wiltz on Ascension Thursday, police have shared the various regulations around camping.

It is forbidden to camp in the vicinity of the Route Nationale in Heischtergronn, onMonte de Heischent or along the Pilgrim Route. Motorised vehicles are also forbidden outside the pre-planned routes.

At the request of RTL, the police confirmed that it is not the first time that it is forbidden to camp in and around Heischtergronn. In Luxembourg the authorisation of the owner, be it a municipality or private person, is needed to camp on a plot of land.

Police have already cordoned off various areas in the region in recent year, but this year will be extended to Heischtergronn.

Officers will also be inspecting the affected areas, and fines will be handed out to those violating the rules.

To ensure a smooth journey, pilgrims are advised to leave their vehicles in the car parks in Wiltz.

Every Ascension Thursday, nearly 20,000 faithful, most of them from the Portuguese community, take part in the pilgrimage.

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Ascension Thursday: Camping rules in place ahead of Fatima ... - RTL Today

Published 9:08 am Monday, May 15, 2023

ASCENSION PARISH The State Fire Marshals Office (SFM) has arrested two Prairieville men for their involvement in an altercation that resulted in a fire at a mobile home with as many as six people inside at the time.

Jeremy Scherer, 37, was booked into the Ascension Parish Jail on Friday, May 12, on one count each of Aggravated Arson and Aggravated Battery.

Jason Finley, 43, was booked into the Ascension Parish Jail on Friday, May 5, on one count of Aggravated Assault.

Around 6:30 a.m. on the 5th, the Prairieville Fire Department responded to a report of a mobile home fire located in the 38000 block of Smith Road. Firefighters learned there had been as many as six people inside the mobile home at the time. Fortunately, everyone was able to escape safely.

Following an assessment of the scene and conducting witness statements, SFM deputies determined the fire started in a bedroom and was intentionally set.

During the investigation, deputies learned that Scherer and Finley were two of the occupants in the mobile home the morning of the fire. In addition, it was learned that Scherer and Finley were involved in a dispute several hours prior to the fire that involved a physical altercation and threats with weapons. Following additional investigative efforts, warrants were obtained for Scherers and Finleys arrests.

Later on the 5th, SFM deputies located Finley in Denham Springs where he was taken into custody. A man and woman with Finley at the time of his arrest were also taken into custody on unrelated, outstanding warrants out of Ascension Parish. All three were booked into the Livingston Parish Jail as fugitives out of Ascension Parish before being transferred to the Ascension Jail.

On Friday, May 12, Scherer was located and taken into custody in connection with the case.

The SFM would like to thank the community for its assistance in closing this case so quickly.

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TWO ARRESTED IN CONNECTION WITH PRAIRIEVILLE HOUSE ... - L'Observateur