Note: in some diocese the Ascension is celebrated on Thursday, May 13th, as is traditional, others will celebrate it on Sunday, May 16th, this post can be used for preparing for both. Those who celebrated the Ascension on Thursday can find resources for the normal Sunday Mass here.
This post contains resources for Ascension Thursday/Ascension Sunday for both forms of the Roman Rite, along with some general resources. It will be updated several times between now and Ascension Day.
Monday updates are marked with a pound sign (#). Tuesday update marked %. Wednesday’s updates marked $
General Resources:
- Aquinas on the Ascension and our Salvation. From the Summa Theologica.
- Commentary on the Summa. Reginald Garrigou-LaGrange’s commentary on St Thomas’ teaching regarding the Ascension.
- Christ’s Glorification- Resurrection and Ascension. A Manual of Catholic Theology. A condensed version of Matthias Scheeben’s “Dogmatik”.
Ordinary Form of the Rite:
- #Aquinas’ Lectures on Ephesians 1:17-23. Read lectures 6, 7, and 8.
- #Aquinas’ Lecture on Hebrews: Hebrews 9:24-28; 10:19-23 is the alternate Epistle reading.
- On Heb. 9:23-28. The link below to the lecture on 10:19-25 is broken, but you can scroll down to find it.
- On Heb 10:19-23. Link is broke, scroll down from above link.
- Cornelius a Lapide on Luke 24:46-53. Lapide (A.D. 1567-1637) was a famed Jesuit biblical scholar.
- Haydock Bible Commentary. Contains the readings Using the Douay-Rheims, followed by the commentary.
Extraordinary Form of the Rite:
- Aquinas’ Homily Notes on the Gospel Reading. Oops! Sorry, these notes have not survived.
- Homily by Pope St Gregory the Great. Preceded by the text of Mark 16:14-20, which reading is used in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite.
- Homily on the Ascension. By Fr. Augustine Wirth, O.S.B. See the above note.
- Christ’s Ascension a Lesson and a Warning to Sinners. Also by Fr. Wirth.
- Commentary on the Epistle (i.e., the first) Reading. An exegetical sermon by Bishop Bonomelli. Like the previous links this reading is based upon the pre-Vatican II lectionary used in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite. It should be noted however that this reading (Acts 1:1-15) has been mostly retained in the Ordinary Form, which uses Acts 1:1-11.
- Commentary on the Gospel. Also by Bishop Bonomelli. On Mark 16:14-20.
- Why Jesus Christ Went Up To Heaven and What Is The Meaning Of “He Sitteth At The Right Hand Of The Father. By Bishop Bonomelli.
- The Feast of the Ascension Teaches and Comforts Us. By Bishop Bonomelli.
- Ascension Day. By Fr. Thomas Flynn.