5th Sunday after Easter

Tomorrow is the 5th Sunday after Easter. We are looking forward to the Feast of the Ascension. Tomorrow's Gospel tells us to ask the Father in Jesus' Name for everything, and He will answer. A. S. K.
A. Ask
S. Seek
K. Knock

It's all right there! It doesn't get any easier than that. Of course, God sometimes says NO for the answer!

I'm putting this blog out today, as tomorrow is a reunion of my dad's family. We all get together at the cemetary and adorn grave sites, then proceed to a hall for a potluck dinner, along with a lot of reminiscing. Long day, but worth it.

I am going to end with an admonition from the Gothic Church of Spain, warning them of what follows after believing.

"Dearly beloved brethren: let there be caution in your devotion, watchfulness in your festivity, modesty in your gladness. We should rejoice in that we have risen: but we should fear lest we may fall. We have been rescued from the death of old, and it behooves us to know how evil it was; we have been gifted with the new life, and we must cling to it as worthy of our love. To commit the sin we have been admonished to shun is not an error but contempt. They that have been pardoned and relapsed, deserve the greater punishment; nor is there excuse for them that have been once ransomed if they again become slaves. The mercy of God implies power; and power, fear; and fear, chastisement.
He would not have been merciful to man, unless he had first been angry with the devil. He strengthens us with His gratuitous gifts, that we may not be corrupted by our evil inclinations. No one spares another but with a hope of correction. Forgiveness can do not harm, when the offence is not repeated. He that pardoned us our sins, thereby admonished us to sin no more. Mercy has not been lost on us, if our conduct is what it should be. Grace has, indeed, made man the adopted child of God; but the devil is not yet shut up in hell. Sin, not nature, has been defeated. What we have gained is the power of fighting not the privilege of inaction. Our enemy has been despoiled, not slain. His anger must be greatest against those who were once subject to his tyranny, but now are disenthralled.
Faith has given us bulwarks; the Cross, armor; the Flesh,(assumed by Christ) a standard; and His Blood, a banner; the battle, then is to be fought. The God who willed us to have the battle, willed us to have the hope of victory. We have already received the gift of adoption; our conduct is to decide what sentence is to be passed upon us in judgment. In this world we have the promise of reward; in the next, our lot will be decided according to our works.
Let us, therefore, be mindful of the tender mercy of our Lord, who, as the price of our ransom, gave not sums of silver or gold, nor granted princely favours, but subjected himself to the infamy of the cross, and suffered his Body to be humbled even to being buried in a tomb. He could give nothing greater or better. So that the more it cost him to redeem us, the more diligently should we serve him; and it is this he demands of us. Therefore, in order that the work of his Redemption be perfected in us, it behooves us to pray with constancy and perseverance."

Lord, teach us to do your will.