Fr. Dwight Longenecker asks the very good, and oft-repeated, question – why move Ascension to the nearest Sunday instead of leaving it alone where it belongs. He proffers a possible answer and repudiates it all in one felled swoop:
I guess the decision is utilitarian, and utilitarianism is surely one of the least Christian philosophies going. Utilitarianism is not only dull, it’s deathly. How can all that is beautiful and deep down true exist when the number counters come in? Who cares if nobody comes to your Ascension Thursday Mass? Why appease them by switching to a Sunday? They’ll smell your weakness and then stop going to Mass on Sunday too.
As I’ve said before, people expect to be challenged by their religion if they intend to follow it. And again this is evidenced by the saying, “people will not die for a question mark”. Fortunately, we’ll be celebrating Ascension Thursday properly here, and the kids will be going to Mass with the school just like they should. I should write the Bishop and thank him for getting this right, don’t you think?
