Renaming Ascension Sunday

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I could not help by thinking of the wonderful message of Ascension Sunday - the closure of Jesus’s physical presence in his ministry and the beginning of our ownership and furthering of this ministry. But the label - Ascension - kept getting in my way. So I have a modest proposal to rename the Sunday. My first choice would be “shapeshifter” Sunday. I think this is wonderful word, both poetic and metaphorical. However, it has some unforunate “baggage” among the native American peoples since it is associated with evil spirits. Perhaps an analogy from the sports field would work – “hand off” Sunday. At least this would save me from trying to explain to my grandchildren – where did Jesus “ascend” to. Then, on to other Liturgial expression: “Christ will come again”. In the face of some Liturgical terms I have to work to recall the scripture “Behold I with you all days”.
 
JNewfield said:
I could not help by thinking of the wonderful message of Ascension Sunday - the closure of Jesus’s physical presence in his ministry and the beginning of our ownership and furthering of this ministry. But the label - Ascension - kept getting in my way. So I have a modest proposal to rename the Sunday. My first choice would be “shapeshifter” Sunday. I think this is wonderful word, both poetic and metaphorical. However, it has some unforunate “baggage” among the native American peoples since it is associated with evil spirits. Perhaps an analogy from the sports field would work – “hand off” Sunday. At least this would save me from trying to explain to my grandchildren – where did Jesus “ascend” to. Then, on to other Liturgial expression: “Christ will come again”. In the face of some Liturgical terms I have to work to recall the scripture “Behold I with you all days”.
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Ridiculous and insulting. Sounds like something out of Startrek.
 
JNewfield said:
At least this would save me from trying to explain to my grandchildren – where did Jesus “ascend” to. ".
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Why would it be difficult to explain? It’s in the Creed.
…he ascended into heaven…
 
But He ascended Acts 1:9
And when he had said this, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.
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Luke 24:51
51* While he blessed them, he parted from them, and was carried up into heaven.
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JNewfield said:
At least this would save me from trying to explain to my grandchildren – where did Jesus “ascend” to.
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Heaven…
This is not difficult to explain or understand.

Leave the name Ascension Sunday alone. It is quite self-explanatory.

Catholicism is NOT new agey.
 
It actually should be Ascension THURSDAY.

40 days after Easter Sunday.

God bless
 
thistle said:
Ridiculous and insulting. Sounds like something out of Startrek.
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I don’t buy into the OP’s logic as to why there should be a name change, and it does indeed sound like something from Star Trek, specifically Deep Space 9.🤓

Why do you think it’s insulting?
 
and how is ‘‘shapeshifter’’ any better?

nothing wrong at all with ‘ascension’’, leave it alone. i believe in the Church we have more pressing issues than renaming feasts.
 
JNewfield said:
I could not help by thinking of the wonderful message of Ascension Sunday - the closure of Jesus’s physical presence in his ministry and the beginning of our ownership and furthering of this ministry. But the label - Ascension - kept getting in my way. So I have a modest proposal to rename the Sunday. My first choice would be “shapeshifter” Sunday. I think this is wonderful word, both poetic and metaphorical. However, it has some unforunate “baggage” among the native American peoples since it is associated with evil spirits. Perhaps an analogy from the sports field would work – “hand off” Sunday. At least this would save me from trying to explain to my grandchildren – where did Jesus “ascend” to. Then, on to other Liturgial expression: “Christ will come again”. In the face of some Liturgical terms I have to work to recall the scripture “Behold I with you all days”.
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First of all, Jesus is not some “shape-shifter”. What you seem to be alluding to is a throw-back to the heresy of gnosticism that implies that the body is sinful and bad. The feast of the Ascension challenges and defeats gnosticism, blasting that heresy to smithereens.

Jesus took his glorified, wounded Body with Him to heaven. He assumed His Mother, body and soul into heaven. Through the Mystery of the Incarnation, God united Himself to the family of Man by a bond that can never be broken. Do you really believe that Jesus pretty much unzipped his body and out floated a spirit orb that went up to the skies like Glenda the Good Witch? No. Jesus’ Body is very much of a part of Him.

No, this is a preposterous idea. The Feast of the Ascension is ancient and sacred. Its name comes to us from the Gospels. Jesus ascended to heaven. In the psalms, we proclaim that God mounts His throne to shouts of joy.
 
What he said.
Meximo said:
Why would it be difficult to explain? It’s in the Creed.
…he ascended into heaven…
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What he said.
ruslan said:
I don’t think so. :gopray:
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Especially what he said.
thistle said:
Ridiculous and insulting. Sounds like something out of Startrek.
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And all the above because of the reasons she said.
benedictgal said:
First of all, Jesus is not some “shape-shifter”. What you seem to be alluding to is a throw-back to the heresy of gnosticism that implies that the body is sinful and bad. The feast of the Ascension challenges and defeats gnosticism, blasting that heresy to smithereens.

Jesus took his glorified, wounded Body with Him to heaven. He assumed His Mother, body and soul into heaven. Through the Mystery of the Incarnation, God united Himself to the family of Man by a bond that can never be broken. Do you really believe that Jesus pretty much unzipped his body and out floated a spirit orb that went up to the skies like Glenda the Good Witch? No. Jesus’ Body is very much of a part of Him.

No, this is a preposterous idea. The Feast of the Ascension is ancient and sacred. Its name comes to us from the Gospels. Jesus ascended to heaven. In the psalms, we proclaim that God mounts His throne to shouts of joy.
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** My first choice would be “shapeshifter” Sunday.**

**Just how did Our Lord change His shape? Be specific.

He rose from the tomb in His glorified human nature, including His physical body, and ascended into heaven in the SAME body.

Nothing changed or shifted–certainly not His shape.**
 
JNewfield said:
I could not help by thinking of the wonderful message of Ascension Sunday - the closure of Jesus’s physical presence in his ministry and the beginning of our ownership and furthering of this ministry. But the label - Ascension - kept getting in my way.

I have no intention of “insulting” anyone with my proposal and if anyone wants to call me a “new ager” so be it but that does not eliminate my need for a liturgy with it’s own labels that conveys the wonderful message of Ascension – the closure of Jesus’s physical presence in his ministry and the beginning of our ownership and furthering of this ministry. I am not looking for theolgical treaties, although I appreciate them and thank those who have responded in this media. I am looking for “drive to church” conversation starter “name for a Sunday litergy” that can get past the point of “heaven” as a “place” and reemphasize that Jesus before the incarnation, Jesus in his mission on earth, Jesus after the resurrection, Jesus in the world today, and Jesus of the second coming is real and available. I am looking for a label/name that will help convey the message of the “great commission” to work with a living Jesus to share His love with the world.
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JNewfield said:
JNewfield;3667591:
I could not help by thinking of the wonderful message of Ascension Sunday - the closure of Jesus’s physical presence in his ministry and the beginning of our ownership and furthering of this ministry. But the label - Ascension - kept getting in my way.

I have no intention of “insulting” anyone with my proposal and if anyone wants to call me a “new ager” so be it but that does not eliminate my need for a liturgy with it’s own labels that conveys the wonderful message of Ascension – the closure of Jesus’s physical presence in his ministry and the beginning of our ownership and furthering of this ministry. I am not looking for theolgical treaties, although I appreciate them and thank those who have responded in this media. I am looking for “drive to church” conversation starter “name for a Sunday litergy” that can get past the point of “heaven” as a “place” and reemphasize that Jesus before the incarnation, Jesus in his mission on earth, Jesus after the resurrection, Jesus in the world today, and Jesus of the second coming is real and available. I am looking for a label/name that will help convey the message of the “great commission” to work with a living Jesus to share His love with the world.
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But, that is what the Church has been celebrating for nearly 2,000 years. It already has a name, the Feast of the Ascension. With His ascension to the right hand of the Father, Christ accomplished the work He had come to do. What part of that do you not understand? When you make the liturgy about your needs, then, I am afraid that you have completely missed the point of the Salvific Mysteries that we come to celebrate week after week. Instead of trying to invent something new, why not read what the Church has said?
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benedictgal said:
JNewfield;3693687:
But, that is what the Church has been celebrating for nearly 2,000 years. It already has a name, the Feast of the Ascension. With His ascension to the right hand of the Father, Christ accomplished the work He had come to do. What part of that do you not understand? When you make the liturgy about your needs, then, I am afraid that you have completely missed the point of the Salvific Mysteries that we come to celebrate week after week. Instead of trying to invent something new, why not read what the Church has said?
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There is only one thing that I am trying to “invent” and that is a new name to replace the label “acension”. I do not believe that a name/label developed from a third century world view and cosmology helps lead people into the “Salvific Mysteries” that I do celebrate and treasure. If a litergy is not about people’s needs what is it about? If the language used does not lead people into the meaning of the litergy whose needs are being met? Oh well, I think change will happen since we are members of a living church (Thursday to Sunday change) but I morn for those who will miss the true meaning of Christ in the world and our role in his continued mission because of language and labels that fail to communicate.
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Heaven is a place. So is hell. The great thing about Catholicism is that what was true in the 3rd Century is still true now.

Aside from you, I have never met anyone who could not understand the concept of the ascension. Christ rose to heaven, body and soul, in a visible and physical manner before a crowd of five hundred people. Did they simply invent the story, or perhaps suffer a mass hallucination from some bad falafel?
 
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