As Holy Church draws us into the sacred pause between the Ascension of Our Lord and the coming of the Holy Ghost at Pentecost, the readings for this Sunday—Dominica post Ascensionem—invite us to dwell in expectation, vigilance, and spiritual readiness. We are not abandoned; we are waiting. Not passively, but as a Church laboring in hope and charity, clothed in sobriety and prayer.
“The end of all is at hand.” — 1 Peter 4:7
St. Peter speaks with apostolic urgency: “The end of all is at hand. Be prudent therefore, and watch in prayers.” (1 Peter 4:7). This is no distant apocalyptic cry, but the voice of the Church always on the brink of eternity. As the Lord has ascended to the right hand of the Father, so now the Church must assume its stance as a vigilant bride, awaiting the return of her Bridegroom.
St. Cyprian of Carthage reminds us that this holy sobriety is the mark of Christian living:
“Let us give ourselves wholly to the fear of God and to charity… for our warfare is daily, and the crown of victory is promised only to those who persevere.” (De Lapsis, c. 12)
The Apostle’s exhortation to prayer, charity, and hospitality without murmuring (v. 9) finds its ultimate model in the early Church, where the coming of the Spirit at Pentecost was preceded by nine days of fervent prayer in the Upper Room. There, with Our Lady at the center, the Apostles learned what it meant to wait upon the Lord—not in idleness, but in unity, supplication, and mutual service.
“When the Paraclete comes…” — John 15:26
Our Lord’s words in the Gospel of St. John ring with solemn clarity. The Paraclete, the Spirit of Truth, will come—and not merely as a comforter, but as a witness, and as the One who will equip the disciples to bear witness even unto persecution. Here, the Church is being prepared not for ease, but for martyrdom.
St. John Chrysostom, commenting on this Gospel, wrote:
“He did not say: ‘that you may not suffer,’ but: ‘that you may not be scandalized’… for He foretells the struggle that the disciples may be armed with courage before the trial comes.” (Homilies on John, LXXVIII)
This period after the Ascension is therefore a school of fortitude. The Lord, having ascended, now draws His disciples into the mystery of suffering. He warns them—“They will put you out of the synagogues… whoever kills you will think he is offering worship to God.” (John 16:2). It is a sobering word, and yet not without comfort: “I have told you this, that when the hour comes, you may remember that I told you.” (v. 4)
Such remembrance is itself a gift of the Holy Spirit, who—as St. Augustine notes—teaches us not by new revelations, but by bringing to mind the truths Christ already spoke:
“The Holy Spirit shall teach you all things—not new doctrines, but what Christ had already said, bringing it to your remembrance and kindling it in your heart.” (In Joann. Tract. XCIV)
The Time Between: A Church at Watch
The post-Ascension Church is not an idle Church. It is a Church that prepares, that prays, that offers. St. Peter’s counsel to exercise the manifold graces of God in service to one another (1 Peter 4:10–11) becomes all the more poignant in this liturgical moment. The gifts of the Spirit are already being kindled; they await only the divine Fire that will descend at Pentecost.
Let us, then, in the spirit of the early Church, imitate the vigil in the Cenacle. Let us make room in our hearts for the descent of the Holy Ghost through prayer, silence, and sacrificial love. As St. Leo the Great beautifully preached on the mystery of the Ascension:
“Although He passed beyond our sight, yet we must keep our hearts directed to Him. For where the Head has gone before in glory, there the Body is called to follow in hope.” (Sermon 73, On the Ascension)
Practical Applications for the Week:
Join in a spiritual novena to the Holy Ghost in imitation of the Apostles, using traditional prayers or meditations on the Seven Gifts.
Practice silent prayer, especially before the Blessed Sacrament, as a way of cultivating openness to the Paraclete’s indwelling.
Perform a hidden act of charity each day—especially within one’s own household—as an offering of love in preparation for Pentecost.
Read or re-read Acts 1–2, meditating on the Apostolic Church’s transition from waiting to mission.
Conclusion
Dominica post Ascensionem is not a time of absence, but a time of preparation. It is the lull before the divine Wind stirs the Church into flame. Let us not waste these holy days. Let us, with Mary and the Apostles, persevere in prayer, charity, and sober watchfulness, so that when the Paraclete comes, He may find hearts ready to receive Him—and souls eager to bear witness unto the ends of the earth.
Veni, Sancte Spiritus. Emitte caelitus lucis tuae radium…
(Come, Holy Spirit. Send forth the radiance of Your heavenly light.)