Rainbow Clouds – Blisswood

Follow the Sun

Overshadowed by a massive tree, glimpses of Light dapple marigolds growing below. Throughout the course of the day, they determinedly turn their heads to follow the sun, nonetheless.

…I am with you and no one can be against you! ~ Ascension Kontakion

Turn your face toward light, O child of light. The Father of Light calls you with a fiery Love. ~ St. Nikolai Velimirovic

O Lord Jesus Christ! You are my medicine when I am sick; You are my strength when I need help; You are Life itself when I fear death; You are Light when all is dark. ~ St. Ambrose of Milan

None of us are immune to the squalls and storms of life. Each of us have our own personal, physical, mental, and spiritual health battles to contend with.

Many people experience (including myself), that the healing strength of tears, along with the application of Faith and therapeutic practicalities of proper medicine, can heal, can shrink the root(s) of our problems, thus adjusting the sizes of (all the) crosses we’re struggling to bear.

…That’s all part of it, but it’s done together with faith; it’s done together with prayer to God. They’re not opposed to each other; they go together... But all the time, nevertheless, we believe that our life is in the hands of God. It can be in the hands of physicians that God had created, God had formed, and God has sent to us for the sake of our healing... ~ Fr. Thomas Hopko

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. ~ St. Matthew 11:28-30

The Gladsome Light of Christ surrounds us – regardless of the swirling changes in spiritual weather! Keep looking UP with our heart’s eyes, and remember to breathe in the heavenly air…

Follow the Son above those clouds – for Christ has Ascended to the right Hand of the Father.

May we consciously let go of our banes to embrace all blessings and help, by glorifying Him… in Light and Love!

Wishing you a Blessed Afterfeast of the Ascension!

Below is a lovely, simple, uplifting secular song, one of my favourites. Hope you enjoy it too. One could interchange thoughts on some of the words Sun for Son, as in Sonshine…

Glory to Thine Ascension

Image by Thanasis Papazacharias from Pixabay

Greetings on the Feast of The Ascension!

Christ Has Ascended!

In Glory… From Earth to Heaven!

You were born, our God, in a manner of Your own choosing. You appeared and suffered in the flesh as You willed. Through Your resurrection You conquered death and ascended into glory, fulfilling all things; You sent down the divine Spirit upon us, therefore in songs we praise Your divinity. ~ St. Romanos the Melodist

And now we, who before were considered unfit to dwell even upon the earth are being raised up to heaven, ascending with Christ to the heavenly kingdom. ~ St. John Chrysostom

Let us climb the Mount of Olives today in our hearts, and joyfully raise our minds on high beholding the Lord ascending into the heavens… Glory to Thine Ascension, O most greatly merciful One!

And Ascended Into the Heavens…

Icon of The Ascension of our Lord was written by a parish founder, of eternal memory

Christ has Ascended!

From Earth to Heaven, in Glory!

Some Ascension Day Traditions

…And on the third day He arose again, according to the Scriptures, and ascended into the Heavens, and sitteth at the right hand of the Father...~ The Creed

Today is the fulfillment of Pascha, and the joyful revelation of our destiny in Christ. On the fortieth day after His glorious Resurrection, our Lord Jesus Christ ascended into heaven to be glorified on the right hand of God ~ Acts 1:9-11; Mark 16:19

… and lifting his hands he blessed them. While blessing them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. And they returned to Jerusalem with great joy. ~ Luke 24:51-52

Happy Ascension Day of our Lord… and there’s more jubilation coming! Ten days from now is the Great Feast of Pentecost!

How beautiful is the Mystery of Today. And Everyday.

Christ Has Ascended!

Ascension Icon, 6th century – St. Catherine’s Monastery, Mt. Sinai

Traditional Ascension Greeting: “Christ has Ascended!“

The Feast Day of Christ’s Ascension comes forty days after Pascha. Today from the Mount of Olives, the risen Lord ascends to Paradise upon a Divine Cloud! He ascends in the Flesh, to the place where He Was before Time.

Some Ascension Customs

Of course, if at all possible, the most important thing to do on the Ascension, is to attend Divine Liturgy!

As with any Great Feast, those who have to work on this day try to give some of their earnings to the poor.

Cloud-watching today is popular, as Christ went up in a cloud. If the weather is good, some go for a mountain hike, as Jesus went up the Mount of Olives for the Ascension. Throw a blanket on the grass or scrub, lay back, enjoy the clouds (search for a Lamb-shape), and have a picnic. If there are white wildflowers available to pick and you’re not too far from home, pick a few and bring them home to your icon corner. If you live where there are olive trees, a few branches are also collected for the icon bouquet.

Last year on the Ascension, there were rainbow clouds in our area, and a super large one was shaped like the Greek letter Omega!

Clergy traditionally wear white vestments today. Some lay people also wear white on the Ascension – because of the clouds, and decorate their icon corner with white flowers.

It’s also a custom to take a dip in the ocean on the Ascension, as the sea draws its water from the clouds.

On the Ascension, farmers share the milk with friends, neighbours and relatives. Remaining milk is used to make the traditional rice pudding.

Here’s something sweet and new… Some families make “Cloud Cookies” for the Ascension. Bake a flat sugar cookie, and after cooling, decorate the top with blue icing for the sky, and then pop a few white mini marshmallows on top, as clouds.

An old English country custom was to collect rainwater if it rained on the Ascension, and drink it. I tried this once. However, as I live in the city, rainwater from the overhead clouds tasted a bit odd… so I shared the remainder with my thirsty garden!

Traditional response for the Ascension greeting is, “From Earth to Heaven!”

His footprint is imprinted into the rock and can be seen in the Chapel of the Ascension, which was built over the spot.

How beautiful is the Mystery of Today!

From Earth to Heaven!

Christ has Ascended! From earth to heaven with glory! Happy Ascension Day!

Thou wast taken up on a cloud of light and saved the world… ~ Troparia Ode 7, Ascension

…And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. ~ Acts 1:10-11

Dazzling rainbow-coloured clouds appeared in the sunny sky today- keeping with the situation. There were pinks, golds, and greens. One of the clouds seemed to resemble the Greek letter “Omega.”

I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. ~ Revelation 1:8

Thank you Irena for sharing the pictures.

Troparion:
Thou hast ascended in glory, O Christ our God,
and gladdened Thy disciples with the promise of the Holy Spirit;
and they were assured by the blessing that Thou art the Son of God and Redeemer of the world.

Kontakion:
When Thou hadst fulfilled Thy dispensation for our sakes, uniting things on earth with the Heavens,
Thou didst ascend in glory, O Christ our God,
departing not hence but remaining inseparable from us, and crying until them that love Thee:
I am with you and no one can be against you.