Ascension Catholic Church

ASCENSION DAILY PRAYER AUGUST 12, 2026

Amen, I say to you,
whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven,
and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Again, amen, I say to you, if two of you agree on earth
about anything for which they are to pray,
it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father.
For where two or three are gathered together in my name,
there am I in the midst of them." MATTHEW 18: 18-20

Unlike Matthew 16:19 where Peter alone receives the keys of the kingdom, Matthew 18:18 extends the power of binding and loosing to the collective body of the apostles. This verse is often used as the basis for the Sacrament of Reconciliation. This healing sacrament of confessing our sins out loud to the priest, restores our relationship with God and our Church community.

An important part of our healing is the “penance” the priest imposes in reparation for our sins. Raised up from sin, the sinner must still recover his full spiritual health by doing something more to make amends for the sin: he must “make satisfaction for” or “expiate” his sins. This satisfaction is also called “penance.”

When one finishes Confession one leaves free, grand, beautiful, forgiven, candid, happy. This is the beauty of Confession!
– Pope Francis –

Bless me Father, for I have sinned. AMEN

ASCENSION DAILY PRAYER August 11, 2026
Memorial of Saint Clare, Virgin
c. 1193–1253
Patron Saint of the Poor Clares, embroiderers, goldworkers, laundry workers, needleworkers, telephones, and television
Invoked against eye diseases and for good weather
Canonized by Pope Alexander IV in 1255

He called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said,
“Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children,
you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven.
Whoever becomes humble like this child
is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.
And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me. MATTHEW 18: 2-5

Clare Offreduccio, born to a high-ranking noble family in the quaint Italian town of Assisi, was the eldest of three daughters. Raised in a grand palace in Assisi and a castle on the nearby slope of Mount Subasio, the girls were nurtured in their faith by their devout Catholic parents, especially their mother. From an early age, they led a life of prayer. When Clare was twelve, her parents, adhering to the customs of the time, intended to arrange a marriage for her with a wealthy nobleman. However, Clare expressed her desire to wait until she turned eighteen, to which her parents agreed. When Clare was nearing her eighteenth birthday, she attended a Lenten mission at the church of San Giorgio in Assisi, preached by Brother Francis (of Assisi). The mission resonated deeply with Clare, and she felt God calling her to join Francis and his brothers by forming a women’s branch of their new order.

Along with several of her sisters, she formed the Poor Ladies of San Damiano, which after her death became the Poor Clares. The Poor Ladies of San Damiano led a life of extreme poverty, manual labor, and almost complete silence under the rule of Brother Francis, which they strictly followed for the first few years. Unlike the friars, the Poor Ladies remained cloistered, instead of traveling and preaching. This newly formed order, like the Franciscan friars, was groundbreaking in its vocation, particularly its strict rule of poverty. They follow this religious life still today. Despite her hidden life, Saint Clare’s holiness was widely known, so much so that the pope came to Assisi to celebrate her funeral. She was canonized just two years later. St. Clare, pray for us. AMEN

ASCENSION DAILY PRAYER August 10, 2026
Feast of Saint Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr
Patron Saint of cooks, chefs, bakers, firefighters, Deacons, librarians, comedians

Jesus said to his disciples:
Whoever loves his life loses it,
and whoever hates his life in this world
will preserve it for eternal life. JOHN 12: 25

The scripture for today describes St. Lawrence, who is honored by the Church with a Feast day, rather than a memorial, which puts him on par with the apostles. This famous martyr of Rome lived in the third century. He was one of seven deacons who oversaw giving help to the poor and the needy. Then big trouble started and the troublemakers who did not like Christians decided to kill Pope St.Sixtus II. As they took the Pope away for ex*****on (to chop off his head), Lawrence followed him weeping. "Father, where are you going without your deacon?" The Pope answered, "I am not leaving you, my son, in three days you will follow me." Full of joy, Lawrence gave to the poor the rest of the money he had with him. He even sold expensive church vessels so he would have more money to give away. The prefect of Rome, a greedy man, thought the Church had a great fortune hidden away. He ordered Lawrence to bring the Church's treasure to him. The saint said he would, in three days. Then he went through the city and gathered together all the poor and sick people supported by the Church. He showed them to the prefect and said: "These people are the Church's treasure." The prefect was furious. In his anger he asked them to kill Lawrence slowly so he would suffer more. The saint was tied on top of an iron grill over a slow fire that roasted him. God gave him so much strength and joy that Lawrence joked with the judge saying "Turn me over, I’m done on this side." Before he died, he prayed that the city of Rome might be converted to Jesus. He prayed that the Catholic faith would spread all over the world.

St. Lawrence, pray for us. AMEN

ASCENSION DAILY PRAYER August 9, 2026

R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
I will hear what God proclaims;
the LORD — for he proclaims peace.
Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him,
glory dwelling in our land.
R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
Kindness and truth shall meet;
justice and peace shall kiss.
Truth shall spring out of the earth,
and justice shall look down from heaven.
R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
The LORD himself will give his benefits;
our land shall yield its increase.
Justice shall walk before him,
and prepare the way of his steps.
R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation. PSALM 85

Catholic scholars view the text as a profound prophecy of the Incarnation of Jesus Christ, celebrating God's mercy, the forgiveness of sins, and the ultimate harmony between divine justice and peace. The Church frequently uses this psalm in prayer (the Liturgy of the Hours) to ask God for spiritual renewal, national peace, and perseverance in grace. Verses 11–12 ("Mercy and truth have met each other; justice and peace have kissed") are read by Church Fathers like St. Irenaeus and St. Augustine as a vivid portrait of Christ. In Christ, God’s mercy meets human reality, and His truth is revealed. Justice and peace embrace at the Cross, where sin is pardoned and reconciliation is achieved. Catholic tradition sees "Truth springing from the earth" as a poetic prophecy of Christ being born of the Virgin Mary—human flesh taking on the divine life of truth.

What beautiful words of this Psalm for our Sunday worship! “Lord, let us see Your kindness, and grant us Your salvation.” AMEN!

ASCENSION DAILY PRAYER August 8, 2026
Memorial of Saint Dominic, Priest
1170–1221
Patron Saint of astronomers, scientists, and those falsely accused
Canonized by Pope Gregory IX in 1234

He said to them, “Because of your little faith.
Amen, I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed,
you will say to this mountain,
‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move.
Nothing will be impossible for you.” MATTHEW 17: 20

The Memorial of Saint Dominic is celebrated annually on August 8. It honors the 13th-century Spanish priest and founder of the Order of Preachers (Dominicans), who dedicated his life to theological study, itinerant preaching, and defending Church teachings through truth and poverty. His prayerful and humble spirit, coupled with his wise words, saved many souls. As the Gospel scripture for his memorial says, St. Dominic had great faith and as a result, God used him in miraculous ways.

God performed a number of miracles through Father Dominic. Some of those miracles resulted in conversion and new followers. As time went on, Father Dominic began to write a rule of life for himself and his companions. In 1215, with the permission of the Bishop of Toulouse, Father Dominic founded a new order of men, dedicated to evangelization through prayer, study, and poverty. Like the newly formed Franciscans, they sought to institute a new form of religious life. They did not live as monks, canons, or diocesan priests. Instead, they lived a combination of the three. They lived communally; prayed together; embraced poverty, obedience, and chastity; studied the faith; and then set out on missions of preaching and evangelizing, later returning to their community house where they remained grounded and were renewed in their mission. The following year, Pope Honorius III gave formal consent to the order. Thus, the Order of Preachers, also known as the Dominicans, was established.

St. Dominic, pray for us. Amen.

ASCENSION DAILY PRAYER August 7, 2026

Jesus said to his disciples,
“Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself,
take up his cross, and follow me.
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. MATTHEW 16: 24-25

Jesus outlines the core law of Christian discipleship: to follow Him, we must deny our self-centeredness, take up our daily cross, and lose our life for His sake to truly find eternal fulfillment and salvation. Jesus walked the path of suffering first before entering His glory. Giving your life away out of love for Christ opens the door to eternal life and true self-discovery. In the Mass, Christ gives Himself to us completely, giving us grace to carry our own crosses.

Do you ever wonder how confused the first disciples must have been when trying to grasp their Master’s teaching? Yet, they trusted Him, gave up their ways of life and followed Him. He asks us to do the same for Him today, but are we willing to make those sacrifices? To be His disciple in our secular world is not the easy way, but it is the way that we must strive for to share His message and build His kingdom. Stay close to Him through Mass, scripture, and prayer. Let Him lead your heart, mind and soul in His truth.

Jesus Christ, You are my Lord and my God. AMEN

ASCENSION DAILY PRAYER August 6, 2026
Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord

Jesus took Peter, James, and his brother, John,
and led them up a high mountain by themselves.
And he was transfigured before them;
his face shone like the sun
and his clothes became white as light.
And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them,
conversing with him. MATTHEW 17:1-3

The date marks the historic dedication of the early basilica on Mount Tabor, believed to be the site of the event. All three of the Synoptic Gospels record the event of the Lord’s Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1–8, Mark 9:2–8, Luke 9:28–36). Jesus took His three closest companions, Peter, James, and John, up a high mountain. There He was transfigured before them, radiating pure white light, conversing with Moses and Elijah, and being affirmed in His identity by the Father. Jesus appeared with Moses (representing the Law) and Elijah (representing the Prophets). When God proclaims that Jesus is His beloved Son, this affirms that Jesus doesn’t replace the teaching of Moses and the Prophets, but rather, He fulfills the Word.

This event was likely meant to reinforce His disciples’ faith after a week of pondering Jesus’ foretold suffering and death, along with His exhortation that they must follow Him. The Transfiguration affirmed Jesus’ divinity and His relationship with the revered figures of Moses and Elijah. Furthermore, the Father in Heaven confirmed Jesus as His divine Son with whom He was well pleased.

Jesus, my Lord and my God. AMEN

ASCENSION DAILY PRAYER August 5, 2026
Memorial of the Dedication of the Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome
Our Lady of the Snows

Your deed of hope will never be forgotten
by those who tell of the might of God.
R. You are the highest honor of our race. JUDITH 13: 19

The Memorial of the Dedication of the Basilica of Saint Mary Major is celebrated yearly on August 5. It honors the founding of the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major (Santa Maria Maggiore) in Rome, the largest Western church dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

It is the oldest major Marian shrine in the Western world. The current 5th-century structure was built by Pope Sixtus III shortly after the 431 AD Council of Ephesus affirmed Mary as Theotokos (Mother of God). It stands as one of the four principal papal basilicas of Rome, retaining its ancient 4th-to-5th-century core architecture and stunning historic mosaics.

Tradition states that the Virgin Mary appeared in a dream to a wealthy, childless Roman couple and Pope Liberius in 352 AD. She asked for a church to be built where snow fell on an August morning. On August 5, snow miraculously fell on the summit of the Esquiline Hill. The feast was historically named Our Lady of the Snows. Today, during the feast day Mass, white rose petals are dropped from the basilica's ceiling to recreate the memory of the miraculous snow. The church houses the famous Salus Populi Romani (Protectress of Rome) icon, deeply venerated by many popes, including Pope Francis, who is buried there.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us. AMEN