MEMORIAL OF SAINT PASCHAL BAYLON, RELIGIOUS AND BLESSED ANTONIA MESINA,  VIRGIN AND MARTYR ~ FEAST DAY: MAY 17TH 2026

SOLEMNITY OF THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/solemnity-of-the-ascension-of-our-lord-jesus-christ-ascension-thursday-2/

[This Solemnity is transferred to Sunday, May 17, 2026 in many dioceses across the United States and several parts of the world for pastoral reasons.]

SEVENTH SUNDAY OF EASTER | YEAR A | MAY 17, 2026 | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/seventh-sunday-of-easter-year-a-may-17-2026/

SAINTS OF THE DAY | MAY 17, 2026 | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/saints-of-the-day-feast-day-may-17th/

MEMORIAL OF SAINT PASCHAL BAYLON, RELIGIOUS AND BLESSED ANTONIA MESINA,  VIRGIN AND MARTYR

History of the Saints | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/category/saints-of-the-day

Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary | EWTN | May 17, 2026 | “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | Pray “Holy Rosary Novena From Lourdes” | Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy in song from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/catholic-daily-mass-may-17-2026/

NOVENA TO THE HOLY SPIRIT: Prayed in preparation for Pentecost. Began on Friday, May 15, 2026 – Saturday, May 23, 2026 | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/the-novena-to-the-holy-spirit/

Day Three – Sunday | 7th Week of Easter | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/the-novena-to-the-holy-spirit-day-3/

[This Novena begins on the day after the Solemnity of the Ascension, Friday of the 6th Week of Easter, even if the Solemnity of the Ascension is transferred to the 7th Sunday.]

DAILY PRAYERS: St. Michael the Archangel Prayer; Regina Caeli Prayer; and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy Prayer | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/st-michael-the-archangel-prayer-angelus-prayer-and-the-chaplet-of-divine-mercy-prayer/

Pope Leo XIV’s Historic Apostolic Journey to Africa | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/live-updates-pope-leo-xivs-historic-apostolic-journey-to-africa/

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Greetings beloved family and Happy Feast of Ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ!

Alleluia! Go and teach all nations, says the Lord; I am with you always, until the end of the world. Alleluia! Today, the Church erupts in a chorus of exultant praise on this magnificent Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord. As we enter Day Three of the Novena to the Holy Spirit, we reach a glorious pinnacle in the Easter season. Our King does not abandon us; rather, He mounts His heavenly throne amid trumpet blasts to fill the universe with His dynamic presence. Accompanying us on this great feast day is a beautiful cloud of witnesses: Saint Paschal Baylon, the humble shepherd boy who became a fiery adorer of the Blessed Sacrament, and Blessed Antonia Mesina, the courageous youth who defended her purity to her final breath.

In today’s Gospel, we stand with the eleven disciples on the mountain in Galilee. With striking transparency, the Scripture notes that when they saw the Risen Lord, “they worshiped, but they doubted.” How deeply reassuring it is to know that Jesus does not wait for us to have flawless, doubt-free faith before he uses us! Instead, He steps closer, wraps our hesitation in His cosmic authority, and issues the Great Commission: “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations.” He backs this massive mandate with the ultimate guarantee of divine accompaniment: “Behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” The First Reading reminds us that the Ascension is the vital, necessary trigger for Pentecost. As the cloud takes Jesus from the Apostles’ sight, two angels challenge them with a question that echoes down to us today: “Why are you standing there looking at the sky?” The angels are redirecting the Church from passive looking to active movement. Christ has entered the heavenly sanctuary so that we can stop staring upward in grief and start carrying His witness downward to the absolute ends of the earth. As Saint Paul beautifully proclaims in the Second Reading, Christ is now the exalted Head of the Church, ruling far above every earthly or spiritual authority, equipping us with a Spirit of wisdom and revelation. Looking to our saints today, we see this ascending joy put into practice. Saint Paschal shows us that the same Jesus who ascended into glory remains intimately close and vulnerable to us in the Holy Eucharist. Blessed Antonia reminds us that the power of the Spirit can grant a young person the radical courage to stand firm in virtue against the violent storms of the world. As we continue this Novena to the Advocate, let us drop the anchors of fear and doubt. May we step out into our daily missions, confident that the One who fills all things in every way is walking right beside us. Amen. 🙏🏽

The disciples worshiped, yet they still wrestled with lingering human doubts, and Jesus commissioned them anyway. As we pray for a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit today, what doubts or insecurities are you holding onto that you need to surrender to Christ’s cosmic power?

SOLEMNITY OF THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST: The Solemnity of the Ascension of Our Lord is celebrated on the 40th day after Easter Sunday, also called Ascension Thursday. It is a Holy Day of Obligation, and among the oldest and most solemn feasts on the liturgical calendar. The Feast of the Ascension commemorates the Ascension of Christ into heaven, according to Mark 16:19, Luke 24:51, and Acts 1:2. On this feast day, we remember the Ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ into Heaven to the ‘right hand of the Father’. This feast day is important to Christians as the ascension shows that Jesus not only overcame death but that He will live forever. It falls ten days from the end of the Eastertide period, a period which is joyous in tone as Christians celebrate the “glorious risen Christ”. After Jesus’ Resurrection from the dead, He continued to appear to His disciples for a period of 40 days. After this time, with His Apostles gathered around Him on the Mount of Olives, Jesus was taken up bodily into heaven, as recorded in the Gospels. To comfort them in His physical absence, He promised to send them a Consoler and Advocate, the Holy Spirit, to be with them and to guide them into all truth until the end of the world.

In the Eastern Church this feast was known as analepsis, “the taking up”, and also as the episozomene, the salvation, denoting that by ascending into His glory, Christ completed the work of our redemption. The terms used in the West, ascensio and, occasionally, ascensa, signify that Christ was raised up by His own powers. Tradition designates Mount Olivet near Bethany as the place where Christ left the earth. The feast falls on Thursday. It is one of the Ecumenical feasts ranking with the feasts of the Passion, of Easter and of Pentecost among the most solemn in the calendar. The feast has a vigil and, since the fifteenth century, an octave which is set apart for a novena of preparation for Pentecost, in accordance with the directions of Leo XIII.

Traditionally the Ascension of Our Lord was held 40 days after Easter, falling on a Thursday. In the United States, the ecclesiastical provinces of Boston, Hartford, New York, Newark, Omaha, and Philadelphia have retained the celebration of the Solemnity of the Ascension on the proper Thursday. However in most dioceses in the United States and in many dioceses in the world the observance of the Solemnity of the Ascension is transferred to the following Sunday, this year it’s celebrated on May 17, 2026 superseding the 7th Sunday of Easter.

Save Us, Savior of the World 🙏🏽

BIBLE READINGS FOR TODAY’S HOLY MASS:

Seventh Week of Easter | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading

Today’s Bible Readings: Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord | May 17, 2026
Reading I: Acts 1:1–11
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 47:2–3, 6–7, 8–9
Reading II: Ephesians 1:17–23
Gospel: Matthew 28:16–20

Gospel Reading ~ Matthew 28:16–20

“All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations.”

The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them. When they saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted. Then Jesus approached and said to them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”

SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS

In the Gospel, the Great Commission unfolds on a mountain in Galilee, serving as the definitive turning point where Christ transfers His earthly mission to the Church. This reflection centers on the Coexistence of Worship and Doubt. Matthew notes with striking honesty that when the disciples saw the Risen Lord, “they worshiped, but they doubted.” Jesus does not rebuke them for their lingering hesitation or human fragility. Instead, He steps closer and answers their hidden anxieties with an absolute declaration of His cosmic sovereignty: “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” By commanding them to move forward despite their lingering uncertainties, Jesus reveals that holy mission does not require flawless human comprehension, but rather an active, obedient step of faith.

This passage also highlights the enduring reality of Divine Accompaniment. The Ascension is not an eviction or an absence; it is a shift from localized physical presence to universal, spiritual intimacy. Jesus guarantees His followers, “Behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” He sends them to baptize all nations into the interior life of the Holy Trinity—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—assuring them that the authoritative weight of His cosmic power stands completely behind their daily labor.

The First Reading provides the historical and physical narrative of this glorious departure. As the Apostles query Him about an earthly, political restoration for Israel, Jesus gently pivots their focus away from speculating about times and seasons toward the incoming Power of the Holy Spirit. The Ascension is the necessary catalyst for Pentecost. As a cloud carries Him out of their physical sight, two angelic figures intercept their longing gazes with a crucial challenge: “Why are you standing there looking at the sky?” The angels redirect their focus from passive looking to active movement. Christ’s departure into the heavenly sanctuary is a vibrant signal for the Church to stop staring upward in grief and start carrying His witness downward to the absolute ends of the earth, confident that He will return in the exact same glory.

The Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 47) serves as the ultimate liturgical celebration of this cosmic event: “God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.” It invites the global human family to clap their hands and sing hymns of praise, recognizing that the ascending King of glory has permanently established His reign over all nations.

The Second Reading (Ephesians 1) illuminates the ultimate theological weight of where Jesus went. Paul prays that we may receive a Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation to truly comprehend the surpassing greatness of God’s might. God did not merely raise Christ from the dead; He seated Him at His right hand in the heavens, placing Him far above every earthly or spiritual principality, authority, and dominion. Christ is the exalted Head over all things for the benefit of the Church, which functions dynamically as His mystical Body—the earthly extension of the One who fills all things in every way.

As we move through this beautiful Solemnity, let us reflect on our role in Christ’s ongoing mission. Reflect today: Are you holding back from serving God because you feel your faith is mixed with human doubt or hesitation? Can you trust that Jesus is approaching you right now, telling you that His power is greater than your weakness? Are you standing still, looking at the skies of your past or your difficulties, or are you actively stepping out to be a witness to those around you? How can you rest today in the absolute certainty that He is with you always?

Let us pray: Lord Jesus, King of Glory, we marvel at Your triumphant Ascension to the right hand of the Father, where You rule above every power and name. Forgive us for the times we stand still in fear or doubt. Pour out upon us a Spirit of wisdom and revelation, that the eyes of our hearts may be fully enlightened to the hope of Your calling. Empower us by the Holy Spirit to be bold witnesses of Your Resurrection in our daily lives, trusting completely in Your promise to remain with us always, even to the end of the age. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. 🙏🏽

SAINTS OF THE DAY | MAY 17TH:

Link to Saints of the Day with Daily Reflections | May 17th https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com

Direct link to the detailed history of Saint Paschal Baylon, and Blessed Antonia Mesina | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/saints-of-the-day-feast-day-may-17th/

SAINT PASCHAL BAYLON, RELIGIOUS: Saint Paschal Baylon (1540–1592) was a Spanish Franciscan lay brother who became the heavenly patron of Eucharistic societies. Born into poverty on Pentecost Sunday, he spent his youth as a simple, deeply pious shepherd boy who carried a book into the hills, begging passersby to teach him the alphabet so he could learn to read. Embracing a life of absolute poverty and constant penance, he entered the Reformed Franciscans as a humble lay brother, refusing rich monasteries. He was renowned for his fierce defense of the faith against heresy and his overwhelming devotion to the Holy Eucharist; he was once favored with a celestial vision of a chalice and Host flanked by adoring angels. His entire life proved his own profound words: “God is as really present in the consecrated Host as He is in the glory of Heaven.”

PRAYER: God, You filled Saint Paschal with a wondrous love for the mysteries of Your Body and Blood. May we draw from this Divine Banquet the same spiritual riches he received, and grant us his profound humility to serve You in poverty of spirit. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. 🙏🏽

BLESSED ANTONIA MESINA, VIRGIN AND MARTYR: Blessed Antonia Mesina (1919–1935) was a courageous Italian youth and a dedicated member of Catholic Action on the island of Sardinia. The second of ten children born to a poor family, she cheerfully left school to handle heavy domestic chores and care for her bedridden mother, who lovingly called her “the flower of my life.” At just sixteen years old, while gathering firewood in a forest after Holy Mass, Antonia was brutally assaulted by a teenage attacker. Defending her virtue and purity to her very last breath, she suffered seventy-four crushing blows with a stone, enduring a martyrdom akin to that of Saint Maria Goretti. She remains an enduring icon of moral courage, sacrificial love for family, and unyielding faith for the youth of the modern world.

PRAYER: Hear us, O God Our Savior, as we honor Blessed Antonia Mesina, patroness of our youth and victims of violence. Through her intercession, grant us the purity of heart to resist temptation, the strength to stand firm in virtue, and Your divine protection over all who are vulnerable. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. 🙏🏽

Our Blessed Mother Mary, Saint Paschal Baylon, and Blessed Antonia Mesina — pray for us. 🙏🏽

HONORING THE SAINTS OF THE DAY:
As we look to the examples of St. Paschal Baylon and Blessed Antonia Mesina today, we also unite our hearts with the wider cloud of witnesses celebrated on this May 17th. We honor the diverse lives of St. Madern, St. Adrio, St. Maidulf, St. Cathan, St. Restituta, St. Giulia Salzano, St. Thethmar, and St. Heradius. Though their journeys across history differed—ranging from hidden lives of quiet prayer to courageous acts of public faith—they share a single, timeless devotion to God. Mentioning them reminds us that the path to holiness is broad and welcoming, inviting each of us to live out our faith uniquely in our own daily lives.

PRAYER INTENTION: FOR VOCATIONS TO THE PRIESTHOOD, THE PROTECTION OF YOUTH, DEEPER EUCHARISTIC ADORATION, AND EMPOWERMENT FOR MISSION

On this glorious Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord, as we reach Day Three of the Novena to the Holy Spirit, we lift up our hearts to Christ, who is seated in majesty at the right hand of the Father. Grounded in today’s Scripture, we acknowledge that while we often face human doubts and transitions, All Power has been given to our King. We pray that our eyes may be enlightened to look away from the skies of passive fear and step boldly into the world as His witnesses, asking that our current struggles be transformed into a complete, ascending joy. Lord, we pray for the Church, for an increase in vocations, and for deep Eucharistic reverence; through the intercession of Saint Paschal Baylon (Patron Saint of Eucharistic congresses, Eucharistic associations, cooks, shepherds, male children, and priesthood vocations), raise up dedicated, humble leaders from our families to serve as priests, religious, and lay ministers. Ignite within our seminarians an ardent love for the Holy Eucharist, and grant that, like Paschal, we may always recognize Your real, powerful presence in the Blessed Sacrament. We pray for the protection of our youth and for all victims of violence; through the intercession of Blessed Antonia Mesina (Patroness of rape victims, youth, Nuoro, and Orgosolo), protect the moral purity and physical safety of our young people. We lift up all victims of rape, sexual abuse, and domestic violence, asking that the Holy Spirit bring healing to their trauma, justice to their situations, and the comforting assurance that they are never abandoned by Your great power. We pray for our families, local communities, and for physical and spiritual strength; as Jesus promises to be with us always until the end of the age, we ask that You bless the ordinary daily chores and labors of our homes. Grant strength to caregivers who look after bedridden relatives, just as Blessed Antonia faithfully did. Deliver our communities from the snares of spiritual apathy, and fill us with a spirit of wisdom and revelation to know the immense riches of Your inheritance. Finally, we pray for our spiritual leaders and for the spread of the Gospel to all nations; as we await the promise of the Father during this Novena, pour out the power of the Holy Spirit upon our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, our local Clergy, and all missionaries laboring in difficult places. Grant us the courage to fulfill the Great Commission, baptizing, teaching, and witnessing to the ends of the earth, confident that the One who fills all things in every way is walking with us always. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. 🙏🏽

PRAYER FOR PEACE | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/a-prayer-for-peace/

THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2026: FOR THE MONTH OF MAY: That Everyone Might Have Food. Pope Leo invites us to pray that no one might lack the food they need and that we might learn to live more responsibly, recognizing that the earth’s resources are a gift for everyone.

(https://popesprayerusa.net/popes-intentions/)

DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF MAY | MONTH OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY: May is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God and our spiritual Mother. This month invites the faithful to draw closer to Mary through prayer, reflection, and imitation of her virtues especially her humility, obedience, purity, and unwavering faith. As the first and most perfect disciple of Christ, Mary leads us gently but firmly to her Son. Throughout Church history, May has been a time to honor Mary with special devotions such as the Rosary, May Crownings, Marian processions, and prayers like the Litany of Loreto. The Church teaches that Mary, assumed body and soul into Heaven, intercedes for us as Queen of Heaven and Mother of the Church. During this month, we are called to renew our relationship with her and seek her maternal care in our joys, sorrows, and needs. Mary said “yes” to God’s plan with total trust: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38). Her faithful surrender encourages us to say “yes” to God’s will in our own lives. As we meditate on the mysteries of the Rosary and contemplate her role in salvation history, we grow in our love for her and our desire to follow Christ more closely.

In this beautiful month of blooming flowers, may our hearts also blossom with deeper devotion to the Mother of our Savior. Let us bring her our prayers, our homes, and our lives, asking her to accompany us with her love and protection.

“O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.”

Hail Mary, full of grace! Teach us to love Jesus as you loved Him. Cover us with your mantle of mercy, and help us to walk always in the light of your Son. Amen 🙏🏽

https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/month.cfm?y=2026&m=4

PRAYER FOR THE DEAD
We pray for the repose of the gentle souls of our loved ones and souls of all the faithful departed. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord. And let perpetual light shine upon them. May their gentle souls through the mercy of God rest in perfect peace with our Lord Jesus Christ… Amen 🙏🏽

Thanking God for His love and the gift of this glorious day, we offer Him a prayer of gratitude for the graces of the past month and entrust this month of May to His loving providence. We pray for God’s grace and mercy as we continue this season of Easter joy. May the Resurrection of Your Son help us to seek You in every moment of our lives. May the peace, hope, and steady guidance that flow from the empty tomb shape our steps, inform our decisions, and strengthen our resolve to live each day in the light of the Risen Christ. As we journey onward into this new month, may God bless our families and loved ones, and may His light continue to shine brightly in every home. Let us draw closer to God and be renewed through the joy of the Gospel and generosity to the poor. May God keep us all safe and well during these challenging times. Wishing us all a spiritually enriching, most blessed, and grace-filled Easter Season. Amen. 🙏🏽

Save Us, Savior of the World. Our Blessed Mother Mary, Saint Paschal Baylon, and Blessed Antonia Mesina ~ Pray for us 🙏🏾

Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you. Jesus, I trust in you! Immaculate Heart of Mary, Pray for us. Amen 🙏🏽

Blessings and Love always, Philomena 💖

DEVOTIONAL RESOURCES

A Guide to Catholic Prayer & Faith Resources: Prayers, Devotions, Teachings,and the Liturgical Year | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/catholic-prayer-faith-resources/

Catholic Mission & Witness: Foundations, Media Features, Global Outreach and Podcast Interview | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/catholic-mission-witness-foundations-media-features-and-global-outreach/

Daily Reflections with Philomena | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/