Ascension, St. Joseph, Our Lady and May Day All Rolled into One

Grant, we beseech Thee, almighty God,
that we will believe Thine only-begotten Son our Redeemer
to have ascended this day into heaven,
may ourselves dwell in spirit amid heavenly things.

My husband expressed annoyance at the fact that his Catholic school doesn't have today off. I reminded him that it wasn't a Holy Day of Obligation here. When I was growing up, there were about six states in the West where it wasn't obligatory, but it was everywhere else. Now, I think it is only obligatory in certain states in the Northeast.

We don't have any plans to celebrate St. Joseph the Worker. We will celebrate May Day tomorrow at the First Friday Mass at my husband's school, which is also when we will kick-start the month of celebrating Mary. Today, however, we will go to Mass to commemorate Our Lord ascending 40 days after His resurrection. Then on Sunday we will go to Mass to commemorate Our Lord ascending 43 days after His resurrection. Heh.