May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, give you a Spirit of wisdom and revelation resulting in knowledge of him. These words from St. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians were among those we heard this past Thursday as we celebrated the Solemnity of the Lord’s Ascension into heaven. As shared in my homily on Thursday, I found these words somewhat challenging in the context of the feast. We marked the event of Jesus’ physical departure from the world with words from St. Paul that long for a greater knowledge of Christ. How can we know him if he is so distant? An article from Pew Research Center published on March 15, 2024 highlights that eight in ten Americans believe religion is losing its influence in public life. This perception is based on Pew's survey findings,...