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Catholic Man Moment

Topic: Wisdom of the Heart

May 12 2024

Ascension Sunday or

Seventh Sunday of Easter

Ascension: Year B, Mark 16:15-20: The Lord Jesus was taken up into heaven and took his seat at the right hand of God.

Seventh Sunday: Year B, John 17:11b-17: That they may be one just as we are one!

In His prayer before His crucifixion, Jesus prays that His disciples will remain united as one, just as He and the Father are one. He asks God to protect His disciples and keep them safe from the evil one. Jesus prays not only for His current disciples, but also for all believers who will come to have faith in Him because of the disciples' message. His desire is for all of His followers to experience perfect unity, just as He shares unity with the Father. Jesus concludes His prayer by asking God to sanctify believers with the truth, which is God's word.

The Ascension of Jesus Christ, which the Church celebrates this Sunday, confirms our faith that we will share in His resurrection and ascension to heaven. Just as Christ rose from the dead in His glorified human body, we believe that we will also rise with new, immortal bodies. Jesus' Ascension to the right hand of the Father guarantees that we have a place prepared for us in heaven. When our earthly life ends, we will begin our true eternal life of happiness in God's heavenly kingdom. All who trust in Christ can look forward with hope to the day when they too will ascend to their true home with God.

This Sunday is also World Communications Day. Pope Francis announced the theme for the 58th World Communications Day, to be held in 2024 as Artificial intelligence and wisdom of the heart: for a fully human communication.

The holy Father says in a nutshell, the advancement of artificial intelligence systems has made communicating through machines feel natural. It has become difficult to distinguish machine-generated language from human language. Like other revolutions based on AI, this poses challenges to ensure machines do not spread misinformation or increase loneliness in isolated people by replacing warm human communication. The Pope says .. It is important to guide AI and algorithms so each individual is responsible for how they use and develop different communication forms on social media and the internet. Communication needs to be oriented towards enhancing human life in a fuller way

In my work with CMCS, I've noticed a growing role for artificial intelligence in various contexts, from blog posts to email newsletters and images. Its impact is profound and transformative, unlike anything we've seen before. However, Pope Francis emphasizes the need to maintain a balance, as we risk becoming overly reliant on technology at the expense of our humanity. He suggests that understanding our current era and its technological advancements requires a spiritual perspective and a return to the wisdom of the heart. This wisdom, a gift from the Holy Spirit, allows us to view the world with divine insight, revealing connections and uncovering the true meaning of situations and events. It is accessible to those who seek it and is visible to those who cherish it.

As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly prevalent, it's crucial that we work together to enhance our ability to discern and stay vigilant, ensuring that we maintain a human-centered perspective. By seeking the wisdom that existed before all things (Sir 1:4), we can effectively utilize artificial intelligence to support authentic and meaningful communication. This wisdom will guide us in using technology in a way that aligns with our humanity, rather than allowing it to lead us astray.

Gospel

Mk 16:15-20

Jesus said to his disciples:

“Go into the whole world

and proclaim the gospel to every creature.

Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved;

whoever does not believe will be condemned.

These signs will accompany those who believe:

in my name they will drive out demons,

they will speak new languages.

They will pick up serpents with their hands,

and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them.

They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

So then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them,

was taken up into heaven

and took his seat at the right hand of God.

But they went forth and preached everywhere,

while the Lord worked with them

and confirmed the word through accompanying signs.

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/051224-Ascension.cfm