The Solemnity of the Ascension of Our Lord
Penitential Act: Confiteor
I confess to almighty God and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and in what I have failed to do,
through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault;
Therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin, all the Angels and Saints; and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God.
-AND/OR-
Lord have Mercy,
Christ have Mercy,
Lord have Mercy
Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to people of good
Liturgy of the Word
1st Reading Acts 1:1-11
In the first book, Theophilus,
I dealt with all that
Jesus did and taught
until the day he was taken up,
after giving instructions
through the Holy Spirit
to the apostles whom
he had chosen.
He presented
himself alive to them
by many proofs after
he had suffered,
appearing to them
during forty days
and speaking about
the kingdom of God.
While meeting with them,
he enjoined them
not to depart from Jerusalem,
but to wait for
“the promise of the Father
about which you
have heard me speak;
for John baptized with water,
but in a few days
you will be baptized
with the Holy Spirit.”
When they had gathered
together they asked him,
“Lord, are you at this time
going to restore
the kingdom to Israel?”
He answered them,
“It is not for you to know
the times or seasons
that the Father has
established by his own authority.
But you will receive power
when the Holy Spirit
comes upon you,
and you will be my
witnesses in Jerusalem,
throughout Judea and Samaria,
and to the ends of the earth.”
When he had said this,
as they were looking on,
he was lifted up,
and a cloud took him
from their sight.
While they were looking intently
at the sky as he was going,
suddenly two men
dressed in white garments
stood beside them
They said,
“Men of Galilee,
why are you standing
there looking at the sky?
This Jesus who has been
taken up from you into heaven
will return in the same way
as you have seen him
going into heaven.”
The Word of the Lord,
~Thanks be to God
Responsorial Psalm Ps 47:2-3, 6-7, 8-9
R. God mounts his throne to shouts of joy:
a blare of trumpets for the Lord.
All you peoples, clap your hands,
shout to God with cries of gladness,
For the LORD, the Most High, the awesome,
is the great king over all the earth.
R. God mounts his throne to shouts of joy:
a blare of trumpets for the Lord.
God mounts his throne amid shouts of joy;
the LORD, amid trumpet blasts.
Sing praise to God, sing praise;
sing praise to our king, sing praise.
R. God mounts his throne to shouts of joy:
a blare of trumpets for the Lord.
For king of all the earth is God;
sing hymns of praise.
God reigns over the nations,
God sits upon his holy throne.
R. God mounts his throne to shouts of joy:
a blare of trumpets for the Lord.
2nd Reading
Heb 9:24-28; 10:19-23
Christ did not enter
into a sanctuary made by hands,
a copy of the true one,
but heaven itself,
that he might now appear
before God on our behalf.
Not that he might offer
himself repeatedly,
as the high priest enters each
year into the sanctuary
with blood that is not his own;
if that were so, he would
have had to suffer repeatedly
from the foundation of the world.
But now once for all he has
appeared at the end of the ages
to take away sin by his sacrifice.
Just as it is appointed that
men and women die once,
and after this the judgment,
so also Christ,
offered once to take away
the sins of many,
will appear a second time,
not to take away sin
but to bring salvation
to those who eagerly await him.
Therefore, brothers and sisters,
since through the blood of Jesus
we have confidence
of entrance into the sanctuary
by the new and living way
he opened for us through the veil,
that is, his flesh,
and since we have
"a great priest over
the house of God,"
let us approach with a
sincere heart and in absolute trust,
with our hearts sprinkled clean
from an evil conscience
and our bodies washed in pure water.
Let us hold unwaveringly
to our confession that gives us hope,
for he who made
the promise is trustworthy.
~Thanks be to God
Alleluia
R. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.
Go and teach all nations, says the Lord;
I am with you always, until the end of the world.
R. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.
Gospel
Lk 24:46-53
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Thus it is written that
the Christ would suffer
and rise from the
dead on the third day
and that repentance,
for the forgiveness of sins,
would be preached
in his name
to all the nations,
beginning from Jerusalem.
You are witnesses of these things.
And behold
I am sending the promise
of my Father upon you;
but stay in the city
until you are clothed
with power from on high.”
Then he led them
out as far as Bethany,
raised his hands,
and blessed them.
As he blessed them
he parted from them
and was taken up to heaven.
They did him homage
and then returned to
Jerusalem with great joy,
and they were continually
in the temple praising God.
I believe in one God,
the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.
I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the Only Begotten Son of God,
born of the Father before all ages.
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
consubstantial with the Father;
through Him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation
He came down from heaven,
and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate
of the Virgin Mary,
and became man.
For our sake He was crucified
under Pontius Pilate,
He suffered death and was buried,
and rose again on the third day
in accordance with the Scriptures.
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the
right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge
the living and the dead
and His kingdom will have no end.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from
the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son
is adored and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
I believe in one, holy, catholic
and apostolic Church.
I confess one Baptism
for the forgiveness of sins
and I look forward to the
resurrection of the dead
and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Universal Prayer: Prayers of Petition ~ Risen Lord, hear our prayer
Offertory Song:
Eucharistic Acclamations:
R: Blessed be God forever
R: Blessed be God forever
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
R: May the Lord accept the sacrifice
at your hands for the
praise and glory of his name,
for our good
and the good of all His holy Church
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
R: And with your spirit
R: We lift them up to the Lord
R: It is right and just.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts.
Heaven and earth are full,
full of your glory.
Hosanna, hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes
in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna, Hosanna in the highest.
Hosanna, Hosanna in the highest.
We proclaim your Death, O Lord, and profess your
Resurrection, until you come again.
Or
When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup
We proclaim your Death, O Lord, until you come again.
Or
Save us, Savior of the world,
for by your Cross and Resurrection you have set us free
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father, Who art in heaven,
Hallowed be Thy Name.
Thy Kingdom come.
Thy Will be done,
on earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil. Amen.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
For the kingdom, the power and glory are yours now and forever.~Amen
Sign of Peace
~*~*~*~*~*~*~Communion Song:
Spiritual Communion:
My Jesus, I believe that you are present
in the Most Holy Sacrament.
I love you above all things,
and I desire to receive you into my soul.
Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally,
Come at least spiritually into my heart.
I embrace You as if You were already there
And unite myself wholly to You.
Never permit me to be separated from You.
Amen.
Concluding Rite
Closing Song
Bless our diocese with the grace of many vocations
to the priesthood, diaconate and to religious life.
Through the intercession of the Blessed Mother,
grant to those You have called
the willingness and the generosity of spirit
to give of themselves in devoting their lives and their talents to the service of our Lord and to His Church.
Increase the faith of all within our diocese,
and especially the faith of those You are calling.
We ask this through Christ, Your Son our Lord. ~ Amen
