OPENING VERSICLE

LEADER: God, † come to my assistance. ALL: Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. Alleluia.

HYMN Praise Him As He Mounts the Skies

PSALM 63:2–9

Antiphon (all): Men of Galilee why are you looking up into the sky? This Jesus who has been taken up into heaven will return in the same way, alleluia. GROUP 1: O God, you are my God, for you I long; for you my soul is thirsting. My body pines for you like a dry, weary land without water. So I gaze on you in the sanctuary to see your strength and your glory. GROUP 2: For your love is better than life, my lips will speak your praise. So I will bless you all my life, in your name I will lift up my hands. My soul shall be filled as with a banquet, my mouth shall praise you with joy. GROUP 1: On my bed I remember you. On you I muse through the night for you have been my help; in the shadow of your wings I rejoice. My soul clings to you; your right hand holds me fast. ALL: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. Alleluia.

Antiphon (all): Men of Galilee why are you looking up into the sky? This Jesus who has been taken up into heaven will return in the same way, alleluia.

CANTICLE OF DANIEL 3:57–88, 56 Antiphon (all): Give glory to the King of kings, sing praise to God, alleluia. LEADER: Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord. Praise and exalt him above all forever. Angels of the Lord, bless the Lord. ALL: You heavens, bless the Lord. All you waters above the heavens, bless the Lord. Sun and moon, bless the Lord. Stars of heaven, bless the Lord. LEADER: Every shower and dew, bless the Lord. All you winds, bless the Lord. Fire and heat, bless the Lord. Cold and chill, bless the Lord. Dew and rain, bless the Lord. Frost and chill, bless the Lord. Ice and snow, bless the Lord. ALL: Nights and days, bless the Lord. Light and darkness, bless the Lord. Lightings and clouds, bless the Lord. LEADER: Let the earth bless the Lord. Praise and exalt him above all forever. ALL: Mountains and hills, bless the Lord. Everything growing from the earth, bless the Lord. You springs, bless the Lord. Seas and rivers, bless the Lord. You dolphins and all water creatures, bless the Lord. LEADER: All you birds of the air, bless the Lord. All you beasts, wild and tame, bless the Lord. You sons of men, bless the Lord. ALL: O Israel, bless the Lord. Praise and exalt him above all forever. Priests of the Lord, bless the Lord. Servants of the Lord, bless the Lord. Spirits and souls of the just, bless the Lord.

LEADER: Holy men of humble heart, bless the Lord. Hananiah, Azariah, Mishael, bless the Lord. Praise and exalt him above all forever. ALL: Let us bless the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. LEADER: Let us praise and exalt him above all forever. ALL: Blessed are you, Lord, in the firmament of heaven. Praiseworthy and glorious and exalted above all forever.

Antiphon (all): Give glory to the King of kings, sing praise to God, alleluia.

PSALM 149

Antiphon (all): As they watched, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight, alleluia.

GROUP 1: Sing a new song to the Lord, his praise in the assembly of the faithful. Let Israel rejoice in its maker, let Zion’s sons exult in their king. Let them praise his name with dancing and make music with timbrel and harp.

GROUP 2: For the Lord takes delight in his people. He crowns the poor with salvation. Let the faithful rejoice in their glory, shout for joy and take their rest. Let the praise of God be on their lips and a two-edged sword in their hand,

GROUP 1: to deal out vengeance to the nations and punishment on all the peoples; to bind their kings in chains and their nobles in fetters of iron; to carry out the sentence pre-ordained; this honor is for all his faithful.

ALL: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. Alleluia.

Antiphon (all): As they watched, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight, alleluia.

READING FROM SCRIPTURE

A reading from the book of Hebrews.

Every other priest stands ministering day by day, and offering again and again those same sacrifices which can never take away sins. But Jesus offered one sacrifice for sins and took his seat forever at the right hand of God; now he waits until his enemies are placed beneath his feet. By one offering he has forever perfected those who are being sanctified.

The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

RESPONSORY

LEADER: Christ ascended into heaven, alleluia, alleluia.

ALL: Christ ascended into heaven, alleluia, alleluia. LEADER: He led captivity captive,

ALL: alleluia, alleluia. LEADER: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:

ALL: Christ ascended into heaven, alleluia, alleluia.

GOSPEL CANTICLE (BENEDICTUS)

LEADER: I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God, alleluia.

ALL: Blessed be † the Lord, the God of Israel; he has come to his people and set them free,

LEADER: He has raised up for us a mighty savior, born of the house of his servant David.

ALL: Through his holy prophets he promised of old that he would save us from our enemies from the hands of all who hate us.

LEADER: He promised to show mercy to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant.

ALL: This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham: to set us free from the hands of our enemies, free to worship him without fear, holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life.

LEADER: You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High: for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,

ALL: to give his people knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins.

LEADER: In the tender compassion of our God the dawn from on high shall break upon us, to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

ALL: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. Alleluia.

Antiphon (all): I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God, alleluia.

INTERCESSIONS

LEADER: The Lord has been lifted high above the earth and draws all things to himself. Let us cry out to him in our joy:

ALL: Lord Jesus, you are the King of glory. LEADER: Lord Jesus, King of glory, you were offered once as the victim for sins, and ascended to the right hand of the Father, make perfect for all time those whom you sanctify.

ALL: Lord Jesus, you are the King of glory. LEADER: Eternal Priest and minister of the new Covenant, you live for ever to make intercession for us, save the people that prays to you.

ALL: Lord Jesus, you are the King of glory. LEADER: You showed yourself alive after your passion and appeared to the disciples for forty days, confirm our faith today.

ALL: Lord Jesus, you are the King of glory.

LEADER: Today you promised the Spirit to the apostles, to make them your witnesses to the ends of the earth, by the power of the Spirit strengthen our own witness.

ALL: Lord Jesus, you are the King of glory. LEADER: Merciful Lord you showed us the path of life and called us to care for our neighbors, in your compassion, heal the sick and suffering.

ALL: Lord Jesus, you are the King of glory.

THE LORD’S PRAYER

LEADER: With longing for the coming of God’s kingdom, let us offer our prayer to the Father: ALL: Our Father . . .

CONCLUDING PRAYER (THE SUNDAY COLLECT)

LEADER: Gladden us with holy joys, almighty God, and make us rejoice with devout thanksgiving, for the Ascension of Christ your Son is our exaltation, and, where the Head has gone before in glory, the Body is called to follow in hope. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

ALL: Amen. BLESSING AND DISMSSAL

LEADER: May the Lord bless us, † protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. ALL: Amen. LEADER: Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord. ALL: Thanks be to God.