Solemnity of the ASCENSION of the Lord
A. Absent, Yet Present
B. I Go;
Now I Send You Readings: Acts 1:1-11; Ps 47:2-3, 6-7, 8-9 Eph 1:17-23; Mt 28:16-20
Greeting
Be my witnesses to the ends of the earth, says the Lord. Know that I am with you always, till the end of time. May the Lord Jesus be always with you R/ And also with you.
Introduction by the Celebrant
A. Absent, Yet Present
Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Ascension: the Lord Jesus returns to the glory of the Father. There is an apparent contradiction in this leaving of Jesus: while leaving, he assures us that he is staying with us. These are his last words in Matthew's gospel, just as Matthew had assured us in his first chapter that Jesus is our God-with-us. Jesus' going to heaven is really no farewell: He was God-with-us in his life on earth, close to people, especially the poor and the weak. He is now with us, but in another way, through his Spirit, in the Church, for we are his body, in the signs of bread and wine, wherever people meet in his name, as we are doing at this moment, in the poor and the weak of our day too. Our prayer today is: Stay with us, Lord.
B. I Go; Now I Send You
This day of the Lord's Ascension is for us a feast of joy for we celebrate the Lord Jesus in his glory. He had to leave this earth so as not to be any longer the privileged companion of just a small group of apostles and disciples. Once he was glorified in heaven, he would belong to everyone willing to accept him as their Lord. From now on we, his people, have to be his shape and face, his heartbeat, his helping hand, his smile, his strength that often looks powerless. Don't be afraid: He has promised to be with us until the end of time, as he is here with us now in this eucharist.
Penitential Act
Jesus has given us a task to do. Let us ask forgiveness that we have not measured up to his expectations and not relied on his presence. (PAUSE)
Lord Jesus, you lived among people and have gone away to the Father's glory. You will return, for your love is without end: Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Jesus Christ, you still live among us through your Spirit of strength and love, for your love is without end: Christ, have mercy. R/ Christ, have mercy.
Lord Jesus, we do not see you, but you have given us people and a mission of truth and goodness, for your love is without end: Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Have mercy on us, Lord, forgive us our sadness and our sins. Help us to seek the will of the Father and lead us to everlasting life. R/ Amen.
Opening Prayer
Let us pray that the Spirit of the risen Lord may guide us (PAUSE)
God our Father, our risen Lord Jesus Christ lives now in your presence. When we keep looking for him in the clouds, make us turn to the task he has given us to do here on earth and learn to recognize his face in our brothers and sisters. And when we are too attached to this earth, remind us that in your own good time you will complete Jesus' works in us and take us to your joy and glory for ever and ever. R/ Amen.
Liturgy of the Word First Reading Introduction: Why Are You Looking into the Sky? At his ascension, Jesus entrusts his work to the apostles. The Holy Spirit will give them the strength to bear witness to Christ the Lord to the whole world. Second Reading Introduction: Christ Went Ahead of Us to Heaven Christ saved us once and for all and he leads us into the sanctuary of heaven. This is our firm hope.
Gospel Introduction: Jesus Leaves Us A Mission
Jesus is gone physically, but he has left us a task: to bring his message of Good News to all. He stays with us in this mission.
General Intercessions Jesus our Risen Lord, lives for ever to pray for us and with us to the Father. Through him, let us pray then for the needs of the Church and of the world. Let us say: R/ Lord, your kingdom come.
- For the leaders and members of the Church, that they may accept and carry out their mission to live the Good News and to proclaim it to all peoples and cultures, let us pray: R/ Lord, your kingdom come.
- For people who stare to heaven and hope in God's help, that their prayers may be heard: but that they also look to people and commit themselves to them in goodness and compassion, let us pray: R/ Lord, your kingdom come.
- For those engaged in social action, that they may work untiringly to bring genuine justice even to the least in a spirit of reconciliation and love, let us pray: R/ Lord, your kingdom come.
- For the dying, that they may join Jesus our Lord into the home of the Father and share in his glory, Let us pray: R/ Lord, your kingdom come.
- For our Christian communities, that Christ may be alive among us and give us his Spirit to build up and confirm one another in hope and a spirit of service, let us pray: R/ Lord, your kingdom come.
God of hope and life, you have not abandoned your Son in death but given him life and glory. In you we trust through Jesus Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.
Prayer over the Gifts
God our Father, here in these signs of bread and wine your Son Jesus keeps his promise to be with us always, even to the end of time. May he live and grow in us, and animate us by the power of the Holy Spirit to be his body to the world and to make disciples of all nations. Let Jesus bring our prayer before you and hear us, for he lives with you for ever. R/ Amen.
Introduction to the Eucharistic Prayer
Let us with joy give thanks to the Father that Jesus, though raised up to heaven, is still with us through his Holy Spirit here in this Eucharist, in the Church, and in the people around us.
Invitation to the Lord's Prayer
The Lord Jesus is now living in the glory of the Father in heaven; there he pleads for us. Through him, and in his words, we pray to God. R/ Our Father...
Deliver Us
Deliver us, Lord, from every evil and give us always the peace and joy of your presence among us. Keep us free from doubt and discouragement and let your Son walk by our side that, together with him, we may build up among us his new world of friendship and hope, and so prepare the coming in glory of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ . R/ For the kingdom...
Invitation to Communion
This is the Lord who said: Know that I am with you always until the end of time. This is his risen and glorious body. Happy are we that he is our bread on our journey to the Father. R/ Lord, I am not worthy...
Prayer after Communion
Lord our God, we thank you for trusting us so much that you have entrusted to us the very mission of your Son, to be his presence to the world. May we reign with him by learning from him to serve, May people see that Christ is alive because we are his body to the world. We ask you this through Christ our Lord . R/ Amen.
Blessing
The Lord Jesus tells us, as he told the apostles: "Be my witnesses to the whole world." Let us not just stare at heaven but be his message of hope to people on earth by the way we live his gospel. And let us ask for God's blessing. May we bring the Lord's message to our time and to our people. R/ Amen. May he go about doing good through us and may we make him visible today. R/ Amen.
May he stay with us through his Spirit now and till the end of time. R/ Amen.
And may almighty God bless you all, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. R/ Amen.
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord in the people around you. R/ Thanks be to God.
