June 1, 2003 - Sunday, The Lord's Ascension

A. The Lord of All
B. Witnesses Needed

Readings:
Acts 1:1-11 (Listen to MP3 - Ascension - Acts 1:9-11)
Ps 47:2-3, 6-7, 8-9; Eph 1:17-23 ; Mk 16:15-20

Notes.

1. In the Philippines, as in many other countries, the Solemnity of the Ascension replaces the Seventh Sunday of Easter.

2. We follow the B cycle of readings as now given for optional use in the new edition of 1981 of the Lectionary. Those who want still to use the old readings may do so; these are found in both the old and the new editions of the Lectionary. Naturally, as it narrates the Ascension event itself, the First Reading is used every year.

3. Today is also Feast of St. Justin, Martyr, a philospher living in the second century - see celebrations of saints.

Greeting (see Second Reading)

"Do all you can to preserve the unity of the Spirit
by the peace that binds you together as one body.
May the Lord send you his Spirit of unity
and be always with you. R/ And also with you.

Introduction by the Celebrant

A. The Lord of All

We celebrate the Ascension today. Does that mean that Jesus has left us, is gone? It is true we can no longer touch and see him as could the apostles and disciples. He no longer belongs to a small group but to everyone on earth who wants to accept him. He is now the Lord of all, the Lord of glory, and yet still one of us and very near, more intimate to ourselves than we are, the heart of our own heart, through his Spirit alive in us. We, the Church, have to continue the work he began and to bear witness that he is our living Lord. Let us listen to him speaking in this eucharist and give glory to him and to the Father.

B. Witnesses Needed

Ascension Day. A Feast of joy. For a part of us is now very close to God: our brother Jesus, who is one of us, is the first to rise from the dead and the first to live fully in God's glory and joy. He leads us, he shows us the way. But in the meantime we have to bring him to our world and to the people of our day. Proclaim with your lives that he is alive. Make the Good News known. Jesus will work with you through the Spirit he gives you and he will confirm what you say and do.

Penitential Act

Our witnessing to the living Lord is poor.
Our living rarely shows that we believe
that his Spirit guides us.
We ask the Lord to forgive us.
           (PAUSE)
Lord Jesus, you are raised to the Father's glory,
and yet you remain present
where two or three meet in your name:
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.

Jesus Christ, in heaven you prepare a place
for those who believe in you
and live in your love:
Christ, have mercy. R/ Christ, have mercy.

Lord Jesus, you send us out
all over the world to be your witnesses
and to share the Good News of your love:
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.

Have mercy on us, Lord,
do not abandon us to our sins
but forgive us and let us live in your presence.
Lead us to everlasting life. R/ Amen.

Opening Prayer

Let us pray and praise the Father
through Christ, who went ahead of us
       (PAUSE)
God our Father,
we have never seen you
but your Son Jesus has made you known to us.

He lives now in your glory.
May we not feel abandoned
but strengthen us in the conviction
that he stays with us until the end of time
in our brothers and sisters.

Let his Spirit guide and strengthen us
to bear witness that he is alive
in our communities of faith and love
and to proclaim his Good News to all the world.
Grant us this through Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.

Scripture Readings

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.

First Reading: Acts 1:1-11 (Listen to MP3 - Ascension - Acts 1:9-11)

In the first part of my work, Theophilus, I wrote of all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning until the day when he ascended to heaven.

But first he had instructed through the Holy Spirit the apostles he had chosen. After his passion, he presented himsealf to them, giving many signs that he was alive; over a period of forty days he appeared to them and taught them concerning the kingdom of God. Once when he had been eating with them, he told them, "Do not leave Jerusalem but wait for the fulfillment of the Father's promise about which I have spoken to you: John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit within a few days."

When they had come together, they asked him, "Is it now that you will restore the Kingdom of Israel?" And he answered, "It is not for you to know the time and the steps that the Father has fixed 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, even to the ends of the earth."

After Jesus said this, he was taken up before their eyes and a cloud hid him from their sight. While they were still looking up to heaven where he went, suddenly, two men dressed in white stood beside them and said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand here looking up at the sky? This Jesus who has been taken from you into heaven, will return in the same way as you have seen him go there."

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 47:2-3, 6-7, 8-9

R. (6) God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
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.
or:
R. Alleluia.
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.
or:
R. Alleluia.
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.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Second Reading Introduction: He Ascended to Give Us Gifts
       To Paul the Ascension means that the Lord Jesus began pouring out his gifts on people when he had gone to heaven.

Second Reading: Eph 1:17-23

May the God of Christ Jesus our Lord, the Father of Glory, reveal himself to you and give you a spirit of wisdom, that you may know him.

May he enlighten your inner vision, that you may appreciate the things we hope for, since we were called by God.

May you know how great is the inheritance, the glory, God sets apart for his saints; may you understand with what extraordinary power he acts in favor of us who believe.

He revealed his almighty power in Christ when he raised him from the dead and had him sit at his right hand in heaven, far above all rule, power, authority, dominion, or any other supernatural force that could be named, not only in this world but in the world to come as well.

Thus has God put all things under the feet of Christ and set him above all things, as head of the Church which is his body. He who fills all in all unfolds his fullness in the Church.

Gospel Introduction: Go Out to the Whole World
       In the name of Jesus, his missionaries - and every Christian - proclaim the joyful message of his gospel.

Gospel Reading: Mk 16:15-20

Jesus said, "Go out to the whole world and proclaim the Good News to all creation. The one who believes and is baptized will be saved; the one who refuses to believe will be condemned. Signs like these will accompany those who have believed: in my Name they will cast out demons and speak new languages; they will pick up snakes and, if they drink anything poisonous, they will be unharmed. They will lay their hands on the sick and they will be healed."

So then, after speaking to them, the Lord Jesus was taken up into heaven and took his place at the right hand of God. The Eleven went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that accompanied them.

Commentary

Jesus' ascension does not make him absent. It makes him present in a new way. He is present in the community of disciples who carry on his mission. His voice is no longer to be heard only along the shores of the Lake of Galilee or the within the walls of the Temple in Jerusalem. The signs he worked can still be seen by people other than those who lived in Israel during his time. Now all the nations are to hear and see-through us. What a great responsibility Jesus entrusts to us! But what a privilege too! Maybe we should spend more time reflecting on this. Maybe we should devise new ways how we can make Jesus more visible and audible to those around us.

Read also: • Gospel Reflections by Fr. Gerry Pierse, C.Ss.R.
          • Biblical Commentaries from Diario Biblico

General Intercessions

The Lord Jesus has entrusted his work to us. He is with us and acts in us through his Spirit, so that we can do everything in his name. So we pray: R/ Be with us, Lord.

- Be with your Church, Lord, that it may spread the Good News of your love and kingdom to all peoples and languages and cultures, we pray: R/ Be with us, Lord.

- Be with all your prophets and missionaries, that they may voice without fear your message of justice, truth and mercy even to those not eager to listen, we pray: R/ Be with us, Lord.

- Be with the leaders of nations, Lord, when they try to bring an almost impossible peace to a world torn by violence and war. Let their efforts not be made in vain, we pray: R/ Be with us, Lord.

- Be with the downtrodden and those in pain, Lord, revive their trust in you and in people; open the eyes and hands of those who follow you to bring them your tender love and care, we pray: R/ Be with us, Lord.

- Be with us and all Christian communities, Lord; make them signs of your presence by their spirit of prayer, their unity, their gentleness and patience with one another, we pray: R/ Be with us, Lord.

Jesus our Lord, by the strength of your Spirit guide us on our pilgrim way to the home where you live in glory with the Father and the Spirit, now and for ever. R/ Amen.

Prayer over the Gifts

Lord our God,
in the signs of this bread and this wine
your Son Jesus will be with us soon.
May he give us his Spirit of strength,
that we may not keep staring at heaven
except to ask for your help to do your work.
May we rather face the world
and commit ourselves to the task
of making it your world,
by the power of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
your Son and our Lord 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.

Introduction 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, our Father: R/ Our Father...

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 handed over 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,
that people may 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 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 us. R/ Thanks be to God.

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Additional Resource Material for this Sunday - The Lord's Ascension

Ideal for catechetical and liturgical dramatization of today's gospel.

High Above the Clouds or One Hundred Fifty-Three Big Fish

(Mk 16:19-20) / (Jn 21:1-19)
(taken from the book A Certain Jesus, Vol. 3)
Click here for other Lenten Readings --> Index of A Certain Jesus