Koerbecke:  The Ascension, 1456/1457
© National Gallery of Art

 

Ascension Day

INTROIT. Acts 1:11. Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? alleluia: in like manner as ye have seen him going up into heaven, so shall he come again, alleluia, alleluia. Ps. 47:1. O clap your hands together, all ye people: O sing unto God with the voice of melody. Glory be.... Ye men of Galilee....

COLLECT. O Almighty God, whose blessed Son our Savior Jesus Christ ascended far above all heavens that he might fîll all things: Mercifully give us faith to perceive that, according to his promise, he abideth with his Church on eârth, even unto the end of the ages; through the same Jesus Christ our Lôrd, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, ône God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

The Lesson from the Acts of the Apostles

The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given command-ments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

PSALM. 47. O Clap your hands together, all ye peoples: O sing unto God with the voice of melody. For the LORD is high, and to be feared; he is the great King upon all the earth. He shall subdue the peoples under us, and the nations under our feet. He shall choose out an heritage for us, even the excellency of Jacob, who he loved. God is gone up with a merry noise, and the LORD with the sound of the trump. O sing praises, sing praises unto our God; O sing praises, sing praises unto our King. For God is the King of all the earth: sing ye praises with understanding. God reigneth over the nations; God sitteth upon his holy seat. The princes of the peoples are joined unto the people of the God of Abraham; for God, which is very high exalted, doth defend the earth, as it were with a shield.

The Lesson from the Epistle of Blessed Paul the Apostle to the Ephesians

Brethren: Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: and hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

ALLELUIA, alleluia. Psalm 47:5. God is gone up with a merry noise: and the Lord with the sound of the trumpet.

Alleluia. Psalm 68:17,18. The Lord in the holy place of Sinai, ascending up on high: hath led captivity captive, alleluia.

The Continuation of the Holy Gospel
According to Luke

At that time, Jesus said, Behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high. And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven. And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy: and were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God.

OFFERTORY. Ps. 47:5. God is gone up with a merry noise, and the Lord with the sound of the trumpet, alleluia.

SECRET. Accept, O Lord, we pray thee, the oblations which, in remembrance of the glorious Ascension of thy Son, we do offer unto thee: and mercifully grant that we, being delivered from all perils in this life present, may attain in the end unto life everlasting. Through Jesus Christ thy Son Our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

COMMUNION. Ps. 68. Sing ye to the Lord, who ascendeth above the heaven of heavens, to the sunrising, alleluia.

POSTCOMMUNION. Grant, we beseech thee, Almighty and mercîful God: that we which have outwardly received these holy mysterîes, may inwardly be made partakers of the benefit of the same. Through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lôrd, who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever ône God, world without end. Amen

 

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