In those places where the Seventh Sunday of Easter is observed today, the complete texts may be found in the Commons Section.
INTRODUCTION
God, + come to my assistance.
— 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 for ever. Amen. Alleluia.
HYMN
O Jesus, our redeeming Lord,
our greatest love and all desire,
true God, Creator of all things,
true Man, beyond the end of time,
What loving mercy mastered you,
that you should bear our grievous sins
and suffer cruel and bitter death
to rescue us from death’s domain?
For us you breached the walls of hell
and ransomed all your captives there;
as victor at the Father’s right,
in noble triumph you preside.
May this same love compel you still
to overcome our evil deeds,
to pardon us and grant that we
may gaze in wonder at your face.
Lord Jesus, be all joy for us,
for you shall be our great reward;
may all our glory be in you
through endless ages evermore. Amen.
Tune: VENI CREATOR SPIRITUS (MECHLIN), 8 8 8 8
Plainsong, Mechlin adaptation
or Mode IV, melody 62; Liber Hymnarius, Solesmes, 1983*
Text: Iesu, nostra redemptio, 7-8th c., © 2023 ICEL
PSALMODY
Ant. 1 He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father, alleluia.
Psalm 110:1-5, 7
The Messiah, king and priest
Christ’s reign will last until all his enemies are made subject to him (1 Corinthians 15:25).
The Lord’s revelation to my Master: *
“Sit on my right:
your foes I will put beneath your feet.” *
The Lord will wield from Zion
your scepter of power: *
rule in the midst of all your foes.
A prince from the day of your birth †
on the holy mountains; *
from the womb before the dawn I begot you.
The Lord has sworn an oath he will not change. †
“You are a priest for ever, *
a priest like Melchizedek of old.”
The Master standing at your right hand *
will shatter kings in the day of his great wrath.
He shall drink from the stream by the wayside *
and therefore he shall lift up his head.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.
Psalm Prayer
Father, we ask you to give us victory and peace. In Jesus Christ, our Lord and King, we are already seated at your right hand. We look forward to praising you in the fellowship of all your saints in our heavenly homeland.
Ant. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father, alleluia.
Ant. 2 God ascends to shouts of joy, the Lord to the blast of trumpets, alleluia.
Psalm 47
The Lord Jesus is King of all
He is seated at the right hand of the Father, and his kingdom will have no end.
All peoples, clap your hands, *
cry to God with shouts of joy!
For the Lord, the Most High, we must fear, *
great king over all the earth.
He subdues peoples under us *
and nations under our feet.
Our inheritance, our glory, is from him, *
given to Jacob out of love.
God goes up with shouts of joy; *
the Lord goes up with trumpet blast.
Sing praise for God, sing praise, *
sing praise to our king, sing praise.
God is king of all the earth, *
sing praise with all your skill.
God is king over the nations; *
God reigns on his holy throne.
The princes of the people are assembled *
with the people of Abraham’s God.
The rulers of the earth belong to God, *
to God who reigns over 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 for ever. Amen.
Psalm Prayer
God, King of all peoples and all ages, it is your victory we celebrate as we sing with all the skill at our command. Help us always to overcome evil by good, that we may rejoice in your triumph for ever.
Ant. God ascends to shouts of joy, the Lord to the blast of trumpets, alleluia.
Ant. 3 Now the Son of Man has been glorified and God has been glorified in him, alleluia.
Canticle: Revelation 11:17-18; 12:10b-12a
The judgment of God
We praise you, the Lord God Almighty, *
who is and who was.
You have assumed your great power, *
you have begun your reign.
The nations have raged in anger, *
but then came your day of wrath
and the moment to judge the dead: *
The time to reward your servants the prophets
and the holy ones who revere you, *
the great and the small alike.
Now have salvation and power come, †
the reign of our God and the authority *
of his Anointed One.
For the accuser of our brothers is cast out, *
who night and day accused them before God.
They defeated him by the blood of the Lamb †
and by the word of their testimony; *
love for life did not deter them from death.
So rejoice, you heavens, *
and you that dwell therein!
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.
Ant. Now the Son of Man has been glorified and God has been glorified in him, alleluia.
READING
1 Peter 3:18, 22
The reason why Christ died for sins once for all, the just man for the sake of the unjust, was that he might lead you to God. He was put to death insofar as fleshly existence goes, but was given life in the realm of the spirit. He went to heaven and is at God’s right hand, with angelic rulers and powers subjected to him.
RESPONSORY
I am ascending to my Father and your Father, alleluia, alleluia.
— I am ascending to my Father and your Father, alleluia, alleluia.
To my God and your God,
— alleluia, alleluia.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
— I am ascending to my Father and your Father, alleluia, alleluia.
GOSPEL CANTICLE
Ant. O Victor King, Lord of power and might, today you have ascended in glory above the heavens. Do not leave us orphans, but send us the Father’s promised gift, the Spirit of truth, alleluia.
Canticle of Mary
Luke 1:46-55
The soul rejoices in the Lord
My + soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, †
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior *
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed: †
the Almighty has done great things for me, *
and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him *
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm, *
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, *
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things, *
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel *
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers, *
to Abraham and his children for ever.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.
Ant. O Victor King, Lord of power and might, today you have ascended in glory above the heavens. Do not leave us orphans, but send us the Father’s promised gift, the Spirit of truth, alleluia.
INTERCESSIONS
In joy of spirit let us acclaim Christ, who sits at the right hand of the Father:
Lord Jesus, you are the King of glory.
King of glory, you took with you our frail humanity to be glorified in heaven; remove the sins of the world,
— and restore us to the innocence which was ours before the Fall.
Lord Jesus, you are the King of glory.
You came down from heaven on a pilgrimage of love,
— grant that we may take the same path to your presence.
Lord Jesus, you are the King of glory.
You promised to draw all things to yourself,
— do not allow any one of us to be separated from your body.
Lord Jesus, you are the King of glory.
Where you have gone before us in glory,
— may we follow you in mind and heart.
Lord Jesus, you are the King of glory.
True God, we await your coming as our judge,
— may we see the vision of your glory and your mercy in company with all the dead.
Lord Jesus, you are the King of glory.
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
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
CONCLUDING PRAYER
God our Father,
make us joyful in the ascension of your Son Jesus Christ.
May we follow him into the new creation,
for his ascension is our glory and our hope.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
— Amen.
Or:
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,
God, for ever and ever.
— Amen.
Or:
Grant, we pray, almighty God,
that we, who believe that your Only Begotten Son, our Redeemer,
ascended this day to the heavens,
may in spirit dwell already in heavenly realms.
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
— Amen.
DISMISSAL
If a priest or deacon presides, he dismisses the people:
The Lord be with you.
— And with your spirit.
May almighty God bless you,
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
— Amen.
Another form of the blessing may be used, as at Mass.
Then he adds:
Go in peace.
— Thanks be to God.
In the absence of a priest or deacon and in individual recitation, Evening Prayer concludes:
May the Lord + bless us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
— Amen.
******
The head that once was crowned with thorns
Is crowned with glory now:
A royal diadem adorns
The mighty victor’s brow.
The highest place that heav’n affords
Is surely his by right:
The King of kings and Lord of lords,
And heav’n’s eternal light.
The joy he is of all above,
The joy of all below:
To ev’ryone he shows his love,
And grants his name to know.
To them the cross, with all its shame,
With all its grace, is giv’n:
Their name an everlasting name.
Their joy the joy of heav’n.
The cross he bore is life and health,
Though shame and death to him:
His people’s hope, his people’s wealth,
Their everlasting theme.
Tune: St. Magnus (Nottingham) C.M.
Music: Jeremiah Clarke, 1659-1707
Text: Thomas Kelly, 1769-1854, slightly adapted