May 26, 2022

Ascension Thursday

Reading

The Acts of the Apostles 1: 1-11

1:1 Certainly, O Theophilus, I composed the first discourse about everything that Jesus began to do and to teach,
1:2 instructing the Apostles, whom he had chosen through the Holy Spirit, even until the day on which he was taken up.
1:3 He also presented himself alive to them, after his Passion, appearing to them throughout forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God with many elucidations.
1:4 And dining with them, he instructed them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but that they should wait for the Promise of the Father, “about which you have heard,” he said, “from my own mouth.
1:5 For John, indeed, baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit, not many days from now.”
1:6 Therefore, those who had assembled together questioned him, saying, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom of Israel?”
1:7 But he said to them: “It is not yours to know the times or the moments, which the Father has set by his own authority.
1:8 But you shall receive the power of the Holy Spirit, passing over you, and you shall be witnesses for me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the ends of the earth.”
1:9 And when he had said these things, while they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight.
1:10 And while they were watching him going up to heaven, behold, two men stood near them in white vestments.
1:11 And they said: “Men of Galilee, why do you stand here looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, shall return in just the same way that you have seen him going up to heaven.”

Second Reading

The Letter of Saint Paul to the Ephesians 1: 17-23

1:17 so that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give a spirit of wisdom and of revelation to you, in knowledge of him.
1:18 May the eyes of your heart be illuminated, so that you may know what is the hope of his calling, and the wealth of the glory of his inheritance with the saints,
1:19 and the preeminent magnitude of his virtue toward us, toward we who believe in accord with the work of his powerful virtue,
1:20 which he wrought in Christ, raising him from the dead and establishing him at his right hand in the heavens,
1:21 above every principality and power and virtue and dominion, and above every name that is given, not only in this age, but even in the future age.
1:22 And he has subjected all things under his feet, and he has made him the head over the entire Church,
1:23 which is his body and which is the fullness of him who accomplishes everything in everyone.

or, Hebrews 9: 24- 28, 10: 19- 23

9:24 For Jesus did not enter by means of holy things made with hands, mere examples of the true things, but he entered into Heaven itself, so that he may appear now before the face of God for us.
9:25 And he did not enter so as to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters into the Holy of Holies each year, with the blood of another.
9:26 Otherwise, he would need to have suffered repeatedly since the beginning of the world. But now, one time, at the consummation of the ages, he has appeared in order to destroy sin though his own sacrifice.
9:27 And in the same manner as it has been appointed for men to die one time, and after this, to be judged,
9:28 so also Christ was offered, one time, in order to empty the sins of so many. He shall appear a second time without sin, for those who await him, unto salvation.
10:19 And so, brothers, have faith in the entrance into the Holy of Holies by the blood of Christ,
10:20 and in the new and living Way, which he has initiated for us by the veil, that is, by his flesh,
10:21 and in the Great Priest over the house of God.
10:22 So, let us draw near with a true heart, in the fullness of faith, having hearts cleansed from an evil conscience, and bodies absolved with clean water.
10:23 Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope, without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful.

Luke 24: 46- 53

24:46 And he said to them: “For so it is written, and so it was necessary, for the Christ to suffer and to rise up from the dead on the third day,
24:47 and, in his name, for repentance and the remission of sins to be preached, among all the nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
24:48 And you are witnesses of these things.
24:49 And I am sending the Promise of my Father upon you. But you must stay in the city, until such time as you are clothed with power from on high.”
24:50 Then he led them out as far as Bethania. And lifting up his hands, he blessed them.
24:51 And it happened that, while he was blessing them, he withdrew from them, and he was carried up into heaven.
24:52 And worshiping, they returned to Jerusalem with great joy.
24:53 And they were always in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.

The following readings are used if your diocese celebrates the Ascension on Sunday

Acts 18: 1- 8

18:1 After these things, having departed from Athens, he arrived at Corinth.
18:2 And upon finding a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently arrived from Italy with Priscilla his wife, (because Claudius had ordered all Jews to depart from Rome,) he met with them.
18:3 And because he was of the same trade, he lodged with them and was working. (Now they were tentmakers by trade.)
18:4 And he was arguing in the synagogue on every Sabbath, introducing the name of the Lord Jesus. And he was persuading Jews and Greeks.
18:5 And when Silas and Timothy had arrived from Macedonia, Paul stood firm in the Word, testifying to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ.
18:6 But since they were contradicting him and blaspheming, he shook out his garments and said to them: “Your blood is on your own heads. I am clean. From now on, I will go to the Gentiles.”
18:7 And moving from that place, he entered into the house of a certain man, named Titus the Just, a worshiper of God, whose house was adjoined to the synagogue.
18:8 Now Crispus, a leader of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, with his entire house. And many of the Corinthians, upon hearing, believed and were baptized.

John 16: 16 – 20

16:16 A little while, and then you will not see me. And again a little while, and you will see me. For I am going to the Father.”
16:17 Then some of his disciples said to one another: “What is this, that he is saying to us: ‘A little while, and you will not see me,’ and ‘Again a little while, and you will see me,’ and, ‘For I am going to the Father?’ ”
16:18 And they said: “What is this, that he is saying, ‘A little while?’ We do not understand what he is saying.”
16:19 But Jesus realized that they wanted to question him, and so he said to them: “Are you inquiring among yourselves about this, that I said: ‘A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me?’
16:20 Amen, amen, I say to you, that you shall mourn and weep, but the world will rejoice. And you shall be greatly saddened, yet your sorrow shall be turned into joy.