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From the Roman office.
℣. Grant, Lord, a blessing.
Benediction. May God the Father Omnipotent, be to us merciful and clement.
℟. Amen.
Reading 4
From the Sermons of St. John Chrysostom, Patriarch of Constantinople.
On the Ascension, tom 3
Then Christ went up into heaven, He offered unto the Father the First-fruits of our nature, and the Father marvelled at the offering, seeing the Majesty of the Priest and the Spotlessness of the oblation. He received the Sacrifice into His Own hands, He made It to sit upon His Throne, nay, more, He gave It a place at His Own Right Hand. Let us ask what nature was His Who heard the words: “Sit Thou at My right hand” (Ps. cix. 1), what nature was His to Whom God said “Be Thou Partaker of My Throne?” It was the same nature as was his who heard the sentence “Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return” (Gen. iii. 19). Archangels beheld our nature upon the Throne of the Lord, refulgent with eternal glory.
℣. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
℟. Thanks be to God.
℟. My time is come that I should return unto Him That sent Me, saith the Lord. Be not sorrowful, neither let your heart be troubled.
* I pray the Father for you, that He may keep you. Alleluia, Alleluia.
℣. If I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; when I am ascended, I will send Him unto you.
℟. I pray the Father for you, that He may keep you. Alleluia, Alleluia.
℣. Grant, Lord, a blessing.
Benediction. May Christ to all His people give, for ever in His sight to live.
℟. Amen.
Reading 5
It was not enough of glory for Him to be exalted above the heavens, nor to be ranked with angels but He was exalted above the heavens, He went up above the Cherubim, He ascended beyond the Seraphim, neither found He His rank beneath the Throne of the Lord of lords. Behold how high the heaven is above the earth, and the earth above hell, how high above the heaven is the heaven of heavens, how high above the heaven of heavens the Angels, above the Angels the Higher Powers, and above the Higher Powers the Throne of the Lord. Above all these hath One of our nature been exalted, so that man, which had fallen so low that there was no farther fall for him, is now in place so high, that there is thence no ascending.
℣. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
℟. Thanks be to God.
℟. Let not your heart be troubled; I go unto the Father, and when I am taken from you, I will send unto you, alleluia.
* The Spirit of truth, and your heart shall rejoice. Alleluia.
℣. I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter.
℟. The Spirit of truth, and your heart shall rejoice. Alleluia.
℣. Grant, Lord, a blessing.
Benediction. May the Spirit’s fire Divine in our hearts enkindled shine.
℟. Amen.
Reading 6
Paul also, dwelling on this, saith: “He That descended is the Same also That ascended up far above all heavens,” even as he had said: “Now, that He ascended, what is it but that He also descended first into the lower parts of the earth” (Eph. iv. 9, 10). Learn hence Who it was That ascended, and with what nature He was exalted. And with this thought I wish to bring my sermon to an end. From the thought of that glorified Manhood let us learn with amazement what the goodness of God is; that goodness which hath been crowned with an honour, higher than which is none, and a glory, greater than which is none, a Person Sharer of our nature, even That Person Which this day hath taken the place which is His of right, above all things other than Himself.
℣. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
℟. Thanks be to God.
℟. When Christ ascended up on high, He led captivity captive.
* He gave gifts unto men. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.
℣. God is gone up with a shout, and the Lord with the sound of a trumpet.
℟. He gave gifts unto men. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.
℣. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost.
℟. He gave gifts unto men. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.
℣. Grant, Lord, a blessing.
Benediction. May the Gospel’s holy lection Be our safety and protection.
℟. Amen.
Reading 7
From the Holy Gospel according to Mark
Mark 16:14-20
At that time, Jesus appeared unto the eleven disciples as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart because they believed not them which had seen Him after He was risen. And so on.
Homily by Pope St. Gregory the Great.
Same as before.
“So then, after the Lord Jesus had spoken unto them, He was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.” We learn in the Old Testament (4 Kings ii.), that Elijah was taken up into heaven. But this word “heaven” may mean either the terrestrial atmosphere, or the space external to the sphere of this planet. Of these the atmosphere closely surrounds the earth, and we call the birds “the fowls of the heaven,” because we see them fly therein. It was only up into this that Elijah was taken, that he might be carried off suddenly into some part of the earth, to us unknown, and there live in profound peace of body and soul, until the end of the world, when he will return and pay the debt of nature. For him, therefore, death waiteth, but is not escaped. But our Redeemer made it not to wait for Him, but conquered it, and by rising again shattered it, and by His Ascension showed forth the glory of His Again-rising.
℣. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
℟. Thanks be to God.
℟. I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter.
* That He may abide with you for ever, even the Spirit of truth. Alleluia.
℣. For if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you.
℟. That He may abide with you for ever, even the Spirit of truth. Alleluia.
℣. Grant, Lord, a blessing.
Benediction. God’s most mighty strength alway be His people’s staff and stay.
℟. Amen.
Reading 8
We must mark also, how that Elijah was taken up in a chariot, as though to show plainly that for a mere man some outward help was needful. This help was given to him by Angels, as plainly appeareth, since it was impossible for one whom a weak nature yet weighed down earthward, to fly up even into the atmosphere. But of our Redeemer we read not that He was borne up in a chariot, or by Angels, since He by Whom all things were made, clearly rose above all things by His Own Power. He returned unto Him with Whom He was, and whither He returned, there He abode, for albeit as touching His Manhood He ascended up into heaven, yet, as touching His Godhead, He still comprehended both heaven and earth.
℣. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
℟. Thanks be to God.
℟. Thou makest the clouds the chariot, O Lord.
* Thou walkest upon the wings of the wind. Alleluia.
℣. Thou art clothed with honour and majesty, covering thyself with light as with a garment.
℟. Thou walkest upon the wings of the wind. Alleluia.
℣. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost.
℟. Thou walkest upon the wings of the wind. Alleluia.
℣. Grant, Lord, a blessing.
Benediction. May He that is the Angels’ King to that high realm His people bring.
℟. Amen.
Reading 9
Commemoration of: Sts. Marcellinus, Peter, and Erasmus, Martyrs
This Peter was an exorcist, whom, in the reign of the Emperor Diocletian, Serenus the Judge cast into prison at Rome because he confessed the Christian faith. He there set free Paulina, the daughter of Artemius, the keeper of the prison, from an evil spirit which tormented her. Upon this, Artemius and his wife and all their house, with their neighbours who had run together to see the strange thing, would fain be made friends with Jesus Christ. Peter therefore brought them to Marcellinus, the Priest, who baptized them all. When Serenus heard of it, he called Peter and Marcellinus before him, and sharply rebuked them, adding to his bitter words threats and terrors, unless they would deny Christ. Marcellinus answered him with Christian boldness, whereupon he caused him to be buffeted, separated him from Peter and shut him up naked in a prison strewn with broken glass, without either food or light. Peter also he straitly confined. But when both of them were found to wax more faithful and braver in their bonds, they were beheaded, unshaken in their testimony, and confessing Jesus Christ gloriously by their blood. Elmo was a Bishop in Campania who, in the year 303, in the reign of the Emperors Diocletian and Maximian was beaten with clubs and whips loaded with lead, and afterwards anointed with melted pitch, sulphur, and lead, and boiling resin, wax, and oil. From all this he came forth whole and sound which wonder turned many to believe in Christ. He was remanded again to prison, and straitly bound in heavy iron fetters. But from these he was wondrously delivered by an angel. At last, at Formi, Maximian caused him to be subjected to diverse torments, and in the end being clad in a coat of redhot brass the power of God made him to be more than conqueror in this thing also, and to grasp the palm-branch of a glorious testimony, whereby he strengthened many in the faith and turned many to it.
℣. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
℟. Thanks be to God.
Te Deum.