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Octave Day of the Ascension

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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. Augustine, Bishop of Hippo.
3rd on the Ascension, 176th on the Season.
Dearly beloved brethren, all the wonderful works which our Lord Jesus Christ did in this world, under the weakness of our nature, are profitable for us when He exalted His Manhood above the stars, He showed that heaven may open for a believer and while He, the Conqueror of death, went up into the heavenly mansions, He showed to him that overcometh, whither he also may follow. Therefore, the ascension of the Lord is the seal of the Catholic Faith, which assureth in us the hope of the gift which is yet to come to us, from a miracle whereof we already feel the fruits. Thus let every one that is faithful, having already received so much, learn to hope for that which is promised, on the ground of that which he knoweth to have been given, and hold the goodness of God in times which have been, and times which now are, as a sure pledge of the same in times to come.
℣. 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; where 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
An earthly Body, then, is now lifted up above the heights of heaven; the Bones, Which but a little while before had lain within the narrow walls of the grave, have made their entry among the angelic hosts; human nature hath been given a place in the lap of immortality and therefore the Apostle whose account we have heard read, saith “When He had spoken these things, while they beheld, He was taken up” (Acts i. 9). While thou hearest these words, “taken up,” thou must understand thereby the ministry of the angelic army whereby this Festival revealeth to us the Mystery of Him who is both God and Man. United in One Person, we see in Him who lifted up, Divine Power, and in Him Who was lifted up, very Man.
℣. 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
Therefore are utterly to be loathed those pestiferous teachings of Eastern falsehood, those brand-new inventions of ungodliness which dare to assert that He Who in One Person is both Son of God and Son of Man, hath but one nature. On the one hand, if a man say that Christ is not Partaker of the Divine nature, he hath denied the glory of his Maker on the other, he who saith that the Manhood is not of the nature of man, hath denied the mercy of his Saviour. As touching these points, it is well-nigh impossible for an Arian to believe that the Gospel writers are any better than liars, since they distinctly assert in some places that the Son of God is equal, and, in others, that He is inferior, to the Father. Further, if a man be given over to this soul-slaying delusion of believing that our Saviour hath only one nature, he must of necessity admit either that it was only God, or that it was only man who was crucified. But it was not so. If He had been of no nature but the Divine, He could not have suffered, and if He had been of no nature but the human, He could not have conquered death.
℣. 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.
The Prophet Habakkuk also hath spoken of the glory of Christ’s Ascension in the words “The sun was lifted up on high, and the moon stood still in her habitation,” Who is here signified by the Sun, if not the Saviour or by the Moon, if not the Church? Until the Lord was withdrawn from her sight (that is, by His Ascension), His Holy Church was pale before the hostile glare of the world, but after He was ascended, she waxed stronger, and distinctly shed forth the beams of that faith which had hitherto dwelt hiddenly in her. “The sun was lifted up, and the moon stood still in her habitation” when the Lord was gone away into heaven, His holy Church waxed stronger in her enlightening power.
℣. 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
Hence it is that Solomon hath put into the mouth of the (same) Church the words: “Behold, He cometh! leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills!” These hills are his lofty and noble achievements. “Behold, He cometh leaping upon the mountains.” When He came to redeem us, He came, if I may so say, in leaps. My dearly beloved brethren, would you know what His leaps were? From heaven he leapt into the womb of the Virgin, from the womb into the manger, from the manger on to the Cross, from the Cross into the grave, and from the grave up to heaven. Lo, how the Truth made manifest in the Flesh did leap for our sakes, that He might draw us to run after Him for this end did He rejoice, as a strong man to run a race.
℣. 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
Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, it behoveth us in heart and mind thither to ascend, where we believe Him to have already ascended bodily. Let us fly earthly lusts for us, who have a Father in heaven, let nothing be sweet below. And very much must we keep in our minds this thought, that He Which ascended up in peace, will return in dreadful Majesty and will require from us with justice an account of our keeping of those commandments which He gave us in mercy. Let no man therefore reckon lightly this season which is given unto us that we may repent ourselves, nor be reckless touching the state of his soul; our Redeemer will be all the sterner, when He cometh to judgment, as He hath been wondrously long-suffering before.
℣. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
℟. Thanks be to God.

Te Deum.

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