The Feast of the Ascension
Ascension
Salute the last and everlasting day,
Joy at th' uprising of this Sun, and Son,
Ye whose true tears, or tribulation
Have purely wash'd, or burnt your drossy clay.
Behold, the Highest, parting hence away,
Lightens the dark clouds, which He treads upon ;
Nor doth He by ascending show alone,
But first He, and He first enters the way.
O strong Ram, which hast batter'd heaven for me !
Mild Lamb, which with Thy Blood hast mark'd the path !
Bright Torch, which shinest, that I the way may see !
O, with Thy own Blood quench Thy own just wrath ;
And if Thy Holy Spirit my Muse did raise,
Deign at my hands this crown of prayer and praise.
by John Donne
Grant, we pray, Almighty God, that as we believe your only begotten Son our Lord Jesus Christ to have ascended into heaven, so we may also in heart and mind there ascend, and with him continually dwell; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
The Feast of the Ascension doesn't really get much attention these days, probably in part because it always falls on a Thursday. But it is one of the Major Feasts of the Christian Calendar. In my Prayerbook it is listed as a Principal Feast along with Easter and Christmas. So what mysteries does this Feast highlight for us?
There are a few that jump out at me. The Ascension points to the completion of the Paschal Mystery . Christ is ascended in his humanity to the Father's invisible realm. There in God's invisible realm he continually intercedes for us. And from there he sends us his Holy Spirit and it is by his Holy Spirit that he keeps his promise to be with us until the end of the Age. Our Lord fulfills his promise to be with us every time we gather around his Holy Table. He appears there upon the Altar by his Holy Spirit that we may feed upon him and that he may be in our hearts forever.
Almighty God, whose blessed Son our Savior Jesus Christ ascended far above all heavens that he might fill all things: Mercifully give us faith to perceive that, according to his promise, he abides with his Church on earth, even to the end of the ages; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.
Salute the last and everlasting day,
Joy at th' uprising of this Sun, and Son,
Ye whose true tears, or tribulation
Have purely wash'd, or burnt your drossy clay.
Behold, the Highest, parting hence away,
Lightens the dark clouds, which He treads upon ;
Nor doth He by ascending show alone,
But first He, and He first enters the way.
O strong Ram, which hast batter'd heaven for me !
Mild Lamb, which with Thy Blood hast mark'd the path !
Bright Torch, which shinest, that I the way may see !
O, with Thy own Blood quench Thy own just wrath ;
And if Thy Holy Spirit my Muse did raise,
Deign at my hands this crown of prayer and praise.
by John Donne
Grant, we pray, Almighty God, that as we believe your only begotten Son our Lord Jesus Christ to have ascended into heaven, so we may also in heart and mind there ascend, and with him continually dwell; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
The Feast of the Ascension doesn't really get much attention these days, probably in part because it always falls on a Thursday. But it is one of the Major Feasts of the Christian Calendar. In my Prayerbook it is listed as a Principal Feast along with Easter and Christmas. So what mysteries does this Feast highlight for us?
There are a few that jump out at me. The Ascension points to the completion of the Paschal Mystery . Christ is ascended in his humanity to the Father's invisible realm. There in God's invisible realm he continually intercedes for us. And from there he sends us his Holy Spirit and it is by his Holy Spirit that he keeps his promise to be with us until the end of the Age. Our Lord fulfills his promise to be with us every time we gather around his Holy Table. He appears there upon the Altar by his Holy Spirit that we may feed upon him and that he may be in our hearts forever.
Almighty God, whose blessed Son our Savior Jesus Christ ascended far above all heavens that he might fill all things: Mercifully give us faith to perceive that, according to his promise, he abides with his Church on earth, even to the end of the ages; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.