Liturgical Leaflet for an Active Participation in the Celebration of the Eucharist

16 May 2021 Solemnity of the Ascension Year B

55TH WORLD COMMUNICATION SUNDAY

Tasked to Build God’s Kingdom

J
esus’ ascension into heaven marks the climax of his glorification,
but it does not mean that he has severed his relationship with us.
It only means that, while still remaining the great “protagonist” in
the history of salvation, for he assured his disciples, “I will be with you
always until the end of time.” (Mt 28:20) Jesus’ ascension means that,
while still remaining the Head of the Church, he recedes for a time into
the background to let the members of the Church play their role in the
construction of God’s Kingdom with a greater sense of responsibility.
All of us are involved in this great enterprise which is the core
of God’s plan for mankind. We do our share in it by contributing to
the proclamation of the Gospel and by making the Kingdom present
through a life of authentic Christian discipleship.
Today, we also observe the 55th World Communication Sunday. Let
us keep in our prayers all the media practitioners and the recipients of
their service.

to celebrate the ascension into Gloria

heaven of the Risen Christ, let us All – Glory to God in the high-
reflect on what prevents us from est, and on earth peace to peo-
soaring high in our spiritual life. ple of good will. We praise you,
Entrance Antiphon (Pause) we bless you, we adore you,
(To be recited only when no P –You are exalted at the right we glorify you, we give you
Entrance Hymn is sung.) hand of the Father. Lord, thanks for your great glory,
Men of Galilee, why gaze have mercy! Lord God, heavenly King, O
in wonder at the heavens? This All – Lord, have mercy! God, almighty Father.
Jesus whom you saw ascending P –You are the hope of all the Lord Jesus Christ, Only
into heaven will return as you living and the dead. Christ, Begotten Son, Lord God, Lamb
saw him go. Alleluia! have mercy! of God, Son of the Father, you
All – Christ, have mercy! take away the sins of the world,
Greeting P –You sent your apostles to have mercy on us; you take away
P –Blessed be Jesus, our glori- preach the Good News to the sins of the world, receive our
ous Lord, who ascended into prayer; you are seated at the
all nations. Lord, have mer-
heaven and sits at the right hand right hand of the Father, have
of the Father. May his grace and cy! mercy on us. For you alone are
peace be with you all! All – Lord, have mercy! the Holy One, you alone are the
All – And with your spirit! P – May almighty God have Lord, you alone are the Most
mercy on us, forgive us our sins, High, Jesus Christ, with the
Penitential Act and bring us to everlasting life. Holy Spirit, in the glory of God
P – As we prepare ourselves All – Amen! the Father. Amen!
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 Collect (Opening Prayer) power when the Holy Spirit R – A proclamation from the
P –Gladden us with holy joys, comes upon you, and you will Letter of Paul to the Ephe-
almighty God, and make us re- be my witnesses in Jerusa- sians
joice with devout thanksgiving, lem, throughout Judea and Brothers and sisters:
for the Ascension of Christ your Samaria, and to the ends of May the God of our Lord
Son is our exaltation, and, where the earth.” When he had said Jesus Christ, the Father of glo-
the Head has gone before in glo- this, as they were looking on, ry, give you a Spirit of wisdom
ry, the Body is called to follow in he was lifted up, and a cloud and revelation, resulting in
hope. took him from their sight. knowledge of him. May the
Through our Lord Jesus While they were looking eyes of your hearts be enlight-
Christ, your Son, who lives and intently at the sky as he was go- ened, that you may know what
reigns with you in the unity of ing, suddenly two men dressed is the hope that belongs to his
the Holy Spirit, one God, for in white garments stood beside call, what are the riches of glo-
ever and ever. them. They said, “Men of Gali- ry in his inheritance among the
All – Amen! lee, why are you standing there holy ones, and what is the sur-
looking at the sky? This Jesus, passing greatness of his power
who has been taken up from for us who believe.
you into heaven, will return in This power working in us
the same way as you have seen is the same as the great might,
him going into heaven.” which he worked in Christ,
1st Reading Acts 1:1-11 The Word of the Lord! raising him from the dead and
The Book of the Acts of the All – Thanks be to God! seating him at his right hand
Apostles begins where the Gos- in the heavens, far above every
pels of Mark and Luke end: the Responsorial Psalm Ps 47 principality, authority, power,
ascension of Jesus into heaven. and dominion, and every name
He leaves his disciples with the R –God mounts his throne to that is named not only in this
promise of the Holy Spirit and shouts of joy; a blare of age but also in the one to come.
the mission to be his witnesses trumpets for the Lord! He put all things beneath his
to the ends of the earth. feet and gave him as head over
R. M. Velez all things to the Church, which
R – A proclamation from the F Bb F is his body, the fullness of the
     
 
Acts of the Apostles one who fills all things in every
In the first book, Theophi- way.
lus, I dealt with all that Jesus God mounts his throne to shouts of joy; The Word of the Lord!
did and taught until the day All – Thanks be to God!
    
C Bb C F
 

he was taken up, after giving 
instructions through the Holy Gospel Acclamation
Spirit to the apostles whom he a blare of trumpets for the Lord! All – Alleluia! Alleluia!
had chosen. Go and teach all nations,
He presented himself alive * All you peoples, clap your says the Lord. I am with
to them by many proofs after hands, shout to God with cries you always, until the end
he had suffered, appearing to of gladness. For the Lord, the of the world.
them during forty days and Most High, the Awesome, is the Alleluia! Alleluia!
speaking about the kingdom great king over all the earth.
of God. While meeting with R. Gospel Mk 16:15-20
them, he enjoined them not to The episode of Jesus’ as-
* God mounts his throne cension into heaven brings to
depart from Jerusalem, but
amid shouts of joy; the Lord, a close his visible presence
to wait for “the promise of the
amid trumpet blasts. Sing among his disciples. At the same
Father about which you have
praise to God, sing praise; sing time, it ushers in the “Time of
heard me speak; for John bap-
praise to our king, sing praise. the Church” which is the direct
tized with water, but in a few
R. continuation of the evangelizing
days you will be baptized with
and saving mission of Christ.
the Holy Spirit.” * For king of all the earth
When they had gathered is God; sing hymns of praise. P –The Lord be with you!
together they asked him, God reigns over the nations, All –And with your spirit!
“Lord, are you at this time go- God sits upon his holy throne. P – A proclamation from the
ing to restore the kingdom to R. holy Gospel according to
Israel?” Mark
He answered them, “It is 2nd Reading Eph 1:17-23 All – Glory to you, O Lord!
not for you to know the times Here is a beautiful prayer of Jesus said to his disciples:
or seasons that the Father has petition and a reflection on the “Go into the whole world and
established by his own au- exaltation of Christ above every proclaim the gospel to every
thority. But you will receive principality and power. creature. Whoever believes

16 May 2021
and is baptized will be saved. I believe in one, holy, cath- All – May the Lord accept the
Whoever does not believe will olic and apostolic Church. I sacrifice at your hands, for the
be condemned. confess one Baptism for the praise and glory of his name,
These signs will accom- forgiveness of sins and I look for our good and the good of all
pany those who believe: in forward to the resurrection of his holy Church.
my name they will drive out the dead and the life of the world
demons, they will speak new to come. Amen! Prayer over the Offerings
languages. They will pick up P –We offer sacrifice now in
serpents with their hands, and Prayer of the Faithful
supplication, O Lord, to honor
if they drink any deadly thing, P –The Ascension of our Lord the wondrous Ascension of your
it will not harm them. They into heaven reminds us of our
will lay hands on the sick, and Son: grant, we pray, that through
final destiny. It also reminds us this most holy exchange we, too,
they will recover.” of our duty to work in building
So then the Lord Jesus, af- may rise up to the heavenly
God’s Kingdom on earth through realms.
ter he spoke to them, was taken a life of unwavering Christian
up into heaven and took his Through Christ our Lord.
commitment. Aware of all our All – Amen!
seat at the right hand of God. limitations and weaknesses, we
But they went forth and pray: Preface of Ascension I
preached everywhere, while
the Lord worked with them All –Ascending Christ, hear us! P –The Lord be with you!
and confirmed the word C –That the Church and her All –And with your spirit!
through accompanying signs. leaders may faithfully accom- P –Lift up your hearts!
plish their mission to lead the All – We lift them up to the Lord!
The Gospel of the Lord! P –Let us give thanks to the
All – Praise to you, Lord Jesus whole of mankind in a continu-
Lord our God!
Christ! ous moral and spiritual progress,
All –It is right and just!
let us pray! R.
P – It is truly right and just,
Homily C –That those who feel so at- our duty and our salvation, al-
Profession of Faith tracted to earthly values as to ways and everywhere to give
(Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed) forget the heavenly ones may you thanks, Lord, holy Father,
find in our good example an in- almighty and eternal God.
All –I believe in one God, the Fa- vitation to raise the level of their
ther almighty, maker of heaven For the Lord Jesus, the King
aspirations, let us pray! R. of glory, conqueror of sin and
and earth, of all things visible
and invisible. C –That all those who have death, ascended today to the
I believe in one Lord Jesus reached the bottom of human highest heavens, as the Angels
Christ, the Only Begotten Son of perversion may heed the call of gazed in wonder.
God, born of the Father before all the ascending Christ to a sincere Mediator between God and
ages. God from God, Light from conversion, let us pray! R. man, judge of the world and Lord
Light, true God from true God, of hosts, he ascended, not to dis-
C –That all those involved in tance himself from our lowly
begotten, not made, consubstan- the world of social communica-
tial with the Father; through him state but that we, his members,
tion may promote effectively the might be confident of following
all things were made. For us men upliftment of all human beings, where he, our Head and Founder,
and for our salvation he came peace and justice throughout the has gone before.
down from heaven, (bow)* and world, let us pray! R. Therefore, overcome with
by the Holy Spirit was incarnate C –Let us pray in silence for our paschal joy, every land, every
of the Virgin Mary, and became personal intentions. (Pause) people exults in your praise and
man.* For our sake he was cru- Let us pray! R. even the heavenly Powers, with
cified under Pontius Pilate, he the angelic hosts, sing together
suffered death and was buried, P –Lord Jesus, keep our hearts
set on the “great hope” to which the unending hymn of your glo-
and rose again on the third day in ry, as they acclaim:
accordance with the Scriptures. you calls us. May we do our best
to promote on earth the Kingdom All – Holy, holy, holy Lord,
He ascended into heaven and is God of hosts. Heaven and
seated at the right hand of the of justice, peace and love which earth are full of your glory.
Father. He will come again in you came to establish, and in Hosanna in the highest!
glory to judge the living and the which you live and reign for ever Blessed is he who comes in
dead and his kingdom will have and ever. the name of the Lord. Hosanna
no end. All – Amen! in the highest!
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord, the giver of life, who Memorial Acclamation
proceeds from the Father and P –The mystery of faith!
the Son, who with the Father All –We proclaim your Death,
and the Son is adored and glori- O Lord, and profess your
fied, who has spoken through Preparation of the Gifts Resurrection until you
the prophets. P –Pray, brethren . . . come again!

Solemnity of the Ascension (B)

 ery day of your life. your task to be heralds and
All – Amen! witnesses of the Gospel.
P –May almighty God look All – Amen!
with love on you this day P –May almighty God bless
All – Our Father . . . when His only Son ascend- you: the Father, and the
P –Deliver us, Lord . . . ed into heaven to prepare a Son, and the Holy Spirit.
All –For the kingdom, the place for you. All – Amen!
power, and the glory are All – Amen!
yours, now and for ever. P –Go in the peace of the glori-
P –May you be strengthened by fied Christ.
Sign of Peace God’s grace as you fulfill All – Thanks be to God!
Breaking of the Bread
All – Lamb of God . . .
THE TASK OF PROCLAIMING THE GOSPEL
Communion OF CHRIST AND MAKING IT
P –This is the Lamb of God
who ascended into heaven COME ALIVE IN OUR LIVES
after offering his life to take Ć Jess P. Balon
away the sins of the world.
Blessed are those called to the
Supper of the Lamb.
All –Lord, I am not worthy T he glorification of Christ at
his Ascension into heaven
ushered in the time of the Church
beings to Himself in Jesus Christ
(see Rom 5:10-11), and has exalted
Jesus above all creatures by seat-
that you should enter under
my roof, but only say the word – the time of the proclamation of ing him at His right hand (see Eph
and my soul shall be healed. the Gospel addressed to all peo- 1:20.22 and Mk 16:19).
ples through the voice of men who The “Good News” is also about
Communion Antiphon were themselves frail and sinful. By the saving effects on all men and
(To be recited only when no human standards, their preaching women of all times and places,
Communion Hymn is sung.)
would have been doomed to fail from of Christ’s sacrificial death and
Behold, I am with you al- the very start. And yet, after almost resurrection, for he has gone to
ways, even to the end of the age, two thousand years and millions of prepare “a place” for all, so that
alleluia! setbacks, the preaching goes on, as where he is, his brothers and sis-
Prayer after Communion relevant and as challenging as ever. ters may also be. (See Jn 14:13.) In
The reason for this astonishing this way, the wonder of Jesus’ res-
P –Almighty ever-living God, phenomenon is the fact that Christ
who allow those on earth to cel- urrection and mankind’s redemption
ebrate divine mysteries, grant, has been keeping the promise he is announced not as an event of a
we pray, that Christian hope may made to his apostles: “I am with distant past, but as a saving reality
draw us onward to where our you always, until the end of the rooted in history, affecting positively
nature is united with you. world” (Mt 28:20). Indeed, the Ris- all human beings.
Through Christ our Lord. en Christ has been all along with his Such a blessing can be expe-
All – Amen! people “working with them and con- rienced personally by all through
firming the word with accompanying a response of faith to the procla-
signs.” (See end of today’s Gospel.)
mation of the “Good News” and
It is thanks to the unfailing pres-
by living its values. We are also
ence of the Risen Christ that his
expected to proclaim it to others
P –The Lord be with you. Word displays a freshness which
through all the means of social
All –And with your spirit! makes it contemporary with all gen-
erations, and possesses a richness communication, and to witness
P –Bow your heads and pray to the Gospel of Jesus Christ
for God’s blessing. (Pause) which makes it relevant to all cul-
– Jesus is now at the right tures and circumstances. through a life characterized by
hand of the Father. The heart of the Word pro- serenity, generosity, peace, purity
All – Amen! claimed by the Church is the and all other qualities that make
P – May you also experience GOSPEL, the GOOD NEWS that the environment in which we live
the joy of his presence ev- God has reconciled all human a little heaven.

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