16/05/2026
The Ascension of the Lord
Ascension
Lectionary: 58
FIRST READING
Acts 1:1-11
As the Apostles were looking on, Jesus was lifted up.
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles
In the first book, Theophilus,
I dealt with all that Jesus did and taught
until the day he was taken up,
after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit
to the apostles whom he had chosen.
He presented himself alive to them
by many proofs after he had suffered,
appearing to them during forty days
and speaking about the kingdom of God.
While meeting with them,
he enjoined them not to depart from Jerusalem,
but to wait for “the promise of the Father
about which you have heard me speak;
for John baptized with water,
but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
When they had gathered together they asked him,
“Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”
He answered them, “It is not for you to know the times or seasons
that the Father has established by his own authority.
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you,
and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem,
throughout Judea and Samaria,
and to the ends of the earth.”
When he had said this, as they were looking on,
he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight.
While they were looking intently at the sky as he was going,
suddenly two men dressed in white garments stood beside them.
They said, “Men of Galilee,
why are you standing there looking at the sky?
This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven
will return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven.”
The word of the Lord.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Ps. 47:2-3, 6-7, 8-9
R. (6) God mounts his throne to shouts of joy:
a blare of trumpets for the Lord.
All you peoples, clap your hands,
shout to God with cries of gladness,
For the LORD, the Most High, the awesome,
is the great king over all the earth. R.
God mounts his throne amid shouts of joy;
the LORD, amid trumpet blasts.
Sing praise to God, sing praise;
sing praise to our king, sing praise. R.
For king of all the earth is God;
sing hymns of praise.
God reigns over the nations,
God sits upon his holy throne. R.
SECOND READING
Eph 1:17-23
Christ has entered into heaven itself.
A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Ephesians
Brothers and sisters:
May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory,
give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation
resulting in knowledge of him.
May the eyes of your hearts be enlightened,
that you may know what is the hope that belongs to his call
what are the riches of glory
in his inheritance among the holy ones,
and what is the surpassing greatness of his power
for us who believe,
in accord with the exercise of his great might,
which he worked in Christ, raising him from the dead
and seating him at his right hand in the heavens,
far above every principality, authority, power, and dominion,
and every name that is named
not only in this age but also in the one to come.
And he put all things beneath his feet
and gave him as head over all things to the church,
which is his body,
the fullness of the one who fills all things in every way.
The word of the Lord.
Gospel
Matthew 28:16-20
The eleven disciples went to Galilee,
to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them.
When they saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted.
Then Jesus approached and said to them,
“All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,
teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.
And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”
PRAYERS OF THE FAITHFUL
On this feast of the Ascension, as Jesus returns to the Father and sends us out on mission, we come together as one community and entrust our
prayers to the Lord:
Lord, send us forth in your love.
1. For the Holy Father, our bishops, and all Church leaders, that they may guide us with wisdom and humility, helping us to grow together in faith and service, we pray to the Lord.
2. For all the faithful, that we may recognize our call to share in the mission of Christ, offering our time, gifts, and hearts in service to others, we pray to
the Lord.
3. For unity in our communities, that we may learn to forgive, to understand, and to walk together in peace, especially with those who feel forgotten or left out, we pray to the Lord.
4. For our parish and local communities, that we may not only gather in
prayer but also go out to bring Christ’s love to our families, neighbors, and
those on the margins, we pray to the Lord.
5. For those who are struggling, the sick, and the weary, that they may feel
God’s comforting presence through the care and support of others, we pray
to the Lord.
6. For our departed loved ones, that they may share in the joy of Christ in
heaven, where he has gone before us, we pray to the Lord.
Loving Father, your Son has returned to you in glory and entrusted us with his mission. Guide us to listen, serve, and bring hope. Strengthen us in faith. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.