Jun 01, Midafternoon Prayer – Ascension for Ascension of the Lord

Divine Office – Liturgy of the Hours of the Roman Catholic Church (Breviary)

For those of you who have celebrated Ascension of our Lord on Thursday, use this link to the Midafternoon Prayer for the 7th Sunday of Easter

Ribbon Placement:
Liturgy of the Hours Vol. II:
Ordinary: 1054
Complementary Psalmody: 1655 (Midafternoon)
Proper of Seasons: 928 (antiphon, reading)

Midafternoon Prayer for the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord, using the the Complementary Psalmody

God, come to my assistance.
— Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

HYMN

Sing with all the sons of glory,
Sing the resurrection song!
Death and sorrow, earth's dark story,
To the former days belong.
All around the clouds are breaking,
Soon the storms of time shall cease;
In God's likeness, man awaking,
Knows the everlasting peace.

O what glory, far exceeding
All that eye has yet perceived!
Holiest hearts for ages pleading,
Never that full joy conceived.
God has promised, Christ prepares it,
There on high our welcome waits;
Every humble spirit shares it,
Christ has passed th'eternal gates.

Life eternal! heav'n rejoices:
Jesus lives who once was dead;
Join, O man, the deathless voices;
Child of God, lift up thy head!
Patriarchs from the distant ages,
Saints all longing for their heaven.
Prophets, psalmists, seers, and sages,
All await the glory given.

Life eternal! O what wonders
Crowd on faith; what joy unknown,
When, amidst earth's closing thunders,
Saints shall stand before the throne!
O to enter that bright portal,
See that glowing firmament,
Know, with thee, O God immortal,
"Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent!"

𝄞

"Sing with All the Sons of Glory" by Rebecca Hincke • Title: Sing with All the Sons of Glory; Melody: Hymn to Joy (Beethoven0 87.87.D; Text: Based on 1 Corinthians 15:20, William J. Irons, 1812-1883; Music: Arranged from Ludwig van Beethoven, 1770-1827, by Edward Hodges, 1796-1867; Artist: Rebecca Hincke; Recording (c) 2016 Surgeworks, Inc. • Albums that contain this Hymn: Divine Office

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 Raising his hands, he blessed them and was lifted up to heaven, alleluia.

Psalm 126
Joyful hope in God
Companions with him in suffering, you will share his over-flowing happiness (2 Corinthians 1:7)

When the Lord delivered Zion from bondage,
it seemed like a dream.
Then was our mouth filled with laughter,
on our lips there were songs.

The heathens themselves said: “What marvels
the Lord worked for them!”
What marvels the Lord worked for us!
Indeed we were glad.

Deliver us, O Lord, from our bondage
as streams in dry land.
Those who are sowing in tears
will sing when they reap.

They go out, they go out, full of tears,
carrying seed for the sowing:
they come back, they come back, full of song,
carrying their sheaves

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm 127
Apart from God our labors are worthless
You are God’s building (1 Corinthians 3:9)

If the Lord does not build the house,
in vain do its builders labor;
if the Lord does not watch over the city,
in vain does the watchman keep vigil.

In vain is your earlier rising,
your going later to rest,
you who toil for the bread you eat,
when he pours gifts on his beloved while they slumber.

Truly sons are a gift from the Lord,
a blessing, the fruit of the womb.
Indeed the sons of youth
are like arrows in the hand of a warrior.

O the happiness of the man
who has filled his quiver with these arrows!
He will have no cause for shame
when he disputes with his foes in the gateways.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm 128
Happiness of family life rooted in God
“May the Lord bless you from Zion,” that is, from the Church (Arnobius)

O blessed are those who fear the Lord
and walk in his ways!

By the labor of your hands you shall eat.
You will be happy and prosper;
the wife like a fruitful vine
in the heart of your house;
Your children like shoots of the olive,
around your table.

Indeed thus shall be blessed
the man who fears the Lord.
May the Lord bless you from Zion
all the days of your life!
May you see your children’s children
in a happy Jerusalem!

On Israel, peace!

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Raising his hands, he blessed them and was lifted up to heaven, alleluia.

READING Colossians 3:1-2

Since you have been raised up in company with Christ, set your heart in what pertains to higher realms where Christ is seated at God’s right hand. Be intent on things above rather than on things of earth.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell)
A moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

Give glory to the King of kings, alleluia.
— Sing praise to God, alleluia.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Gladden us with holy joys,
almighty God, and make us rejoice
with devout thanksgiving,
for the Ascension of Christ your Son is our exaltation,
and, where the Head has gone before in glory,
the Body is called to follow in hope.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
— Amen.

ACCLAMATION (only added when praying in community)

Let us praise the Lord.
— And give him thanks.