Ascension
Evening Prayer I

Greeting

God ascends to shouts of joy.
The Lord amid trumpet blasts, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Praise the Lord, all you nations.
Acclaim God, all you peoples. Alleluia, Alleluia!

Doxology

Psalm 117

Praise! Give glory to God!

Praise! Give glory to God!
Nations, peoples, give glory!

Strong the love embracing us.
Faithful the Lord forever.

Hallelujah!

Revelation 11: 17-18; 12: 10b-12a

Citizens of heaven, rejoice!

We thank you, Lord,
God and ruler of all,
Who is and who was.
You have claimed your power
And begun to reign.

When the nations raged
Your anger stirred.
Then was the moment
To judge the dead,
To reward your servants, the prophets,
To honor your holy ones
Who honored your name,
Small and great alike.

Now is salvation,
The power and reign of God:
The Christ holds command.
For the one who accused the saints
Day and night before God
Has now been driven out.

They won the battle
By the blood of the Lamb,
And by the power of their witness
Despite the threat of death.
Citizens of heaven, rejoice.

Reading: Ephesians 2: 4-7

God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

Canticle of Mary

In Christ you are built together spiritually into a dwelling place for God.

I acclaim the greatness of the Lord, I delight in God my savior, who regarded my humble state. Truly from this day on All ages will call me blest. For God, wonderful in power, has used that strength for me. Holy the name of the Lord! Whose mercy embraces the faithful, one generation to the next. The mighty arm of God scatters the proud in their conceit, Pulls tyrants from their thrones, and raises up the humble. The Lord fills the starving And lets the rich go hungry. God rescues lowly Israel, recalling the promise of mercy, the promise made to our ancestors, to Abraham’s heirs for ever.
Intercessions

Lord Jesus Christ, you ascended to the heavens and reign over all the earth. Though we cannot see you, we know you are near. You have promised to be with us always, even to the end of time, and so we pray:

--Be with your people, Lord.

In the pursuit of justice for the poor…
In the effort to provide affordable housing for the homeless…
In the promotion of human rights…
In the creation and performance of the arts…
In the instruction of youth and children…
In the visitation of the sick and imprisoned…

Our Father

Prayer

God of heaven and earth, your glory fills the universe. All peoples praise you for the wonders you have worked among us. As we remember the mystery of Christ’s death and rising, help us to remember that he has not left us orphans. We have not known his touch or seen his face, but we believe that he is with us now. Deepen our faith. Open our eyes to see his presence in our midst. Amen.

Blessing

Christ be before me and behind me. Amen.
Christ be on my right and on my left. Amen.
Christ be within me and around me, never to part. Amen.