Saturday After Ascension
Morning Prayer
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 113
God’s glory shines over the heavens.
Servants of God, praise,
praise the name of the Lord.
Bless the Lord’s name
now and always.
Praise the Lord’s name
here and in every place,
from east to west.
The Lord towers above nations,
God’s glory shines over the heavens.
Who compares to our God?
Who is enthroned so high?
The Lord bends down
to see heaven and earth,
to raise the weak from the dust
and lift the poor from the mire,
to seat them with princes
in the company of their leaders.
The childless, no longer along,
rejoice now in many children.
Hallelujah!
1 Timothy 3:16
Christ is taken up in glory.
Astounding mystery
at the heart of our faith:
One who appeared in human flesh, alleluia!
was attested by the Spirit, alleluia!
seen by angels, alleluia!
proclaimed to Gentiles, alleluia!
believed in by the world, alleluia!
taken up in glory, alleluia!
Reading: Ephesians 3: 14-19
For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name. I pray that, according to the riches of is glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breath and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Canticle of Zechariah
May our inner being be strengthened through the power of the Spirit.
Praise the Lord, the God of Israel,
who shepherds the people and sets them free.
God raises from David’s house
a child with power to save.
Through the holy prophets
God promised in ages past
to save us from enemy hands,
from the grip of all who hate us.
The Lord favored our ancestors
recalling the sacred covenant,
the pledge to our ancestor Abraham,
to free us from our enemies,
so we might worship without fear
and be holy and just all our days.
And you child, will be called
Prophet of the Most High,
for you will come to prepare
a pathway for the Lord
by teaching the people salvation
through forgiveness of their sin.
Out of God’s deepest mercy
a dawn will come from on high,
light for those shadowed by death,
a guide for our feet on the way to peace.
Intercessions
Jesus, you gave us the poser of your Spirit that we might know you and follow the way you have shown us. In our baptism we became home to that indwelling Spirit. In trust we pray:
--Spirit of God, guide us.
Spirit of God, you wait patiently for your people to hear and respond to your urgings:
--May we recognize you in the events of this day and attend to your inspirations.
Spirit of God, you overshadowed Mary and she became the mother of Jesus:
--Pour out your grace upon our family of Mercy that we may be strengthened to minister to the needs of women and children.
Spirit of God, you are the source of wisdom:
--Enable us to hear your voice as you guide and challenge us in the choices we make.
Spirit of God, you are the breath that hovers over the waters bringing forth life:
--Breathe in us now, that your word of mercy may be spoken anew to those with whom we live and work.
Spirit of God, you are the source of life and blessing:
--May we use our spiritual, intellectual, and material gifts to ensure a better, more equitable society where the rights of all people are upheld and where violence is transformed into peace.
Our Father
Prayer
Spirit of God, come and transform us. Stir up in us an ardent desire to do your will and bring about the reign of mercy and justice. Holy Spirit, praying unceasingly within us, give our tongues the words to praise you, our hearts the fervor to love you. Sanctify the work of our lives that all our acts may give glory to God, today and always. Abide with us that we may abide with you. This we ask in faith. 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.