OurLadyofWalsinghamwithSaintCuthbertMayne
SIXTHSUNDAYOFEASTER ROGATIONSUNDAY
DWSMPropers&Readingsp.514
THEINTROITHYMN
Love’sredeemingworkisdone; Foughtthefight,thebattlewon: Lo,ourSun'seclipseiso'er! Lo,hesetsinbloodnomore!
Vainthestone,thewatch,theseal, Christhasburstthegatesofhell; Deathinvainforbidshisrise; ChristhasopenedParadise.
LivesagainourgloriousKing; Where,ODeath,isnowthysting Dyingonce,healldothsave; Wherethyvictory,Ograve!
SoarwenowwhereChristhasled, FollowingourexaltedHead; Madelikehim,likehimwerise; Oursthecross,thegrave,theskies.
HailtheLordofearthandheaven! Praisetotheebybothbegiven: Theewegreettriumphantnow; Hail,theResurrectionthou!
OFFERTORYHYMN
Alleluia,alleluia!
Heartstoheavenandvoicesraise: singtoGodahymnofgladness, singtoGodahymnofpraise. He,whoonthecrossavictim, fortheworld'ssalvationbled, JesusChrist,theKingofglory, nowisrisenfromthedead.
Christisrisen,Christ,thefirstfruits oftheholyharvestfield, whichwillallitsfullabundance athissecondcomingyield: thenthegoldenearsofharvest willtheirheadsbeforehimwave, ripenedbyhisglorioussunshine fromthefurrowsofthegrave.
Christisrisen,wearerisen! Sheduponusheavenlygrace, rainanddewandgleamsofglory fromthebrightnessofthyface; thatwe,withourheartsinheaven, hereonearthmayfruitfulbe, andbyangelhandsbegathered, andbeever,Lord,withthee.
Alleluia,alleluia!
GlorybetoGodonhigh; Alleluia!totheSaviour whohasgainedthevictory; Alleluia!totheSpirit, fountofloveandsanctity: Alleluia,alleluia! totheTriuneMajesty.
COMMUNIONHYMNS
Nowthegreenbladeriseth, fromtheburiedgrain, Wheatthatindarkearth manydayshaslain; Lovelivesagain, thatwiththedeadhasbeen: Loveiscomeagain, likewheatthatspringethgreen.
InthegravetheylaidHim, Lovewhommenhadslain, Thinkingthatnever hewouldwakeagain, Laidintheearth likegrainthatsleepsunseen:
THINEforever!Godoflove, Hearusfromthythroneabove; Thineforevermaywebe Hereandineternity.
ForthHecameatEaster, liketherisengrain, Hethatforthreedays inthegravehadlain, Quickfromthedead, myrisenLordisseen:
Whenourheartsarewintry, grieving,orinpain, Thytouchcancallus backtolifeagain, Fieldsofourhearts, thatdeadandbarehavebeen:
Thineforever!O,howblest Theywhofindintheetheirrest! Saviour,Guardian,heavenlyFriend, Odefendustotheend.
Thineforever!Lordoflife, Shieldusthroughourearthlystrife; ThoutheLife,theTruth,theWay, Guideustotherealmsofday.
Thineforever!thouourguide, Allourwantsbytheesupplied, Alloursinsbytheeforgiven, Ledbytheefromearthtoheaven.
REGINACAELI
Joytothee,OQueenofHeaven.Alleluia! Hewhomthouwastmeettobear.Alleluia!
Ashepromisedhatharisen.Alleluia!
PourforustoGodthyprayer.Alleluia!
RejoiceandbegladofVirginMary.Alleluia! FortheLordisrisenindeed.Alleluia!
Letuspray.
OGod,WhobytheResurrectionofThySon,ourLordJesus Christ,hastbroughtjoytotheworld:grantwebeseechThee, thatthroughhisMothertheVirginMary,wemayobtainthejoys ofeternallife.ThroughthesameChrist,ourLord.Amen.
NOTICESSundays:YearCWeekday:YearII
M15th RogationDay12.00
T16th RogationDay18.30
W17th RogationDay10.00
Th18th THEASCENSIONOFTHELORD 19.00
F19th FridayafterEasterVI 10.00
S20th OurLadyonSaturday10.00
Mattinswillbesaid
Tuesday-Thursday7.50Friday-Sunday9.00
ReflectionbyPopeBenedictXVIontheAscension.
"YoushallreceivepowerwhentheHolySpirithascome uponyou;andyoushallbemywitnessesinJerusalemandin allJudeaandSamariaandtotheendoftheearth"(Acts1:8). Withthesewords,JesustookhisleaveoftheApostles,aswe heardintheFirstReading.Immediatelyafterwardsthesacred Authoraddsthat"astheywerelookingon,hewasliftedup,and acloudtookhimoutoftheirsight"(Acts1:9).Thisisthe mysteryoftheAscensionthatwearecelebratingtoday.But whatdotheBibleandtheLiturgywishtotellusbysayingthat Jesus"wasliftedup"?Wecannotunderstandthemeaningof thesewordsfromasingletextorfromasinglebookoftheNew Testamentbutratherbylisteningattentivelytothewholeof SacredScripture.Infacttheverb"toliftup"wasoriginallyused intheOldTestamentandreferstoroyalenthronement.Thus Christ'sAscensionmeansinthefirstplacetheenthronementof theCrucifiedandRisenSonofMan,themanifestationofGod's kingshipovertheworld.
However,thereisanevendeepermeaningthatisnot immediatelyperceptible.InthepassagefromtheActsofthe ApostlesitissaidfirstthatJesuswas"liftedup"(v.9)andthen itsays"takenup"(v.11).Theeventisnotdescribedasa journeytoonhighbutratherasanactionofthepowerofGod
whointroducesJesusintothespaceofclosenesstotheDivine.The presenceofthecloudthat"tookhimoutoftheirsight"(v.9),recalls averyancientimageofOldTestamenttheologyandintegratesthe accountoftheAscensionintothehistoryofGodwithIsrael,from thecloudofSinaiandabovethetentoftheCovenantinthedesert, totheluminouscloudonthemountainoftheTransfiguration.
TopresenttheLordwrappedincloudscallstomindonceandforall thesamemysteryexpressedinthesymbolismofthephrase, "seatedattherighthandofGod".InChristascendedintoHeaven, thehumanbeinghasenteredintointimacywithGodinanewand unheard-ofway;manhenceforthfindsroominGodforever.
"Heaven":thiswordHeavendoesnotindicateaplaceabovethe starsbutsomethingfarmoredaringandsublime:itindicatesChrist himself,thedivinePersonwhowelcomeshumanityfullyandfor ever,theOneinwhomGodandmanareinseparablyunitedfor ever.Man'sbeinginGod,thisisHeaven.Andwedrawcloseto Heaven,indeed,weenterHeaventotheextentthatwedrawclose toJesusandenterintocommunionwithhim.Forthisreasontoday's SolemnityoftheAscensioninvitesustobeinprofoundcommunion withthedeadandRisenJesus,invisiblypresentinthelifeofeach oneofus.
InthisperspectiveweunderstandwhytheEvangelistLukesays thataftertheAscensionthedisciplesreturnedtoJerusalem"with greatjoy"(24:52).Theirjoystemsfromthefactthatwhathad happenedwasnotreallyaseparation,theLord'spermanent absence:onthecontrary,theywerethencertainthattheCrucifiedRisenOnewasaliveandthatinhimGod'sgates,thegatesof eternallife,hadbeenopenedtohumanityforever.Inotherwords, hisAscensiondidnotimplyatemporaryabsencefromtheworldbut ratherinauguratedthenew,definitiveandinsuppressibleformofhis presencebyvirtueofhisparticipationintheroyalpowerofGod.It wastobeuptothem,thedisciplesemboldenedbythepowerofthe HolySpirit,tomakehispresencevisiblebytheirwitness,preaching andmissionaryzeal.TheSolemnityoftheLord'sAscensionmust alsofilluswithserenityandenthusiasm,justasitdidtheApostles whosetoutagainfromtheMountofOlives"withgreatjoy".Like them,wetoo,acceptingtheinvitationofthe"twomenindazzling apparel",mustnotstaygazingupatthesky,but,underthe guidanceoftheHolySpiritmustgoeverywhereandproclaimthe savingmessageofChrist'sdeathandResurrection.Hisverywords, withwhichtheGospelaccordingtoStMatthewends,accompany andcomfortus:"andlo,Iamwithyoualways,tothecloseofthe age"(Mt28:19).