O Lord, open our lips
Alland our mouth shall
proclaim your praise.
Your throne has been established from of old;
Allyou are from everlasting.
Alleluia.
One or more of the following is said or sung:
A Song of the King’s Glory, an Ascension hymn, or this prayer of thanksgiving
Blessed are you, Lord of heaven and earth,
to you be glory and praise for ever.
From the darkness of death you have raised your Christ
to the right hand of your majesty on high.
The pioneer of our faith, his passion accomplished,
has opened for us the way to heaven
and sends on us the promised Spirit.
May we be ready to follow the Way
and so be brought to the glory of his presence
where songs of triumph for ever sound:
Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
AllBlessed be God for ever.
The opening prayer may be said
The night has passed, and the day lies open before us;
let us pray with one heart and mind.
Silence is kept.
As we rejoice in the gift of this new day,
so may the light of your presence, O God,
set our hearts on fire with love for you;
now and for ever.
AllAmen.
The appointed psalmody is said.
If there are two Scripture readings, the first may be read here, or both may be read after the canticle.
A Song of Tobit may be said
Refrain:
AllSee what the Lord our God
has done
and exalt him in the sight of the living.
1Blessed be God, who
lives for ever, •
whose reign endures throughout all ages.
2Declare God’s
praise before the nations, •
you who are the children of Israel.
3For if our God has scattered
you among them, •
there too has he shown you his greatness.
4Exalt him in the sight
of the living, •
because he is our Lord and God and our Father for ever.
5Though God punishes
you for your wickedness, •
mercy will be shown to you all.
6God will gather you
from every nation, •
from wherever you have been scattered.
7When you turn to the
Lord
with all your heart and soul, •
God will hide his face from you no more.
8See what the Lord has
done for you •
and give thanks with a loud voice.
9Praise the Lord of righteousness
•
and exalt the King of the ages.
Tobit 13.1, 3, 4-6a
AllGlory to the Father
and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now
and shall be for ever. Amen.
AllSee what the Lord our God
has done
and exalt him in the sight of the living.
One or more readings appointed for the day are read.
The reading(s) may be followed by a time of silence.
A suitable song or chant, or a responsory in this or another form, may follow
Sing to the Lord and bless his name;
Alltell out his salvation
from day to day.
God has gone up with a merry noise;
Allsing to the Lord and
bless his name.
The Lord with the sound of the trumpet:
Alltell out his salvation
from day to day.
He has led captivity captive, and given gifts to his people.
AllSing to the Lord and
bless his name;
tell out his salvation from day to day.
from Psalms 47 and 68
The Benedictus (The Song of Zechariah) is said
Refrain:
AllI am ascending to my Father
and to your Father;
to my God and your God. Alleluia.
1Blessed be the Lord
the God of Israel, •
who has come to his people and set them free.
2He has raised up for
us a mighty Saviour, •
born of the house of his servant David.
3Through his holy prophets
God promised of old •
to save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all that hate us,
4To show mercy to our
ancestors, •
and to remember his holy covenant.
5This was the oath God
swore to our father Abraham: •
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
6Free to worship him
without fear, •
holy and righteous in his sight
all the days of our life.
7And you, child, shall
be called the prophet of the Most High, •
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
8To give his people knowledge
of salvation •
by the forgiveness of all their sins.
9In the tender compassion
of our God •
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
10To shine on those who
dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, •
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Luke 1.68-79
AllGlory to the Father and
to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now
and shall be for ever. Amen.
AllI am ascending to my Father
and to your Father;
to my God and your God. Alleluia.
The Collect of the day is said
Grant, we pray, almighty God,
that as we believe your only-begotten Son our Lord Jesus Christ
to have ascended into the heavens,
so we in heart and mind may also ascend
and with him continually dwell;
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
AllAmen.
The Lord’s Prayer is said
Looking for the coming of his kingdom,
as our Saviour taught us, so we pray
AllOur Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Amen.
(or)
Looking for the coming of his kingdom,
let us pray with confidence as our Saviour has taught us
AllOur Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.
May Christ, who has opened the kingdom of heaven,
bring us to reign with him in glory.
AllAmen.
Let us bless the Lord. Alleluia, alleluia.
AllThanks be to God. Alleluia,
alleluia.