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Feast of the Ascension 2020

Thursday 21 May 2020

Divine Liturgy of our Father among the Saints John Chrysostom, celebrated by Father Yuriy at Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker Parish, Victoria. 10AM 21 May 2020.

First Antiphon
Verse: Clap your hands, all you nations; * shout to God with the voice of joy.
Refrain: Through the prayers of the Mother of God, O Saviour, save, us.

Verse: For the Lord most high is awesome, * a great king over all the earth.
Refrain: Through the prayers of the Mother of God, O Saviour, save, us.

Verse: He has subdued peoples to us, * and nations under our feet.
Refrain: Through the prayers of the Mother of God, O Saviour, save, us.

Verse: God ascended amid shouts of joy; * the Lord at the sound of the trumpet.
Refrain: Through the prayers of the Mother of God, O Saviour, save, us.

Third Antiphon
Verse: Hear these things all you nations, give ear, all inhabitants of the world.
Troparion, Tone 4: You ascended in glory, O Christ our God, * giving joy to Your disciples by the promise of the Holy Spirit, * and assuring them through your blessing * that You are the Son of God, * the Redeemer of the world.

Verse: Both lowly-born and offspring of the privileged, rich and poor alike.
Troparion, Tone 4: You ascended in glory, O Christ our God, * giving joy to Your disciples by the promise of the Holy Spirit, * and assuring them through your blessing * that You are the Son of God, * the Redeemer of the world.

Verse: My mouth shall speak wisdom and the meditation of my heart understanding.
Troparion, Tone 4: You ascended in glory, O Christ our God, * giving joy to Your disciples by the promise of the Holy Spirit, * and assuring them through your blessing * that You are the Son of God, * the Redeemer of the world.

Entrance Verse: God ascended amid shouts of joy;* the Lord at the sound of the trumpet.
Troparion, Tone 4: You ascended in glory, O Christ our God, * giving joy to Your disciples by the promise of the Holy Spirit, * and assuring them through your blessing * that You are the Son of God, * the Redeemer of the world.

Troparion, Tone 8
After seeing the image of Your cross in the heavens, O Lord, * and receiving like Paul the summons that was not from men, * Your apostle among kings entrusted into Your hands the imperial city. * Always save it in peace by the prayers of the Mother of God, * only Lover of mankind.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Kontakion, Tone 3
Today Constantine and Helen his mother reveal the cross, * the all-precious wood which shames those who refuse to believe. * Rulers with faith possess it as a weapon against foes; * a glorious standard frightful in battle revealed for the sake of all.

Now and forever and ever, Amen.

Kontakion, Tone 6
When you had fulfilled Your plan for us * and united things on earth with those in heaven, * You ascended in glory, O Christ our God, * in no way distant, but remaining in separable, * You cried to those who love You: * I am with You and there is none against you.

Prokeimenon, Tone 7
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; * above all the earth be Your glory.
Verse: My heart is ready, O God, my heart is ready. I will sing and make music in my glory. (Psalm 56:6,8)

Prokeimenon, Tone 8
Verse: Their utterance has gone forth into all the earth, and their word unto the ends of the world.

Epistle : Acts 1:1-12
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles:In the first book, Theophilus, I dealt with all that Jesus did and taught until the day he was taken up, after giving instructions through the holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. He presented himself alive to them by many proofs after he had suffered, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. While meeting with them, he enjoined them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for ‘the promise of the Father about which you have heard me speak; for John baptised with water, but in a few days you will be baptised with the holy Spirit.’ When they had gathered together they asked him, ‘Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?’ He answered them, ‘It is not for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has established by his own authority. But you will receive power when the holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’ When he had said this, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight. While they were looking intently at the sky as he was going, suddenly two men dressed in white garments stood beside them. They said, ‘Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking at the sky? This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven.’ Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day’s journey away.

Alleluia, Tone 2
Verse: God ascended amid shouts of joy; the Lord at the sound of the trumpet.
Verse: Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with the voice of joy. (Psalm 46:6,2)
Verse: I have exalted one chosen from among My people. (Psalm 88:20)

Gospel : Luke 24:36-53
While they were still speaking about this, he stood in their midst and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’ But they were startled and terrified and thought that they were seeing a ghost. Then he said to them, ‘Why are you troubled? And why do questions arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you can see I have.’ And as he said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. While they were still incredulous for joy and were amazed, he asked them, ‘Have you anything here to eat?’ They gave him a piece of baked fish; he took it and ate it in front of them. He said to them, ‘These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and in the prophets and psalms must be fulfilled.’ Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures. And he said to them, ‘Thus it is written that the Messiah would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And [behold] I am sending the promise of my Father upon you; but stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.’ Then he led them [out] as far as Bethany, raised his hands, and blessed them. As he blessed them he parted from them and was taken up to heaven. They did him homage and then returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and they were continually in the temple praising God.

Instead of “It is truly...” we sing: O my soul, magnify the Lord who in glory ascended bodily into the heavens.
Irmos, Tone 5: O Mother of God, * you transcended both mind and word, * and in time, ineffably bore the Timeless One: * it is you who, with one accord, * we, the faithful, magnify.

Сommunion Hymn
God ascended amid shouts of joy; * the Lord at the sound of the trumpet. (Psalm 46:6) * Their utterance has gone forth into all the earth, * and their word unto the ends of the world. (Psalm 18:5) * Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia.

[A private prayer of spiritual communion:
My Jesus, I believe that You are present in these Holy Gifts!
I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot receive You now,
I place before You my whole life and hope, O loving Master;
and I ask, pray, and entreat You: Make me worthy to partake in a mystical way
and with a pure conscience of Your awesome and heavenly Mysteries:
for forgiveness of sins, for the pardon of offences, for communion of the Holy Spirit,
for the inheritance of the kingdom of heaven, for confidence before You,
and not for judgment or condemnation.
I embrace You as You enter and abide in me, and I unite myself completely to You.
Permeate my soul and body, and never permit me to be separated from You.
Amen.]

Instead of “We have seen the true light” we sing: Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, above all the earth be Your glory. (1x)

Instead of “Let our mouths be filled” we sing: Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, above all the earth be Your glory. (3x)

Instead of “Blessed be the name of the Lord” we sing: Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, above all the earth be Your glory. (3x)