The Roman Missal: Ascension Day to Ember Saturday in Whitsun Week (English) 9

1[Ember Friday.]

2Introit. Let my mouth be filled with thy praise, alleluia: that I may sing, alleluia: my lips shall rejoice, when I shall sing to thee, alleluia, alleluia. In thee, O Lord, have I hoped, let me never be put to confusion; deliver me in thy justice, and rescue me. Glory, &c.

3Prayer. Da quæsumus. Grant to thy Church, we beseech thee, O merciful God, that gathered together in the Holy Spirit, it may not be troubled by any hostile invasion. Through our Lord, &c. in the unity of the same, &c.

4[Second Prayer as page 39.]

5Lesson. Joel ii. 23—27. Thus saith the Lord God: O children of Sion, rejoice, and be joyful in the Lord your God; because he hath given you a teacher of justice, and he will make the early and the latter rain to come down to you, as in the beginning; and the floors shall be filled with wheat, and the presses shall overflow with wine and oil. And you shall eat in plenty, and shall be filled; and you shall praise the name of the Lord your God, who hath done wonders with you: and my people shall not be confounded for ever. And you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel; and I am the Lord your God, and there is none besides; and my people shall not be confounded for ever; saith the Lord Almighty.

6Alleluia, alleluia. O how good and sweet, O Lord, is thy spirit within us. Alleluia.—Come, O Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of thy faithful; and kindle in them the fire of thy love.

7[Sequence. Veni Sancte Spiritus, &c. as on Whit Sunday, page 398.]

8Gospel. St Luke v. 17—26. At that time, it came to pass, on a certain day, that Jesus sat teaching; and there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, that were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judea, and Jerusalem, and the power of the Lord was to heal them. And behold men brought in a bed a man who had the palsy, and they sought means to bring him in, and to lay him before him; and when they could not find by what way they might bring him in, because of the multitude, they went up upon the roof, and let him down through the tiles with his bed into the midst, before Jesus. And when he saw their faith, he said, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee: and the Scribes and Pharisees began to think, saying, Who is this who speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone? And when Jesus knew their thoughts, answering, he said to them. What is it you think in your hearts? Which is easier to say? Thy sins are forgiven thee, or to say, Arise and walk? But that you may know that the Son of Man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy) I say to thee arise, take up thy bed, and go into thy house. And immediately rising up before them, he took up the bed on which he lay, and he went away to his own house, glorifying God. And all were astonished, and they glorified God; and they were filled with fear, saying, We have seen wonderful things to-day.

9[Credo.]

10Offertory. Praise the Lord, O my soul: in my life I will praise the Lord; I will sing to my God, as long as I shall be, alleluia.

11Secret. May the sacrifice offered in thy sight, O Lord, be consumed by that divine fire, which through the Holy Spirit consumed the hearts of the disciples of Christ thy Son. Through the same Lord, &c. in the unity of the same, &c.

12[Second Secret as page 40.]

13Communion. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you again, alleluia: and your heart shall rejoice, alleluia.

14Postcom. Sumpsimus. We have received, O Lord, the gifts of thy sacred mysteries, humbly beseeching thee, that what thou hast commanded us to do in remembrance of thee, may produce help to our infirmity. Who livest and reignest, &c.

15[Second Postcommunion as page 41.]