[Propertalk] READINGS for ASCENSION DAY

[Charles Wohlers]

The following are the readings for Ascension Day, May 21, according to the 
Revised Common (RCL), Episcopal (ECUSA), Roman Catholic, Church of England, 
and Canadian (Can. BAS) Lectionaries. All readings are taken from the New 
Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible. Unless noted otherwise, the 
ECUSA, Canadian and C of E lectionaries are identical to the RCL this 
Sunday.

Throughout the Easter Season, if the OT alternative is used for the C of E, 
the Acts reading should be used for the second reading.


FIRST READING:  Acts 1: 1 - 11   (all)

Acts 1:1 (NRSV) In the first book, Theoph'ilus, I wrote about all that Jesus 
did and taught from the beginning 2 until the day when he was taken up to 
heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles 
whom he had chosen. 3 After his suffering he presented himself alive to them 
by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking 
about the kingdom of God. 4 While staying with them, he ordered them not to 
leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the promise of the Father. "This," he 
said, "is what you have heard from me; 5 for John baptized with water, but 
you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."
6 So when they had come together, they asked him, "Lord, is this the time 
when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?" 7 He replied, "It is not for 
you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own 
authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon 
you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, 
and to the ends of the earth." 9 When he had said this, as they were 
watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 
While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men 
in white robes stood by them. 11 They said, "Men of Galilee, why do you 
stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you 
into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven."


Daniel 7: 9 - 14   (alt. for C of E)

Dani 7:9 (NRSV) As I watched,
thrones were set in place,
and an Ancient One took his throne,
his clothing was white as snow,
and the hair of his head like pure wool;
his throne was fiery flames,
and its wheels were burning fire.
10 A stream of fire issued
and flowed out from his presence.
A thousand thousands served him,
and ten thousand times ten thousand stood attending him.
The court sat in judgment,
and the books were opened. 11 I watched then because of the noise of the 
arrogant words that the horn was speaking. And as I watched, the beast was 
put to death, and its body destroyed and given over to be burned with fire. 
12 As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but their 
lives were prolonged for a season and a time. 13 As I watched in the night 
visions,
I saw one like a human being
coming with the clouds of heaven.
And he came to the Ancient One
and was presented before him.
14 To him was given dominion
and glory and kingship,
that all peoples, nations, and languages
should serve him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion
that shall not pass away,
and his kingship is one
that shall never be destroyed.


PSALM 47   (RCL)
Psalm 47: 1 - 2, 5 - 8   (Roman Catholic)

Psal 47:1 (NRSV) Clap your hands, all you peoples;
shout to God with loud songs of joy.
2 For the LORD, the Most High, is awesome,
a great king over all the earth.
3 He subdued peoples under us,
and nations under our feet.
4 He chose our heritage for us,
the pride of Jacob whom he loves. [Se'lah]
5 God has gone up with a shout,
the LORD with the sound of a trumpet.
6 Sing praises to God, sing praises;
sing praises to our King, sing praises.
7 For God is the king of all the earth;
sing praises with a psalm.
8 God is king over the nations;
God sits on his holy throne.
9 The princes of the peoples gather
as the people of the God of Abraham.
For the shields of the earth belong to God;
he is highly exalted.

Note: Verse numbering in Roman Catholic bibles is one higher than the above.


Psalm 93   (alt. for RCL)

Psal 93:1 (NRSV) The LORD is king, he is robed in majesty;
the LORD is robed, he is girded with strength.
He has established the world; it shall never be moved;
2 your throne is established from of old;
you are from everlasting.
3 The floods have lifted up, O LORD,
the floods have lifted up their voice;
the floods lift up their roaring.
4 More majestic than the thunders of mighty waters,
more majestic than the waves of the sea,
majestic on high is the LORD!
5 Your decrees are very sure;
holiness befits your house,
O LORD, forevermore.


SECOND READING:   Ephesians 1: 15 - 23   (RCL)

Ephe 1:15 (NRSV) I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love 
toward all the saints, and for this reason 16 I do not cease to give thanks 
for you as I remember you in my prayers. 17 I pray that the God of our Lord 
Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and 
revelation as you come to know him, 18 so that, with the eyes of your heart 
enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what 
are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, 19 and what is 
the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the 
working of his great power. 20 God put this power to work in Christ when he 
raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly 
places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and 
above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to 
come. 22 And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head 
over all things for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him 
who fills all in all.


Ephesians 4: 1 - 7 (8 - 10) 11 - 13   (Roman Catholic)

Ephe 4:1 (NRSV) I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a 
life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all 
humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 
making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of 
peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the 
one hope of your calling, 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and 
Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.
7 But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ's gift. 
8 Therefore it is said,
""When he ascended on high he made captivity itself a captive;
he gave gifts to his people." 9 (When it says, "He ascended," what does it 
mean but that he had also descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He 
who descended is the same one who ascended far above all the heavens, so 
that he might fill all things.) 11 The gifts he gave were that some would be 
apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, 12 to 
equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of 
Christ, 13 until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the 
knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature 
of Christ.


GOSPEL:  Luke 24: 44 - 53   (RCL)
                    Luke 24: 46 - 53   (Can. BAS)

Luke 24:44 (NRSV) Then 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, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled." 45 Then he opened 
their minds to understand the scriptures, 46 and he said to them, "Thus it 
is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the 
third day, 47 and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be 
proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are 
witnesses of these things. 49 And see, I am sending upon you what my Father 
promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power 
from on high."
50 Then he led them out as far as Beth'any, and, lifting up his hands, he 
blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was 
carried up into heaven. 52 And they worshiped him, and returned to Jerusalem 
with great joy; 53 and they were continually in the temple blessing God.


Mark 16: 9 - 16, 19 - 20   (alt. for Can. BAS)
Mark 16: 15 - 20   (Roman Catholic)

Mark 16:9 (NRSV) Now after he rose early on the first day of the week, he 
appeared first to Mary Mag'dalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons. 
10 She went out and told those who had been with him, while they were 
mourning and weeping. 11 But when they heard that he was alive and had been 
seen by her, they would not believe it.
12 After this he appeared in another form to two of them, as they were 
walking into the country. 13 And they went back and told the rest, but they 
did not believe them.
14 Later he appeared to the eleven themselves as they were sitting at the 
table; and he upbraided them for their lack of faith and stubbornness, 
because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen. 15 And 
he said to them, "Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the 
whole creation. 16 The one who believes and is baptized will be saved; but 
the one who does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will 
accompany those who believe: by using my name they will cast out demons; 
they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up snakes in their hands, 
and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay 
their hands on the sick, and they will recover."
19 So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into 
heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. 20 And they went out and 
proclaimed the good news everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and 
confirmed the message by the signs that accompanied it.


Chad Wohlers
East Bridgewater, Mass.   USA
chadwohl at satucket.com
cwohlers at bridgew.edu