[Propertalk] READINGS for ASCENSION DAY

[Charles Wohlers]

The following are the readings for Ascension Day, May 30, according to 
the Revised Common (RCL), Episcopal (ECUSA), Roman Catholic, Canadian 
BAS, and the Church of England (Common Worship) 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 for this day.

For the C of E, the passage from Acts should be used for the second 
reading, if the alternative from the Old Testament was used as first 
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 Aram 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 Aram
coming with the clouds of heaven.
And he came to the Ancient One Aram
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 is one higher in Roman Catholic Bibles


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.


Hebrews 9: 24 - 28, 10: 19 - 23   (Roman Catholic)

Hebr 9:24 (NRSV) For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made by human 
hands, a mere copy of the true one, but he entered into heaven itself, 
now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. 25 Nor was it to 
offer himself again and again, as the high priest enters the Holy Place 
year after year with blood that is not his own; 26 for then he would 
have had to suffer again and again since the foundation of the world. 
But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the age to 
remove sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 And just as it is appointed 
for mortals to die once, and after that the judgment, 28 so Christ, 
having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second 
time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting 
for him.

10:19 Therefore, my friends, since we have confidence to enter the 
sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he 
opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh), 21 and 
since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us approach 
with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled 
clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 
Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he 
who has promised is faithful.


GOSPEL:  Luke 24: 44 - 53   (all)

Luke 24:44 (NRSV) Then he [Jesus] 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.

Note: the Roman Catholic lectionary omits vs. 44 & 45.


-- 
Chad Wohlers
chadwohl at satucket.com
Woodbury, VT   USA