SPIRITUAL COMMUNION FOR THE SOLEMNITY OF THE ASSUMPTION OF MARY
✠ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Let us acknowledge our sins,
and so prepare ourselves to meet with Christ.
I confess to almighty God
that I have greatly sinned,
in my thoughts and in my words,
in what I have done and in what I have failed to do,through my fault,through my fault,through my most grievous fault;therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin,and all the Angels and Saints,
to pray for me to the Lord our God.
May almighty God have mercy on us,
forgive us, and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.
who assumed the Immaculate Virgin Mary,
the Mother of your Son,
body and soul into heavenly glory,
grant, we pray, that, always attentive to the things that are above,
we may merit to be sharers of her glory.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.. Amen.
The Liturgy of the Word
FIRST READING Apocalypse 11:19,12:1-6,10
The sanctuary of God in heaven opened And the ark of the covenant could be seen inside it. Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman, adorned with the sun, standing on the moon, and with the twelve stars on her head for a crown.
She was pregnant, and in labour,
crying aloud in the pangs of childbirth.
Then a second sign appeared in the sky, a huge red dragon which had seven heads and ten horns,
and each of the seven heads crowned with a coronet. Its tail dragged a third of the stars from the sky and dropped them to the earth, and the dragon stopped in front of the woman
as she was having the child,
so that he could eat it as soon as it was born from its mother.
The woman brought a male child into the world, the son who was to rule all the nations with an iron sceptre,
and the child was taken straight up to God and to his throne, while the woman escaped into the desert, where God had made a place of safety ready. Then I heard a voice shout from heaven, ‘Victory and power and empire for ever have been won by our God, and all authority for his Christ.’
The Word of the Lord
On your right stands the queen, in garments of gold.
The daughters of kings are among your loved ones.
On your right stands the queen in gold of Ophir.
Listen, O daughter, give ear to my words:
forget your own people and your father’s house.
On your right stands the queen, in garments of gold.
So will the king desire your beauty:
He is your lord, pay homage to him.
They are escorted amid gladness and joy;
they pass within the palace of the king.
On your right stands the queen, in garments of gold.
Mary has been taken up to heaven;
all the choirs of angels are rejoicing. Alleluia!
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke.
Mary set out and went as quickly as she could to a town in the hill
country of Judah. She went into Zechariah’s house and greeted
Elizabeth. Now as soon as Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting,
the child leapt in her womb
and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
She gave a loud cry and said, ‘Of all women you are the most blessed,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
Why should I be honoured with a visit from the mother of my Lord?
For the moment your greeting reached my ears,
the child in my womb leapt for joy. Yes, blessed is she who believed
that the promise made her by the Lord would be fulfilled.’
And Mary said: ‘My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord
and my spirit exults in God my saviour;
because he has looked upon his lowly handmaid.
Yes, from this day forward all generations will call me blessed,
for the Almighty has done great things for me.
Holy is his name, and his mercy reaches from age to age for those
who fear him. He has shown the power of his arm,
he has routed the proud of heart.
He has pulled down princes from their thrones and exalted the lowly.
The hungry he has filled with good things, the rich sent empty away.
He has come to the help of Israel his servant, mindful of his mercy
– according to the promise he made to our ancestors –
of his mercy to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.’
Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months
and then went back home.
HOMILY Some of you will probably know that Jan and I
are looking forward to our first Grandchild in February, 2021.
Already we are speculating, “will it have Chris’s height?”
or might it inherit Luci’s energy?
I wonder how much Jesus took after Mary?
Was there a family likeness?
Did he have any of her mannerisms?
Did he have any of her phrases,
after all, it would have been Mary who taught him to speak,
she with her Galilean accent.
She taught Him about God, not just in the teaching she imparted,
but Jesus learnt of his Father’s love through her love
and, of course, through the love received from His Guardian Joseph.
Mary’s love of her Son was total. After all, she’s His Mother.
And that’s what Mothers do.
She cuddled and protected Him when a Baby;
and was frantic with anxiety when He went missing aged 12.
She had total faith Him and in His ability in His Ministry
(“do what He tells you”,
she says to the Serving Staff at the Cana Wedding);
She worried about Him when she saw Him exhausted
by the day-after-day “seminars” He conducted
over the whole country.
she was with Him at the foot of His Cross;
she embraced Him in His death as in His life
as He was taken down from the Cross.
Jesus had made provision for Mary’s care after the Ascension.
He placed His beloved Mother
into the care of His Beloved Disciple, John,
under whose protection she remained, in Ephesus,
until the time came for Mary herself to withdraw.
In describing this scene, some Church Fathers have spoken
of Jesus Himself coming back to earth
to take his mother and bring her to her heavenly home.
“In My Father’s house are many mansions,”
Jesus promises in John 14;
“I go to prepare a place for you…..I go to prepare a place for you,
I will come again and receive you to Myself;
that where I am, there you may be also.”
If that promise was made to the Disciples,
how much more should that have been true for Mary,
the one who embraced Him, protected Him, cared for Him,
loved Him through it all, and stayed with Him to the end and beyond?
Mary, the first to carry Christ into the world;
Mary, the first to show Christ to the World;
Mary, the first to live-out the “Magnificat Manifesto” of the Kingdom;
Mary, the one-and-only to consent to God’s plan,
and to co-operate with God in the power of the Holy Spirit,
to enable “The Word to become Flesh and dwell among us.”
A depiction of the end of Mary’s life—
her moment between heaven and earth—is expressed in the Orthodox view of “The Dormition” the “Falling Asleep of Mary”.
In the beginning Mary placed herself in the Hands of God; and in turn, God placed Christ into her embrace.
When the time came, as she passed from this world to the next, she placed herself into God’s hands once again,
but this time God entrusts Mary in the embrace of Christ,where He “comes again to receive her to Himself,
that where He is, there she may be also.”
This is the hope that the Assumption brings to us all;
that if we place ourselves in God’s Hands,
as Mary did, in her “Let it be to me according to Your Word”
then God our Heavenly Father will carry us,
carry us through our distress,
and lift up our heavy hearts.
So take a moment right now and ask yourself,
what burdens,
troubles,
and worries
are weighing you down?
How can you entrust yourself more into God’s loving care?
With whatever we’re facing in life,
Pandemic and other health problems, redundancy,
work and business worries, uncertain futures,
may we, like Mary, fall into Christ’s arms,
trusting His support of us in our present sufferings;
that He might raise us to Himself,
both now and at the hour of our death.
“Coming from eternity to time,
You came to me –
His handmaid.
So now I wait
for You to come again
….I wait,
as in my youth
so long ago
I waited for Your coming –
so as You came to me
in time out of eternity,
This time
You come and take me
To eternity from time.” A.Seymour
NICENE CREED
I believe in one God, the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.
I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the Only Begotten Son of God,
born of the Father before all ages.
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father;
through him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven,
and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,
and became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,
he suffered death and was buried,
and rose again on the third day
in accordance with the Scriptures.
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead
and his kingdom will have no end.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.
I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins
and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead
and the life of the world to come. Amen.
The Prayer of the Faithful (Bidding Prayers)
With trust in the Lord who calls us all to follow Him, we present our
prayers;
For the Church: May the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church,
guide and support us here at Holy Trinity. Pray for us, Virgin
Mary, for our Bishop, Norman; for the Patriarchs of Eastern and
Western Christendom – Pope Francis and Ecumenical Patriarch
Bartholomew; for Archbishop Justin, Tim, Bishop of Winchester, for the faithful who worship in other churches in our city, and the whole people of God. Lord, hear us.
That the leaders of all nations may be inspired to serve their people
in a spirit of selflessness, fairness and humility. Lord hear us.
We pray for a more just distribution of the world’s wealth
and ask that we are all blessed with the strength and resolve
to play our part in achieving it. Lord hear us.
For young people as they receive their examination results: May the
Father grant them the vision of the fullness of life, that he offers
them through the following of his Son. Lord, hear us.
For the sick, the poor and the lonely: May we find the assurance
of God’s presence in the love of his people. Lord, hear us.
For those who are suffering from the impact of coronavirus –
may the Lord of Mercy bring them health and healing.
For the physically weak, isolated and vulnerable people in every
country - may the Lord of Compassion inspire us to care for all.
Lord, hear us.
For those dedicated to finding vaccines and treatments for this
contagion. Lord, hear us.
Look with compassion on the many fleeing persecution; may they,
like Mary and her family, find a safe haven. Lord, hear us.
For the faithful departed: May they come to dwell with Our Lady
in the presence of the risen Lord. Lord, hear us.
Let us now turn to Mary, who is at the right hand of her Son,
and seek her intercession as we say:
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou amongst women
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now,
and at the hour of our death. Amen.
O God, who, looking on the lowliness of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
raised her to this grace, that your Only Begotten Son was born of her
according to the flesh
and that she was crowned this day with surpassing glory,
grant through her prayers,
that, saved by the mystery of your redemption,
we may merit to be exalted by you on high.
Merciful Father, accept these prayers for the sake of your Son,
our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.
SPIRITUAL COMMUNION
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God;
It is right to give him thanks and praise.
It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation,
always and everywhere to give you thanks,
Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God,
through Christ our Lord.
For today the Virgin Mother of God
was assumed into heaven
as the beginning and image
of your Church’s coming to perfection
and a sign of sure hope and comfort to your pilgrim people;
rightly you would not allow her
to see the corruption of the tomb
since from her own body she marvellously brought forth
your incarnate Son, the Author of all life.
And so, in company with the choirs of Angels,
we praise you, and with joy we proclaim:
Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts.
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
At the Saviour’s command
and formed by divine teaching, we dare to say:
Our 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.
Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil,
graciously grant peace in our days,
that, by the help of your mercy,
we may be always free from sin and safe from all distress,
as we await the blessed hope
and the coming of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
For the kingdom,
the power and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world,
grant us peace.
Time to sit quietly to receive the Lord’s Presence spiritually.
“My Jesus, I believe that You are present
in the Most Holy Sacrament of the altar.
I love You above all things,
and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally,
come at least spiritually into my heart …
I embrace You as if You were already there
and unite myself wholly to You.
Never permit me to be separated from You,”
“You prepare a table before me
in the presence of those who trouble me;
you have anointed my head with oil,
and my cup is running over.
Surely your goodness and mercy
shall follow me all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.”
Psalm 23
All this day, O Lord,
let me touch as many lives as possible for You;
and every life I touch, by Your Spirit quicken,
whether through the word I speak,
the prayer I breathe, or the life I live. Amen.
(Mary Sumner’s personal prayer)
May God, who through the childbearing of the Blessed Virgin Mary
willed in his great kindness to redeem humanity, enrich us all with his
blessing; and may the blessing of almighty God, the Father, and the
Son, ✠ and the Holy Spirit, come down upon us and remain with us
for ever. Amen.
THE ANGELUS The angel of the Lord brought tidings unto Mary. And she conceived by the Holy Ghost.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of our death. Amen.
Behold the handmaid of the Lord. Be it unto me according to thy word.
Hail Mary. Holy Mary.
And the Word was made flesh. And dwelt amongst us.
Hail Mary. Holy Mary.
Pray for us, O holy Mother of God. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
We beseech thee, O Lord, pour thy grace into our hearts,
that as we have known the Incarnation of thy Son Jesus Christ by the message of an angel, so by his Cross and Passion
we may be brought unto the glory of his Resurrection;
through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
Let us bless the Lord;
Thanks be to God.
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