1

O God, you are my God; eagerly I seek you; *
     my soul thirsts for you, my flesh faints for you,
     as in a barren and dry land where there is no water.

2

Therefore I have gazed upon you in your holy place, *
     that I might behold your power and your glory.

3

For your loving-kindness is better than life itself; *
     my lips shall give you praise.

4

So will I bless you as long as I live *
     and lift up my hands in your Name.

5

My soul is content, as with marrow and fatness, *
     and my mouth praises you with joyful lips,

6

When I remember you upon my bed, *
     and meditate on you in the night watches.

7

For you have been my helper, *
     and under the shadow of your wings I will rejoice.

8

My soul clings to you; *
     your right hand holds me fast.

1

I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with my whole heart; *
     before the gods I will sing your praise.

2

I will bow down toward your holy temple
and praise your Name, *
     because of your love and faithfulness;

3

For you have glorified your Name *
     and your word above all things.

4

When I called, you answered me; *
     you increased my strength within me.

5

All the kings of the earth will praise you, O LORD, *
     when they have heard the words of your mouth.

6

They will sing of the ways of the LORD, *
     that great is the glory of the LORD.

7

Though the LORD be high, he cares for the lowly; *
     he perceives the haughty from afar.

8

Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you keep me safe; *
     you stretch forth your hand against the fury of my enemies;
     your right hand shall save me.

9

The LORD will make good his purpose for me; *
     O LORD, your love endures for ever;
     do not abandon the works of your hands.

1

Hallelujah!
Sing to the LORD a new song; *
     sing his praise in the congregation of the faithful.

2

Let Israel rejoice in his Maker; *
     let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.

3

Let them praise his Name in the dance; *
     let them sing praise to him with timbrel and harp.

4

For the LORD takes pleasure in his people *
     and adorns the poor with victory.

5

Let the faithful rejoice in triumph; *
     let them be joyful on their beds.

6

Let the praises of God be in their throat *
     and a two-edged sword in their hand;

7

To wreak vengeance on the nations *
     and punishment on the peoples;

8

To bind their kings in chains *
     and their nobles with links of iron;

9

To inflict on them the judgment decreed; *
     this is glory for all his faithful people.
     Hallelujah!

‘ So when they had come together, they asked him, ‘Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?’ He replied, ‘It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. 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.’ When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. While he was going and they were gazing up towards heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. They said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up towards 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.’

Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day’s journey away. When they had entered the city, they went to the room upstairs where they were staying, Peter, and John, and James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. All these were constantly devoting themselves to prayer, together with certain women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as his brothers.

Second Canticle
Magnificat

Antiphon:Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, alleluia.

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior; *
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.

From this day all generations will call me blessed: *
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.

He has mercy on those who fear him *
in every generation.

He has shown the strength of his arm, *
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.

He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, *
and has lifted up the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things, *
and the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel, *
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,

The promise he made to our fathers, *
to Abraham and his children for ever.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

Antiphon:Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, alleluia.

Responsory
The Virgin Mary is exalted above the choirs of angels.
The Virgin Mary is exalted above the choirs of angels.
Bless the Lord who has raised her up.
above the choirs of angels.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit
The Virgin Mary is exalted above the choirs of angels.

Collect
O God, you have taken to yourself the blessed Virgin Mary, mother of your incarnate Son: Grant that we, who have been redeemed by his blood, may share with her the glory of your eternal kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Kontakion:
Neither the tomb, nor death could hold the Theotokos, / Who is constant in prayer and our firm hope in her intercessions. / For being the Mother of Life, / She was translated to life by the One who dwelt in her virginal womb.

Intercessions

Let us praise God our almighty Father, who wished that Mary, his Son's mother, be celebrated by each generation. Now in need, we ask:
(R.)Mary, full of grace, intercede for us.

O God, worker of miracles, you made the immaculate Virgin Mary share in your Son's glory in heaven,
- direct the hearts of your children to that same glory.(R.)

You made Mary our mother. Through her intercession grant strength to the weak, comfort to the sorrowing, pardon to sinners,
- salvation and peace to all.(R.)

You made Mary the mother of mercy,
- may all who are faced with trials feel her motherly love. (R.)

You wished Mary to be the mother of the family in the home of Jesus and Joseph,
- may all mothers of families foster love and holiness through her intercession. (R.)

You crowned Mary queen of heaven,
- may all the dead rejoice in your kingdom with the saints for ever. (R.)


Our Father…

Closing Prayer:
Almighty and ever-living God, you welcomed the immaculate Virgin Mary, the Mother of your Son, into heaven, body and soul. Grant that we may constantly keep our eyes on heavenly things, and come to deserve a share in her glory.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever.