ascension – Page 2 – A Collection of Prayers

An Ascension Prayer (1)

Ascension_Painting Almighty God and Father,
grant that we may set our minds
on heavenly things,
and that we may be heavenly minded,
since we believe that your only Son,
our Savior Jesus Christ
has ascended into heaven
and that when he comes again,
he will take us to himself in heaven;
through our dear Lord Jesus Christ,
who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit,
one true God,
forever and ever.
Amen.

Source: Die pommersche Kirchen-Ordnung und Agenda, p. 290. Translated for A Collection of Prayers.

This prayer is based on Colossians 3:1-4

Original in German:

O Allmächtiger Gott Vater, wir bitten dich, verleihe uns, daß wir auch mit dem Gemüth im Himmel wohnen, und was himmlisch ist, suchen, und im Geist himmlisch gesinnet sein, wie wir glauben, daß dein eingeborner Sohn, unser Seligmacher Jesus Christus, gen Himmel aufgefahren ist, auf daß, wenn er wieder kommen wird, er uns zu sich hinauf nehme in den Himmel, durch denselbigen unsern lieben Herrn Jesum Christum, der in Einigkeit des heiligen Geistes mit dir lebet und regieret, wahrer Gott, immer und in Ewigkeit, Amen.

Prayer for Ascension Day

O Lord, King of glory,
when you fulfilled all that the prophets had spoken about you,
you ascended to your Father’s throne,
and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.
While you reign in heaven,
do not let us be weighed down by earthly things,
but keep our hearts looking upward
where our Redeemer has gone before;
through your mercy, O our God,
you are blessed,
and live and govern all things,
now and forever.
Amen.

Source: Freely modified from Mozarabic Collects, ed. Rev. Chas. R. Hale, New York, 1881, p. 28 #3

“prophets had spoken about you” is a reference to Luke 24:25, Acts 3:24

“opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers” is a reference to the Te Deum Laudamus

“do not let us be weighed down by earthly things, but keep our hearts looking up” is a reference to Colossians 3:2

Mozarabic, ad.

Two Ascension Prayers

Ascension_Painting Almighty God, grant us such faith in your only Son, our Savior, who this day ascended into heaven, that we may live each day with our hearts and spirits fixed on him; through your dear Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Dearest Lord God, our merciful Father in heaven, we see that this festival of the ascension of our Lord Christ is full of comfort and joy, and for this we praise and thank you. We pray that you would keep us in your grace, and finally grant us a blessed end, for the sake of Jesus Christ your Son, that we may follow where he has led us and enjoy eternal life and salvation, sitting at his right hand. Grant this to us, dearest Lord. Amen.

Source: Martin Luther, freely translated for A Collection of Prayers. German source: Gebetbuch, enthaltend die sämtlichen Gebete und Seufzer Martin Luther’s, ….Evangelischer Bücher-Verein, 1866, #614, 615.

Originals in German:

614. Allmächtiger Gott, verleihe uns, die wir glauben, daß dein einiger Sohn, unser Heiland, sei heut gen Himmel gefahren, daß auch wir mit ihm geistlich im geistlichen Wesen wandeln und wohnen; durch denselben deinen lieben Sohn, Jesum Christum, unsern Herrn. Amen. Luther. [Die Gebete Luthers, #19]

615. Lieber Herr Gott, unser gnädiger Vater im Himmel, wir sehen, wie ein tröstlich und freudenreich Fest wir an der Himmelfahrt unsers lieben Herrn Christi haben; derhalben loben, danken und preisen wir dich und bitten, du wollest uns in solcher Gnade erhalten, und endlich um Jesu Christi, deines Sohnes willen, ein selig Stündlein bescheren, daß wir ihm selig nachfahren und das ewige Leben und Seligkeit samt ihm besitzen. Das verleihe uns, lieber Herr. Amen. Luther. [Die Gebete Luthers, #673]

Ascension Antiphon / Prayer

Ascension_Painting O King of glory, Lord almighty,
on this day you ascended above all the heavens in triumph.
Do not leave us as orphans,
but send us the Spirit of truth
whom you promised from the Father.
Alleluia.

Source: Antiphon to the Magnificat for Second Vespers at Ascension (Roman Rite). Sometimes attributed to The Venerable Bede (672-735).

Original in Latin:

O Rex gloriae, Domine virtutum,
qui triumphator hodie super omnes coelos ascendisti;
ne derelinquas nos orphanos,
sed mitte promissum Patris in nos,
spiritum veritatis.
Alleluia.

For more reflections on this prayer / antiphon, see this article: http://www.liturgy.co.nz/reflection/603a.html

Ascension Day Acclamation

The Lord ascended into heaven
so that he could send
the Comforter into this world.

Today the Father receives again to his side
the One who was in him from all eternity.

O you nations of the earth, clap your hands,
for Christ has gone up
to the place where he had been from all eternity.

Source: Ascension Day, Orthodox

This version is shortened from The Oxford Book of Prayer and http://standrewsinthevalley-thursdaymemos.blogspot.com/2011/06/

Give Us a Devout Will and a Desire to Serve You

Almighty and eternal God,
always give us a devout will toward you
and the desire to serve your majesty with a pure heart;
through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.

Source: Gelasian Sacramentary, 8th Century, Historic Collect for the Sunday after Ascension

This translation is licensed by Paul C. Stratman under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Please contact for permission for any commercial use.

An Ascension Prayer

antifonariodelec3b3n1 O Lord Jesus Christ, King of glory,
you ascended through the eternal gates to your Father’s throne
and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.
Since you reign in heaven,
help us not to be bound to things of this earth,
but lift our hearts where you, our redeemer, have gone before;
you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.

Source: Mozarabic Sacramentary

Source of this version: Freely adapted from Mozarabic Collects, ed. Rev. Chas. R. Hale, New York, 1881, p. 28 #3

The opening lines of the prayer are loosely quoting the Te Deum Laudamus.

Graphic: Mozarabic manuscript from the Cathedral of Leon, from Wikimedia Commons.