THE GREAT FEAST OF THE HOLY ASCENSION OF OUR LORD. GOD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST

My beloved brothers and sisters in Our Risen Lord, God, and Savior,

CHRIST IS RISEN! TRULY HE IS RISEN!

THE GREAT FEAST OF THE HOLY ASCENSION OF
OUR LORD, GOD, AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST.

Entrance Hymn. Mode 2.

GOD Ascended with a shout, the
Lord with the sound of the trumpet.
Save us, O Son of God, Who were
take up in glory to heaven from us.
We sing to You, Alleluia.

Apolytikion (Dismissal) Hymn of the Feast. Mode 4.

You ascended in glory, O Christ Our God, after
You filled the Disciples with joy, by promising to
send them the Holy Spirit, and You blessed them
and established their faith, that You are the Son
of God, the Redeemer of the world.

Kontakion Hymn of the Feast. Mode pl. 2.

When You had fulfilled the dispensation for our
sake, and united things on earth with the things
in heaven, You were taken up thither in glory, O
Christ Our God, going not away from any place,
but continuing inseparable, and to them that
love You crying out: “I am with you, and there
is, therefore, none against you.”

The Epistle

The reading is from
the Acts of the Apostles.
[Acts 1:1-12]

Let us be attentive.

In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that
Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was
taken up, after he had given commandment through the
Holy Spirit to the Apostles whom he had chosen. To them
He presented Himself alive after His passion by many
proofs, appearing to them during FORTY DAYS, and speaking
of the Kingdom of God. And while staying with them He
charged them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for
the promise of the Father, which, He said, “you heard from Me,
for John Baptized with water, but before many days you shall
be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” So when they had come
together, they asked Him, “Lord, will You at this time restore
the kingdom of Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to
know times of seasons which the Father has fixed by His own
authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit
has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses in
Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the
earth.” And when He had said this, as they were looking on,
He was lifted up, and a cloud took Him out of their sight.
And while they were gazing into heaven as He went, behold,
two men stood by the in white robes, and said, “Men of
Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus,
who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the
same way as you saw Him go into heaven.” Then they
returned from the mount of Olivet, which is near Jerusalem,
a sabbath day’s journey away.

The Holy Gospel of the Feast.

The reading from the holy Gospel
according to Luke.
[Luke 24:36-53]

At that time, Jesus, having risen from the dead, stood
in the midst of His Disciples and said to them, “Peace to
you!” But they were startled and frightened, and
supposed that they saw a spirit. And He said to them,
“Why are you troubled, and why do questionings rise in
your hearts? See My hands and feet, that it is I Myself;
handle Me, and see; for a spirit has not flesh and bones
as you see that I have.” And when He said this, He
showed them His hands and feet. And while they still
disbelieved for joy, and wondered, He said to them,
“Have you anything here to eat?” They gave Him a piece
of broiled fish and some honeycomb, and He took it and
ate before them. “These are My words which I spoke to
you, while I was still with you, that everything written
about Me in the law of Moses and the prophets must be
fulfilled.” Then He opened their minds to understand
the scriptures, and said to them, “Thus it is written, that
the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from
the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins
should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning
from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And
behold, I send the promise of My Father upon you; but
stay in the city of Jerusalem, until you are clothed with
power from on high.” Then He led them out as far as
Bethany, and lifting up His hands, He blessed them. While
He blessed them, He parted from them, and was carried
up into heaven.. And they worshipped Him, and they
returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually
in the temple praising and blessing God. Amen.

Glory to Thee, O
Lord, glory to Thee.

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The Holy Evangelist Luke alone records the event of the Ascension. The Divine Ascension signifies Jesus’ FULL GLORIFICATION AND LORDSHIP OVER ALL. He is PANTOKRATOR, the All-Ruling Christ, SHARING EQUAL GLORY, AUTHORITY, AND HONOR WITHE THE Father. The Divine Ascension IS AS GREAT A MYSTERY AS THE RESURRECTION, and should be understood simply in terms of time and space. The Risen Lord Jesus Christ is NOW ENTHRONED, SHARING FULLY THE RULING POWER OF THE FATHER TOGETHER WITH THE ALL-HOLY SPIRIT. The Holy Disciples
“worshipped Him” because His Resurrection and Ascension FULLY REVEAL HIS DIVINE NATURE. They also continue to meet together, “praising and blessing Gods” FOR ALL THE GIFTS OF SALVATION IN THE SON. “Joy” dominates the lives through THE RENEWING EXPERIENCE OF HIS RESURRECTION.

Our Holy Tradition teaches that Our Lord Jesus Christ passed forty days on earth after His Resurrection from the dead appearing continually in various places to His Disciples, with whom He also SPOKE, ATE, AND DRANK, therefore by further demonstrating His Resurrection. On this Thursday, the FORTIETH DAY AFTER THE CELEBRATION OF THE ALL-HOLY PASCHA, He appeared again in Jerusalem. After He had first spoken to the Disciples about many things, He gave them His last commandment, that is, that they go forth and proclaim His Name TO ALL NATIONS, beginning from Jerusalem. But He also commanded them that for the present, they were not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait there together UNTIL THEY RECEIVE POWER FROM ON HIGH, WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT WOULD COME UPON THEM.

Saying these things, He led them to the Mount of Olives, and raising His hands, He blessed them; and saying again the words of the Father’s blessing, He was parted from them and taken up. Immediately a cloud of light, a proof of His Majesty, received Him. Sitting thereon as though on a royal chariot, He was taken up into Heaven, and after a short time was concealed from the sight of the Disciples, who remained where they were with their eyes fixed on Him. At this point, two Angels in the form of men in white raiment appeared to them and said, “Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into Heaven? This same Jesus, Who is taken up from you into Heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into Heaven” [Acts 1:11).  These words, in a complete and concise manner, declare what is taught in the Orthodox Symbol of Faith concerning the Son and Logos/Word of God.  Therefore, having so fulfilled all His dispensation for us, Our Lord Jesus Christ ascended in glory into Heaven, and sat at the right hand of God the Father.  As for His sacred Disciples, they returned from the Mount of Olives to  Jerusalem, rejoicing because Christ had promised to send them the Holy Spirit.

_____________
“Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!”
– Saint John Chrysostomos
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With sincere agape in His Glorious, Divine and Redeeming Resurrection,
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George