Menu
First Reading: Rev 11:19; 12:1-6, 10
God's temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant could be seen in the temple.
A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. She was with child and wailed aloud in pain as she labored to give birth. Then another sign appeared in the sky; it was a huge red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on its heads were seven diadems. Its tail swept away a third of the stars in the sky and hurled them down to the earth. Then the dragon stood before the woman about to give birth, to devour her child when she gave birth. She gave birth to a son, a male child, destined to rule all the nations with an iron rod. Her child was caught up to God and his throne. The woman herself fled into the desert where she had a place prepared by God.
Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: "Now have salvation and power come, and the Kingdom of our God and the authority of his Anointed One."
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 45:10, 11, 12, 16
R/ The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold.
The queen takes her place at your right hand in gold of Ophir.
The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold.
Hear, O daughter, and see;
turn your ear,
forget your people and your father's house.
R The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold.
So shall the king desire your beauty;
for he is your lord.
The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold.
They are borne in with gladness and joy;
they enter the palace of the king.
R The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold.
Second Reading: 1 Cor 15:20-27
Brothers and sisters: Christ has been raised from the dead,
the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
For since death came through man,
the resurrection of the dead came also through man.
For just as in Adam all die,
so too in Christ shall all be brought to life,
but each one in proper order:
Christ the firstfruits;
then, at his coming,
those who belong to Christ;
then comes the end,
when he hands over the Kingdom
to his God and Father,
when he has destroyed every sovereignty
and every authority and power.
For he must reign
until he has put all his enemies under his feet.
The last enemy to be destroyed is death,
for "he subjected everything under his feet."
Gospel Reading: Lk 1:39-56
Mary then set out for a town in the Hills of Judah. She entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leapt in her womb. Elizabeth was filled with holy spirit, and giving a loud cry, said, "You are most blessed among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb! How is it that the mother of my Lord comes to me? The moment your greeting sounded in my ears, the baby within me suddenly leapt for joy. Blessed are you who believed that the Lord's word would come true!" And Mary said:
"My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit exults in God my savior! He has looked upon his servant in her lowliness, and people forever will call me blessed. The Mighty One has done great things for me, Holy is his Name!
From age to age his mercy extends to those who live in his presence. He has acted with power and done wonders, and scattered the proud with their plans. He has put down the mighty from their thrones and lifted up those who are downtrodden.
He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. He held out his hand to Israel, his servant, for he remembered his mercy, even as he promised our fathers, Abraham and his descendants forever."
Mary remained with Elizabeth about three months and then returned home.
Greeting
Glory and honor to our risen Lord, whose victory over death was shared first by her who was closest to him, his Mother, the Virgin Mary. May her Son, the Lord Jesus, be always with you. R/ And also with you.
Introduction by the Celebrant
On today's feast of the Assumption we honor Mary not merely for a great privilege. We celebrate God's victory in her faith, her poverty and her unassuming service. As she was sure of God's love, her faith prompted her to accept the unexpected. Humbly and without reservation she served God's plans. She followed her Son in his life and his passion. This is why she is the first of all believers and the model of what the Church is called to be and what is in store for us. This is why she was the first to share in the total victory of her Son over death and is with him in heaven, body and soul. Let us thank God today for Mary.
Penitential Act
It is easy to praise Mary for the great things which God did for her. But have we tried with her to believe and love and render humble service? Let us examine ourselves. (PAUSE) Lord Jesus, you came to serve the Father and us, and your mother served with you: Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Jesus Christ, you did the will of the Father to the end and your mother stood by your side: Christ, have mercy. R/ Christ, have mercy.
Lord Jesus, you defeated death by rising and ascending into heaven, and you let your mother share in your glory with her body and soul: Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Almighty God, have mercy on us, forgive us our reluctant service and poor faith and take us up, like Mary, into the joys of everlasting life. R/ Amen.
Opening Prayer
Let us thank God with Mary and ask him for the strength of her faith (PAUSE) Lord our God, you took Mary up into heaven with her body as well as with her soul, to share in the definitive triumph over death of Jesus, your Son, because on earth she humbly served your plans as the first of those who believe. Grant us her attitude of trusting openness to your will, that you may overcome evil and death in us and lead us safely with Mary into your everlasting joy. We ask you this through Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.
Liturgy of the Word
First Reading Introduction: Mary Sums Up the Church Christ is victorious over evil and is taken up into heaven. The woman of our text is the Church, but as Mary was eminently all that the Church is called to be, the liturgy applies the text to her. She is victorious with her Son.
Second Reading Introduction: Christ, Cause and Firstfruits of the Resurrection
Christ overcame death by his resurrection. He was the first to rise from the dead, but we shall follow him and rise because of him. This is why Mary, who shared in his life, his mission and suffering, could follow him in heaven, even bodily.
Gospel Introduction: God Exalts the Humble
Mary fully responds in humility and service to the plans of God. She recognizes that her greatness comes from God. It is God who exalts her and who will lift her up into heaven at her assumption. She sums up a humble and serving Church.
General Intercessions
With the help of Mary, our mother, let us pray together to our Father in heaven that he may look with favor upon us, his servants and do great things in us. Let us say: R/ Lord, hear your people..
- That the Lord may show his love to all those who try to serve him well, and that he may show his forgiving mercy to those who have failed him and one another, let us pray: R/ Lord, hear your people..
- That the Lord may show his power and defend the humble people who are trampled upon, and dispose us all to respect and love them, let us pray: R/ Lord, hear your people..
- That the Lord may give us the will and the strength to accomplish his word in our life, day after day, single-mindedly and joyfully, let us pray: R/ Lord, hear your people..
- That the Lord make us aware of the poverty of our heart, so that he can fill us with his gentleness, his acceptance of people, his care for the poor, let us pray: R/ Lord, hear your people..
- That the Lord may see to it that the hungry are fed, and dispose people and the mighty of the world to give everyone a fair share in the earth's goods, let us pray: R/ Lord, hear your people..
- That the Lord may take up all our beloved dead into his home of everlasting joy, let us pray: R/ Lord, hear your people..
Lord our God, on the feast of Mary's Assumption we pray: fill us with all good things, that we may bless your holy name through Jesus Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.
Prayer over the Gifts
Lord our God, in the signs of this bread and this wine we make ourselves available to you for giving your Son to the world as Mary gave him once to us. Let the world discover the presence of Jesus in our humble service, in our efforts to destroy all evil and to build your world of life and hope. Do these great things in us through Jesus Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.
Introduction to the Eucharistic Prayer
With Mary, we thank the Father today for the great things he has done in her and which he keeps doing for us through Jesus our Lord.
Invitation to the Lord's Prayer
In the words of Jesus we pray to our Father that his will may be done in us. R/ Our Father...
Deliver Us
Deliver us, Lord, from every evil and from the ultimate enemy, death. Let your compassion and faithful love reach from age to age and fill the hungry with good things, as we wait in joyful hope for our final resurrection at the coming of our Savior Jesus Christ. R/ For the kingdom...
Invitation to Communion
This is Jesus, the Lord, who said: Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood will live for ever and I will raise them up on the last day. Happy are we to be invited to eat the Lord's body and to share in his victory. R/ Lord, I am not worthy....
Prayer after Communion
God, who lifts up the humble, in Mary you have given us a vision of a Church that knows how to serve and to hold on to you in life and in death. With Mary, and in the strength of her Son, may we be poor and humble enough to listen to your word and live by it, to visit our neighbor in need, and be to the world the body of your Son, until you let us share in your glory for ever. R/ Amen.
Blessing
What Mary was on earth, we the Church are called to be: believing in God's ways and guidance even without knowing what the future will bring, open to one another's needs, serving with all that is in us. May God give you this strength and bless you: the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. R/ Amen.
Let us go in peace to love and serve God in people.
R/ Thanks be to God.
