THE CHURCH OF ST. NICHOLAS OF MYRA - WELCOMES YOU

Mass twice during the week: Tues & Thurs at 10am. Weekend masses: Saturday at 6pm and Sunday at 11.30am. Attendance will be limited to 50 people. All will have to sanitise hands, wear masks and socially distance both outside and inside the church. Looking forward to meeting up again. There are no baptisms being celebrated and First Communion & Confirmation will not take place until the Autumn.

SEVENTH SUNDAY OF EASTER - FEAST OF THE ASCENSION

Penitential Rite

Our God is a God of openness and generosity.
As we begin our celebration let us call to mind that openness and generosity.

You make us poor in spirit, to serve the world.
Lord have mercy

You make us mindful of all in need, to serve the world.
Christ have mercy

You make us bearers of your vision, to serve the world.
Lord have mercy

May the God of generosity and openness fill us with compassion, forgive us our sin and bring us to life everlasting. Amen

Acts of the Apostles 1:1-11

In my earlier work, Theophilus, I dealt with everything Jesus had done and taught from the beginning until the day he gave his instructions to the apostles he had chosen through the Holy Spirit, and was taken up to heaven. He had shown himself alive to them after his Passion by many demonstrations: for forty days he had continued to appear to them and tell them about the kingdom of God. When he had been at table with them, he had told them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for what the Father had promised. ‘It is’ he had said ‘what you have heard me speak about: John baptised with water but you, not many days from now, will be baptised with the Holy Spirit.’ Now having met together, they asked him, ‘Lord, has the time come? Are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel?’ He replied, ‘It is not for you to know times or dates that the Father has decided by his own authority, but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and then you will be my witnesses not only in Jerusalem but throughout Judaea and Samaria, and indeed to the ends of the earth.’ As he said this he was lifted up while they looked on, and a cloud took him from their sight. They were still staring into the sky when suddenly two men in white were standing near them and they said, ‘Why are you men from Galilee standing here looking into the sky? Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven, this same Jesus will come back in the same way as you have seen him go there.’

Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-13

I, the prisoner in the Lord, implore you to lead a life worthy of your vocation. Bear with one another charitably, in complete selflessness, gentleness and patience. Do all you can to preserve the unity of the Spirit by the peace that binds you together. There is one Body, one Spirit, just as you were all called into one and the same hope when you were called. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God who is Father of all, over all, through all and within all.
Each one of us, however, has been given his own share of grace, given as Christ allotted it. To some, his gift was that they should be apostles; to some, prophets; to some, evangelists; to some, pastors and teachers; so that the saints together make a unity in the work of service, building up the body of Christ. In this way we are all to come to unity in our faith and in our knowledge of the Son of God, until we become the perfect Person, fully mature with the fullness of Christ himself.

Gospel Acclamation

Alleluia, Alleluia
Go, make disciples of all the nations;
I am with you always; yes, to the end of time. Alleluia

Mark 16:15-20

Jesus showed himself to the Eleven, and said to them, ‘Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News to all creation. He who believes and is baptised will be saved; he who does not believe will be condemned. These are the signs that will be associated with believers: in my name they will cast out devils; they will have the gift of tongues; they will pick up snakes in their hands, and be unharmed should they drink deadly poison; they will lay their hands on the sick, who will recover.’ And so the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven: there at the right hand of God he took his place, while they, going out, preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word by the signs that accompanied it.

Prayer of the Faithful

God our Father and Mother, your love draws us together as one people, yet blessed with a wonderful diversity. We praise you.
Lord hear us

Lord Jesus, you are the Living Word of God, filling us with hope, for our future journey. We praise you. Lord hear us

Holy Spirit of God, you inspire us and give us courage to live our lives according to the Word. We praise you. Lord hear us

We remember all those who have died and especially those who have died from COVID 19. Their loss is a heavy burden for their loved ones. May they all find peace. Lord hear us

Lord, in a world where we often feel helpless, may we, with your love, continue to believe in our own ability to work for a just and fair society. Lord hear us

We thank you Lord for the lessons which the COVID 19 crisis has taught us. The world is a small place, we are one People. By the power of God’s Spirit, may we take responsibility for one another. Lord hear us

Let us remember in silence, all who need our support and prayer…………………………...Lord hear us

Reflection

“This is the time to be slow, lie low to the wall
until the bitter weather passes. Try, as best you can, not to let the wire brush of doubt
scrape from your heart all sense of yourself and your hesitant light. If you remain generous, time will come good; and you will find your feet again on fresh pastures of promise, where the air will be kind.






 

Feel free to contact us at the email addresses below.

TOP