Service Sheet for Sunday 16th August – Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Celebrant: Fr Benjamin Drury
Preacher: Deacon Christine Saccali
Sung Mass for the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Processional: 181 (Puer Nibis Nascitur) The Lord whom earth and sea and sky
Resp. Psalm: Ps. 45
Gradual: 180 (Ave Maris Stella) Hail, O Star that pointest
Offertory: 188 (Daily Daily) Ye who own the faith of Jesus
Communion: 185 (Abbot’s Leigh) Sing we of the blessed Mother
Recessional: 186 (Woodlands) Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord
All are welcome to stay for refreshments after the liturgy.
The Mass setting is Sir James Macmillan’s ‘St. Anne’s Mass’
A reading from the Apocalypse of St. John the Theologian (11: 19, 12: 1-6, 10) The sanctuary of God in heaven opened and the ark of the covenant could be seen inside it.
Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman, adorned with the sun, standing on the moon, and with the twelve stars on her head for a crown. She was pregnant, and in labour, crying aloud in the
pangs of childbirth. Then a second sign appeared in the sky, a huge red dragon which had seven heads and ten horns, and each of the
seven heads crowned with a coronet. Its tail dragged a third of the stars from the sky and dropped them to the earth, and the dragon stopped in front of the woman as she was having the child, so that he could eat it as soon as it was born from its mother. The woman
brought a male child into the world, the son who was to rule all the nations with an iron sceptre, and the child was taken straight up to God and to his throne, while the woman escaped into the desert, where God had made a place of safety ready.
Then I heard a voice shout from heaven, ‘Victory and power and empire for ever have been won by our God, and all authority for his Christ.’
The Word of the Lord: Thanks be to God.
Resp. Psalm: Ps. 45: On your right stands the Queen, in garments of gold
The daughters of kings are among your loved ones. On your right stands the queen in gold of Ophir.
Listen, O daughter, give ear to my words:
forget your own people and your father’s house. (Response)
So will the king desire your beauty:
He is your lord, pay homage to him.
They are escorted amid gladness and joy;
they pass within the palace of the king. (Response)
A reading from the first letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians (15: 20-26)
Christ has been raised from the dead, the first-fruits of all who
have fallen asleep. Death came through one man and in the same way the resurrection of the dead has come through one man. Just as all men die in Adam, so all men will be brought to life in Christ; but all of them in their proper order: Christ as the first-fruits and then, after the coming of Christ, those who belong to him. After that will come the end, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father, having done away with every sovereignty, authority and power. For he must be king until he has put all his enemies under his feet and the last of the enemies to be destroyed is death, for everything is to be put under his feet.
The Word of the Lord: Thanks be to God.
Gospel acclamation: Alleluia, alleluia! Mary has been taken up to heaven; all the choirs of angels are rejoicing. Alleluia!
The Lord be with you. And also with you.
+ A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke (1: 39-56)
Glory to you, O Lord.
Mary set out and went as quickly as she could to a town in the hill country of Judah. She went into Zechariah’s house and greeted
Elizabeth. Now as soon as Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leapt in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy
Spirit. She gave a loud cry and said, ‘Of all women you are the most blessed, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. Why should I be
honoured with a visit from the mother of my Lord? For the moment your greeting reached my ears, the child in my womb leapt for joy. Yes, blessed is she who believed that the promise made her by the Lord would be fulfilled.’
And Mary said:
‘My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord and my spirit exults in God my saviour;
because he has looked upon his lowly handmaid.
Yes, from this day forward all generations will call me blessed, for the Almighty has done great things for me.
Holy is his name, and his mercy reaches from age to age for those who fear him.
He has shown the power of his arm, he has routed the proud of heart.
He has pulled down princes from their thrones and exalted the lowly.
The hungry he has filled with good things, the rich sent empty away. He has come to the help of Israel his servant, mindful of his mercy – according to the promise he made to our ancestors –
of his mercy to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.’
Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back home.
The Gospel of the Lord: praise to you, O Christ.
O God, who declarest thy almighty power most chiefly in shewing mercy and pity: Mercifully grant unto us such a measure of thy grace, that we, running the way of thy commandments, may obtain thy gracious promises, and be made partakers of thy heavenly treasure; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP Collect: Eleventh Sunday after Trinity)
