∫ [Music] ∫
The following presentation is made possible
By the generosity of the viewers
Of Sunday Mass at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls in Chicago.

Good morning and welcome
To Sunday Mass at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls.
Today we celebrate the Ascension of the Lord.
My name is Dan Riley.
I’m joined by Tom McNamara and Maudette Carr
And our celebrant is Father James Wallace.

∫ A hymn of glory let us sing, ∫
∫ new hymns throughout the world shall ring. ∫
∫ alleluia, alleluia! ∫
∫ Christ by a road before untrod, ∫
∫ all sins unto the throne of God. ∫
∫ alleluia, alleluia! ∫
∫ alleluia, alleluia! Alleluia! ∫

In the name of the Father
And of the Son
And of the Holy Spirit.
-Amen.

The Lord be with you.
-And with your spirit.

Good morning, everyone.
Welcome for Mass here at Mercy Home.
We’re delighted that you could join us to celebrate
Especially on this Feast of the Ascension,
The Ascension of our Lord into Heaven,
The end of the Easter season.

So let us prepare ourselves to celebrate
These sacred mysteries by calling to mind our sins.

Lord Jesus, you are mighty God and Prince of Peace.
Lord have mercy.
-Lord have mercy.

You are Son of God and Son of Mary.
Christ have mercy.
-Christ have mercy.

You are Word made Flesh and splendor of the Father.
Lord have mercy.
-Lord have mercy.

May almighty God have mercy on us,
Forgive us our sins and bring us to everlasting life.
-Amen.

∫ [Music] ∫
∫ Glory to God in the highest, ∫
∫ and on earth peace to people of good will. ∫

∫ Glory to God in the highest, ∫
∫ and on earth peace to people of good will. ∫

Let us pray.

Gladden us with holy joys, almighty God,
And make us rejoice with devout thanksgiving.
For the Ascension of Christ, your Son, is our exaltation.
And where the Head has gone before in glory,
The Body is called to follow in hope.

Through our Lord, Jesus Christ, your Son
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God forever and ever.
-Amen.

A reading from the beginning of the Acts of the Apostles.

In the first book, Theophilus, I dealt with all that Jesus
Did and taught until the day he was taken up.
After giving instructions through the Holy Spirit
To the Apostles whom he had chosen.

He presented himself alive to them
By many proofs after he had suffered,
Appearing to them during 40 days
And speaking about the Kingdom of God.

While meeting with them he enjoined them not to depart
From Jerusalem but to wait for the promise of the Father
About which you have heard me speak.

For John baptized with water but in a few days
You will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.

When they had gathered together, they asked him,
“Lord, are you at this time going to restore
The Kingdom to Israel?”

He answered them, “It is not for you to know the times
Or seasons that the Father has established

By his own authority.
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit
Comes upon you and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem
Throughout Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth.”

When he had said this, as they were looking on,
He was lifted up and a cloud took him from their sight.

While they were looking intently at the sky as he was going,
Suddenly two men dressed
In white garments stood beside them.

They said, “Men of Galilee, why are you standing there
Looking at the sky?
This Jesus who has been taken up from you into Heaven
Will return in the same way
As you have seen him going into heaven.”

The word of the Lord.
-thanks be to God.
∫ [music] ∫
∫ God mounts his throne to shouts of joy; ∫
∫ a blare of trumpets for the Lord. ∫
∫ God mounts his throne to shouts of joy; ∫
∫ a blare of trumpets for the Lord. ∫
∫ all peoples clap your hands. ∫
∫ cry to God with shouts of joy! ∫
∫ for the Lord the most high, is awesome, ∫
∫ the great king over all the earth. ∫
∫ God mounts his throne to shouts of joy, ∫
∫ a blare of trumpets for the Lord. ∫
A reading from the letter of St. Paul to the Ephesians.
Brothers and sisters, may the God of our Lord
Jesus Christ, the father of glory,
Give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation
Resulting in knowledge of him.
May the eyes of your hearts be enlightened,
That you may know what is the hope that belongs to his call,
What are the riches of glory in his inheritance
Among the holy ones, and what is the surpassing greatness
Of his power for us who believe.
In accord with the exercise of his great might,
Which he worked in Christ, raising him from the dead
And seating him at his right hand in the heavens,
Far above every principality, authority,
Power, and dominion, and every name that is named,
Not only in this age, but also in the one to come.
And he put all things beneath his feet,
And gave him as head over all things to the church,
Which is his body, the fullness of the one
Who fills all things in every way.
The word of the Lord.
-thanks be to God.
∫ [music] ∫
∫ alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. ∫
∫ alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. ∫
∫ go and teach all nations, says the Lord; ∫
∫ I am with you always until the end of the world. ∫
∫ alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. ∫
∫ alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. ∫
The Lord be with you.
-and with your spirit.
A reading from the holy gospel according to Matthew.
-glory to you, o Lord.
The eleven disciples went to galilee,
To the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them.
When they saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted.
Then Jesus approached and said to them,
“All power in heaven on earth has been given to me.
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations,
Baptizing them in the name of the father,
And of the son, and of the holy spirit.
Teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.
And behold, I am with you always until the end of the age.”
The gospel of the Lord.
-praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
So, the ascension, kind of wrapping up the easter season,
Next week we’re going to have Pentecost,
The birthday of the church.
The two feasts are very much linked together,
Ascension and Pentecost.
Why ascension is such a glorious day and not a sad day
Is because Christ doesn’t necessarily leave us,
But he enters into a deeper depth of our soul.
He goes up to heaven and then inward,
Inward to us, you could say.
And then he sends the holy spirit down,
And the holy spirit comes and remains with us forever.
Holy spirit, father and son.
So again, on the surface, it might seem confusing,
Like again, why are we celebrating
Jesus departing from us?
Don’t we want him on this earth?
But again, this is where, as we heard in the readings,
The eyes of our faith, the eyes of our heart
Are able to really see Jesus within us.
So, Jesus gives us this instruction then,
Or he gives the apostles as he leaves.
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations,
Baptized in the name of the father,
Son, and the holy spirit,
And do all that I’ve commanded you to do.”
That word “disciple” or “make disciples,”
I kind of want to focus on that
Because that’s a buzzword these days in the catholic church.
See this a lot in parishes.
We’ve got to make disciples, and, you know,
Parish slogans are all about making disciples,
And there’s programs and all these companies,
Frankly, that are around for trying to make disciples.
So, what does it mean to make a disciple?
Now, before I answer that question,
Let me just make a point about this.
Okay, the church, and I don’t mean this, like, arrogantly,
But the church doesn’t need to make disciples, okay?
That might be a controversial statement
Even because our Lord said that all right?
The church doesn’t rely on people in the pews, in fact.
Okay, we’re not a corporation.
We’re not a business that if we lose all of our customers,
We’re going to go under.
The church, as Jesus promised us,
Is always going to be around until the end of time.
The gates of the netherworld are never going to prevail against us.
So, we don’t need to go out there
And try to convince people to come.
We don’t need to harangue them or whatever,
Have catchy slogans, whatever it might be,
Entertainment, to get people into the church.
Now, it’d be nice to have them in the church,
And yes, there are plenty of examples
Of parishes closing, of dioceses, in fact, disappearing.
In fact, the history of the church
Has many dioceses that have disappeared.
Yes, parishes will close, dioceses will disappear.
Religious orders might go away too,
But the church will not go away.
The church doesn’t need it
Because the church is the source itself of life.
So, wherever the church is, there will always be Catholics.
Now, the church might move around different locations,
But we have the fullness of it.
So, we don’t need to put this pressure on ourselves.
Like, we got to convince people.
We got to have the best homilies and the best music
Because otherwise, we’re going to go down.
We won’t go down, okay?
So that takes a little pressure
Off evangelizing or discipling people.
So again, what does it mean then to disciple?
So, it’s not just to convince someone of the truth.
I don’t think that’s what discipleship is.
There’s plenty of people that might know the truth,
But are they really close to God?
It’s not about getting people to go to the sacraments.
Plenty of people that go to mass,
Plenty of people that go to confession regularly.
They’re not close to God either.
The sacraments aren’t just these magic pills.
We’re not just trying to check proxies to get numbers, okay?
So, what is discipleship?
Now, unfortunately, I’m not going to be able to
To answer this question even though I set it up for it
Because it’s something you got to figure out yourself.
All we know is that Jesus is telling us to make disciples.
So how can you, in your own way, make a disciple
That maybe is not one of those things,
Like trying to argue with people and convince them,
Or trying to just get them to partake of the sacraments.
That might be like the end, you know, some fruit of it.
But I sense it’s something about
You are having that personal relationship with God.
You really loving Christ?
You are being able to tell God, “Hey, this is why I love you.
This is why I need you in my life.
This is why my life is better off with you.”
And then somehow in your own way, conveying that.
You might not even convey it with your words,
But just by your loving actions and like a deep peace
That you have in your life that resonates out of you.
Maybe that’s what it is to make a disciple.
But something perhaps we can pray with today,
And something, a grace that we can ask for,
That we are radiant light for people,
And that we reflect the face of God.
Amen.
And so, friends, we together stand and profess our faith.
I believe in one God, the father almighty,
Maker of heaven and earth,
Of all things, visible and invisible.
I believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
The only begotten son of God,
Born of the father before all ages,
God from God, light from light, true God from true God,
Begotten not made, consubstantial with the father.
Through him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation,
He came down from heaven,
And by the holy spirit
Was incarnate of the virgin Mary and became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,
He suffered death and was buried,
And rose again on the third day
In accordance with the scriptures.
He ascended into heaven
And is seated at the right hand of the father.
He will come again in glory
To judge the living and the dead,
And his kingdom will have no end.
I believe in the holy spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
Who proceeds from the father and the son,
Who with the father and the son
Is adored and glorified,
Who has spoken through the prophets.
I believe in one holy, catholic and apostolic church.
I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins,
And I look forward to the resurrection of the dead
And the life of the world to come.
Amen.
We turn now to our heavenly father and offer our petitions.
Our response to each prayer will be,
“Lord, hear our prayer.”
For our church leaders, as they proclaim
The resurrection and ascension of Christ
To those who do not believe.
We pray to the Lord.
-Lord, hear our prayer.
For the grace of discipleship,
May Jesus’ words and the first disciples’ examples help us
Discover ways to help others come to know the risen Lord.
We pray to the Lord.
-Lord, hear our prayer.
For mercy home’s youth who are graduating this year,
May they find opportunity and hope in their future.
We pray to the Lord.
-Lord, hear our prayer.
For our deceased loved ones, may our risen Lord
Welcome them into his eternal kingdom.
We pray to the Lord.
-Lord, hear our prayer.
Loving God, please answer these prayers.
We make them with confidence through Christ our Lord.
-amen.
∫ [music] ∫
∫ [music continues] ∫
Pray, brothers and sisters, that my sacrifice and yours
May be acceptable to God, the almighty father.
-may the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands.
For the praise and glory of his name,
For our good and the good of all his holy church.
We offer sacrifice now in supplication, o Lord,
In honor and to honor the wondrous ascension of your son.
Grant, we pray that through this most holy exchange
We too may rise up to the heavenly realms
Through Christ our Lord.
-amen.
The Lord be with you.
-and with your spirit.
Lift up your hearts.
-we lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
-it is right and just.
It is truly right and just.
Our duty and our salvation
Always and everywhere to give you thanks, Lord,
Holy father, almighty and eternal God.
For after his resurrection he plainly appeared to all
His disciples and was taken up to heaven in their sight
That he might make us sharers in his divinity.
Therefore, overcome with paschal joy
Every land, every people exalts in your praise.
And even the heavenly powers with the angelic hosts
Sing together the unending hymn of your glory as they acclaim.
∫ [music] ∫
∫ holy, holy, holy ∫
∫ Lord God of hosts, ∫
∫ heaven and earth are full of your glory. ∫
∫ hosanna in the highest. ∫
∫ blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. ∫
∫ hosanna in the highest. ∫
You are indeed holy, o Lord.
The fount of all holiness.
Make holy therefore these gifts, we pray,
By sending down your spirit upon them like the dew fall
So that they may become for us
The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.
At the time he was betrayed and entered willingly
Into his passion, he took bread and giving thanks,
Broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying,
“Take this, all of you, and eat of it.
For this is my body, which will be given up for you.”
In a similar way, when supper was ended,
He took the chalice and once more giving thanks,
He gave it to his disciples, saying,
“Take this, all of you, and drink from it.
For this the chalice of my blood,
The blood of the new and eternal covenant,
Which will be poured out for you and for many
For the forgiveness of sins.
Do this in memory of me.”
The mystery of faith.
∫ [music] ∫
∫ when we eat this bread and drink this cup, ∫
∫ we proclaim your death, o Lord, until you come again. ∫
Therefore, as we celebrate the memorial
Of his death and resurrection, we offer you, Lord,
The bread of life and the chalice of salvation,
Giving thanks to you who have held us worthy
To be in your presence and minister to you.
Humbly we pray that partaking of the body and blood of Christ,
We may be gathered into one by the holy spirit.
Remember, Lord, your church spread throughout the world
And bring her to the fullness of charity,
Together with Leo, our pope,
And Blase…, our bishop, and all the clergy.
Remember also our brothers and sisters
Who have fallen asleep in the hope of the resurrection
And all who have died in your mercy.
Welcome them into the light of your face.
Have mercy on us all, we pray,
That with the blessed virgin Mary, mother of God,
Blessed joseph, her spouse,
With the blessed apostles, and all the saints
Who have pleased you throughout the ages,
We may merit to be coheirs to eternal life
And may praise and glorify you through your son, Jesus Christ.
Through him and with him and in him,
O God, almighty father, in the unity of the holy spirit,
All glory and honor is yours forever and ever.
∫ [music] ∫
∫ amen, amen, amen. ∫
By the savior’s command formed by divine teaching
We dare to say:
Our father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread
And forgive us our trespasses
As we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil,
Graciously grant peace in our days,
That by the help of your mercy we may be always
Free from sin and safe from all distress,
As we await the blessed hope
And the coming of our savior, Jesus Christ.
-for the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours,
Now and forever.
Lord Jesus Christ, who said to your apostles,
“Peace I leave you, my peace I give you,”
Look not on our sins but on the faith of your church
And graciously grant her peace and unity
In accordance with your will,
Who live and reign forever and ever.
-amen.
May the peace and Lord be with you always.
-and with your spirit.
Let us offer each other the sign of peace.
Peace be with you, brothers and sisters.
Thank you again for joining us from mass and all your support.
Please know we’re praying for you.
We have your intentions here.
And we encourage you to please send us your prayers,
Anything you need from us.
On behalf of Father Donahue and everyone here at mercy home,
Thank you and God bless you.
∫ [music] ∫
∫ lamb of God, ∫
∫ you take away the sins of the world: ∫
∫ have mercy on us. ∫
∫ lamb of God, ∫
∫ you take away the sins of the world: ∫
∫ have mercy on us. ∫
∫ lamb of God, ∫
∫ you take away the sins of the world: ∫
∫ grant us peace. ∫
Behold the lamb of God,
Behold him who takes away the sins of the world.
Blessed those called to the supper of the lamb.
Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof,
But only say the word and my soul shall be healed.
∫ [music] ∫
For those of you at home,
Please turn to page six in your tv mass guide
And join in singing our communion hymn,
“One bread, one body.”
∫ [music] ∫
∫ one bread, one body, one Lord of all, ∫
∫ one cup of blessing which we bless. ∫
∫ and we, though many, throughout the earth, ∫
∫ we are one body in this one Lord. ∫
∫ gentile or jew servant or free, ∫
∫ woman or man, no more. ∫
∫ one bread, one body, one Lord of all, ∫
∫ one cup of blessing which we bless, ∫
∫ and we, though many throughout the earth, ∫
∫ we are one body in this one Lord. ∫
∫ grain for the fields scattered and grown, ∫
∫ gathered to one for all. ∫
∫ one bread, one body, one Lord of all, ∫
∫ one cup of blessing which we bless, ∫
∫ and we, though many throughout the earth, ∫
∫ we are one body in this one Lord. ∫
Friends, I invite you to join me in our prayer
For the children of mercy home.
Our lady of mercy, we pray that you will guide,
Protect and bless all boys and girls
Who on this day has a home called mercy.
May they find the father’s mercy
As we offer them our hearts
In the name of your son, Jesus Christ.
May they see God’s mercy in action
Through our love, prayers and sacrifices.
Let us pray.
Almighty, ever-living God,
Who allow those on earth to celebrate divine mysteries,
Grant, we pray, that Christian hope
May draw us onward to where our nature is united with you.
Through Christ our Lord.
-amen.
The Lord be with you.
-and with your spirit.
May almighty God bless you,
The father and the son and the holy spirit.
-amen.
Go forth, the mass has ended.
-thanks be to God.
∫ [music] ∫
∫ “go make of all disciples.” ∫
∫ we hear the call, o Lord. ∫
Hello, my friends. As you know, as I know,
This tv ministry at mercy home is so important.
It allows us to gather wherever you may be
To participate in the prayer of the church.
It allows us to pray for one another
And how important it is.
It allows you and me to pray for the children
Here at mercy home for boys and girls.
We’re nourished by our presence together
And by the celebration of the eucharist.
I just want to take this opportunity
To thank you so very much
For the ways in which you support this mass
Here at mercy home for boys and girls.
Please consider doing that going forward as well.
May God bless you and your family and your friends
For all you do for the tv mass at mercy home and for our children.
The music for the broadcast of Sunday Mass at Mercy Home
Is generously provided by GIA publications incorporated
And its world library publications division.
∫ [music] ∫

∫ [Music] ∫
The following presentation is made possible
By the generosity of the viewers
Of Sunday Mass at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls in Chicago.

Good morning and welcome
To Sunday Mass at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls.
Today we celebrate the Ascension of the Lord.
My name is Dan Riley.
I’m joined by Tom McNamara and Maudette Carr
And our celebrant is Father James Wallace.

∫ A hymn of glory let us sing, ∫
∫ new hymns throughout the world shall ring. ∫
∫ alleluia, alleluia! ∫
∫ Christ by a road before untrod, ∫
∫ all sins unto the throne of God. ∫
∫ alleluia, alleluia! ∫
∫ alleluia, alleluia! Alleluia! ∫

In the name of the Father
And of the Son
And of the Holy Spirit.
-Amen.

The Lord be with you.
-And with your spirit.

Good morning, everyone.
Welcome for Mass here at Mercy Home.
We’re delighted that you could join us to celebrate
Especially on this Feast of the Ascension,
The Ascension of our Lord into Heaven,
The end of the Easter season.

So let us prepare ourselves to celebrate
These sacred mysteries by calling to mind our sins.

Lord Jesus, you are mighty God and Prince of Peace.
Lord have mercy.
-Lord have mercy.

You are Son of God and Son of Mary.
Christ have mercy.
-Christ have mercy.

You are Word made Flesh and splendor of the Father.
Lord have mercy.
-Lord have mercy.

May almighty God have mercy on us,
Forgive us our sins and bring us to everlasting life.
-Amen.

∫ [Music] ∫
∫ Glory to God in the highest, ∫
∫ and on earth peace to people of good will. ∫

∫ Glory to God in the highest, ∫
∫ and on earth peace to people of good will. ∫

Let us pray.

Gladden us with holy joys, almighty God,
And make us rejoice with devout thanksgiving.
For the Ascension of Christ, your Son, is our exaltation.
And where the Head has gone before in glory,
The Body is called to follow in hope.

Through our Lord, Jesus Christ, your Son
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God forever and ever.
-Amen.

A reading from the beginning of the Acts of the Apostles.

In the first book, Theophilus, I dealt with all that Jesus
Did and taught until the day he was taken up.
After giving instructions through the Holy Spirit
To the Apostles whom he had chosen.

He presented himself alive to them
By many proofs after he had suffered,
Appearing to them during 40 days
And speaking about the Kingdom of God.

While meeting with them he enjoined them not to depart
From Jerusalem but to wait for the promise of the Father
About which you have heard me speak.

For John baptized with water but in a few days
You will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.

When they had gathered together, they asked him,
“Lord, are you at this time going to restore
The Kingdom to Israel?”

He answered them, “It is not for you to know the times
Or seasons that the Father has established

By his own authority.
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit
Comes upon you and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem
Throughout Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth.”

When he had said this, as they were looking on,
He was lifted up and a cloud took him from their sight.

While they were looking intently at the sky as he was going,
Suddenly two men dressed
In white garments stood beside them.

They said, “Men of Galilee, why are you standing there
Looking at the sky?
This Jesus who has been taken up from you into Heaven
Will return in the same way
As you have seen him going into heaven.”

The word of the Lord.
-thanks be to God.
∫ [music] ∫
∫ God mounts his throne to shouts of joy; ∫
∫ a blare of trumpets for the Lord. ∫
∫ God mounts his throne to shouts of joy; ∫
∫ a blare of trumpets for the Lord. ∫
∫ all peoples clap your hands. ∫
∫ cry to God with shouts of joy! ∫
∫ for the Lord the most high, is awesome, ∫
∫ the great king over all the earth. ∫
∫ God mounts his throne to shouts of joy, ∫
∫ a blare of trumpets for the Lord. ∫
A reading from the letter of St. Paul to the Ephesians.
Brothers and sisters, may the God of our Lord
Jesus Christ, the father of glory,
Give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation
Resulting in knowledge of him.
May the eyes of your hearts be enlightened,
That you may know what is the hope that belongs to his call,
What are the riches of glory in his inheritance
Among the holy ones, and what is the surpassing greatness
Of his power for us who believe.
In accord with the exercise of his great might,
Which he worked in Christ, raising him from the dead
And seating him at his right hand in the heavens,
Far above every principality, authority,
Power, and dominion, and every name that is named,
Not only in this age, but also in the one to come.
And he put all things beneath his feet,
And gave him as head over all things to the church,
Which is his body, the fullness of the one
Who fills all things in every way.
The word of the Lord.
-thanks be to God.
∫ [music] ∫
∫ alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. ∫
∫ alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. ∫
∫ go and teach all nations, says the Lord; ∫
∫ I am with you always until the end of the world. ∫
∫ alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. ∫
∫ alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. ∫
The Lord be with you.
-and with your spirit.
A reading from the holy gospel according to Matthew.
-glory to you, o Lord.
The eleven disciples went to galilee,
To the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them.
When they saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted.
Then Jesus approached and said to them,
“All power in heaven on earth has been given to me.
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations,
Baptizing them in the name of the father,
And of the son, and of the holy spirit.
Teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.
And behold, I am with you always until the end of the age.”
The gospel of the Lord.
-praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
So, the ascension, kind of wrapping up the easter season,
Next week we’re going to have Pentecost,
The birthday of the church.
The two feasts are very much linked together,
Ascension and Pentecost.
Why ascension is such a glorious day and not a sad day
Is because Christ doesn’t necessarily leave us,
But he enters into a deeper depth of our soul.
He goes up to heaven and then inward,
Inward to us, you could say.
And then he sends the holy spirit down,
And the holy spirit comes and remains with us forever.
Holy spirit, father and son.
So again, on the surface, it might seem confusing,
Like again, why are we celebrating
Jesus departing from us?
Don’t we want him on this earth?
But again, this is where, as we heard in the readings,
The eyes of our faith, the eyes of our heart
Are able to really see Jesus within us.
So, Jesus gives us this instruction then,
Or he gives the apostles as he leaves.
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations,
Baptized in the name of the father,
Son, and the holy spirit,
And do all that I’ve commanded you to do.”
That word “disciple” or “make disciples,”
I kind of want to focus on that
Because that’s a buzzword these days in the catholic church.
See this a lot in parishes.
We’ve got to make disciples, and, you know,
Parish slogans are all about making disciples,
And there’s programs and all these companies,
Frankly, that are around for trying to make disciples.
So, what does it mean to make a disciple?
Now, before I answer that question,
Let me just make a point about this.
Okay, the church, and I don’t mean this, like, arrogantly,
But the church doesn’t need to make disciples, okay?
That might be a controversial statement
Even because our Lord said that all right?
The church doesn’t rely on people in the pews, in fact.
Okay, we’re not a corporation.
We’re not a business that if we lose all of our customers,
We’re going to go under.
The church, as Jesus promised us,
Is always going to be around until the end of time.
The gates of the netherworld are never going to prevail against us.
So, we don’t need to go out there
And try to convince people to come.
We don’t need to harangue them or whatever,
Have catchy slogans, whatever it might be,
Entertainment, to get people into the church.
Now, it’d be nice to have them in the church,
And yes, there are plenty of examples
Of parishes closing, of dioceses, in fact, disappearing.
In fact, the history of the church
Has many dioceses that have disappeared.
Yes, parishes will close, dioceses will disappear.
Religious orders might go away too,
But the church will not go away.
The church doesn’t need it
Because the church is the source itself of life.
So, wherever the church is, there will always be Catholics.
Now, the church might move around different locations,
But we have the fullness of it.
So, we don’t need to put this pressure on ourselves.
Like, we got to convince people.
We got to have the best homilies and the best music
Because otherwise, we’re going to go down.
We won’t go down, okay?
So that takes a little pressure
Off evangelizing or discipling people.
So again, what does it mean then to disciple?
So, it’s not just to convince someone of the truth.
I don’t think that’s what discipleship is.
There’s plenty of people that might know the truth,
But are they really close to God?
It’s not about getting people to go to the sacraments.
Plenty of people that go to mass,
Plenty of people that go to confession regularly.
They’re not close to God either.
The sacraments aren’t just these magic pills.
We’re not just trying to check proxies to get numbers, okay?
So, what is discipleship?
Now, unfortunately, I’m not going to be able to
To answer this question even though I set it up for it
Because it’s something you got to figure out yourself.
All we know is that Jesus is telling us to make disciples.
So how can you, in your own way, make a disciple
That maybe is not one of those things,
Like trying to argue with people and convince them,
Or trying to just get them to partake of the sacraments.
That might be like the end, you know, some fruit of it.
But I sense it’s something about
You are having that personal relationship with God.
You really loving Christ?
You are being able to tell God, “Hey, this is why I love you.
This is why I need you in my life.
This is why my life is better off with you.”
And then somehow in your own way, conveying that.
You might not even convey it with your words,
But just by your loving actions and like a deep peace
That you have in your life that resonates out of you.
Maybe that’s what it is to make a disciple.
But something perhaps we can pray with today,
And something, a grace that we can ask for,
That we are radiant light for people,
And that we reflect the face of God.
Amen.
And so, friends, we together stand and profess our faith.
I believe in one God, the father almighty,
Maker of heaven and earth,
Of all things, visible and invisible.
I believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
The only begotten son of God,
Born of the father before all ages,
God from God, light from light, true God from true God,
Begotten not made, consubstantial with the father.
Through him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation,
He came down from heaven,
And by the holy spirit
Was incarnate of the virgin Mary and became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,
He suffered death and was buried,
And rose again on the third day
In accordance with the scriptures.
He ascended into heaven
And is seated at the right hand of the father.
He will come again in glory
To judge the living and the dead,
And his kingdom will have no end.
I believe in the holy spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
Who proceeds from the father and the son,
Who with the father and the son
Is adored and glorified,
Who has spoken through the prophets.
I believe in one holy, catholic and apostolic church.
I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins,
And I look forward to the resurrection of the dead
And the life of the world to come.
Amen.
We turn now to our heavenly father and offer our petitions.
Our response to each prayer will be,
“Lord, hear our prayer.”
For our church leaders, as they proclaim
The resurrection and ascension of Christ
To those who do not believe.
We pray to the Lord.
-Lord, hear our prayer.
For the grace of discipleship,
May Jesus’ words and the first disciples’ examples help us
Discover ways to help others come to know the risen Lord.
We pray to the Lord.
-Lord, hear our prayer.
For mercy home’s youth who are graduating this year,
May they find opportunity and hope in their future.
We pray to the Lord.
-Lord, hear our prayer.
For our deceased loved ones, may our risen Lord
Welcome them into his eternal kingdom.
We pray to the Lord.
-Lord, hear our prayer.
Loving God, please answer these prayers.
We make them with confidence through Christ our Lord.
-amen.
∫ [music] ∫
∫ [music continues] ∫
Pray, brothers and sisters, that my sacrifice and yours
May be acceptable to God, the almighty father.
-may the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands.
For the praise and glory of his name,
For our good and the good of all his holy church.
We offer sacrifice now in supplication, o Lord,
In honor and to honor the wondrous ascension of your son.
Grant, we pray that through this most holy exchange
We too may rise up to the heavenly realms
Through Christ our Lord.
-amen.
The Lord be with you.
-and with your spirit.
Lift up your hearts.
-we lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
-it is right and just.
It is truly right and just.
Our duty and our salvation
Always and everywhere to give you thanks, Lord,
Holy father, almighty and eternal God.
For after his resurrection he plainly appeared to all
His disciples and was taken up to heaven in their sight
That he might make us sharers in his divinity.
Therefore, overcome with paschal joy
Every land, every people exalts in your praise.
And even the heavenly powers with the angelic hosts
Sing together the unending hymn of your glory as they acclaim.
∫ [music] ∫
∫ holy, holy, holy ∫
∫ Lord God of hosts, ∫
∫ heaven and earth are full of your glory. ∫
∫ hosanna in the highest. ∫
∫ blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. ∫
∫ hosanna in the highest. ∫
You are indeed holy, o Lord.
The fount of all holiness.
Make holy therefore these gifts, we pray,
By sending down your spirit upon them like the dew fall
So that they may become for us
The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.
At the time he was betrayed and entered willingly
Into his passion, he took bread and giving thanks,
Broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying,
“Take this, all of you, and eat of it.
For this is my body, which will be given up for you.”
In a similar way, when supper was ended,
He took the chalice and once more giving thanks,
He gave it to his disciples, saying,
“Take this, all of you, and drink from it.
For this the chalice of my blood,
The blood of the new and eternal covenant,
Which will be poured out for you and for many
For the forgiveness of sins.
Do this in memory of me.”
The mystery of faith.
∫ [music] ∫
∫ when we eat this bread and drink this cup, ∫
∫ we proclaim your death, o Lord, until you come again. ∫
Therefore, as we celebrate the memorial
Of his death and resurrection, we offer you, Lord,
The bread of life and the chalice of salvation,
Giving thanks to you who have held us worthy
To be in your presence and minister to you.
Humbly we pray that partaking of the body and blood of Christ,
We may be gathered into one by the holy spirit.
Remember, Lord, your church spread throughout the world
And bring her to the fullness of charity,
Together with Leo, our pope,
And Blase…, our bishop, and all the clergy.
Remember also our brothers and sisters
Who have fallen asleep in the hope of the resurrection
And all who have died in your mercy.
Welcome them into the light of your face.
Have mercy on us all, we pray,
That with the blessed virgin Mary, mother of God,
Blessed joseph, her spouse,
With the blessed apostles, and all the saints
Who have pleased you throughout the ages,
We may merit to be coheirs to eternal life
And may praise and glorify you through your son, Jesus Christ.
Through him and with him and in him,
O God, almighty father, in the unity of the holy spirit,
All glory and honor is yours forever and ever.
∫ [music] ∫
∫ amen, amen, amen. ∫
By the savior’s command formed by divine teaching
We dare to say:
Our father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread
And forgive us our trespasses
As we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil,
Graciously grant peace in our days,
That by the help of your mercy we may be always
Free from sin and safe from all distress,
As we await the blessed hope
And the coming of our savior, Jesus Christ.
-for the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours,
Now and forever.
Lord Jesus Christ, who said to your apostles,
“Peace I leave you, my peace I give you,”
Look not on our sins but on the faith of your church
And graciously grant her peace and unity
In accordance with your will,
Who live and reign forever and ever.
-amen.
May the peace and Lord be with you always.
-and with your spirit.
Let us offer each other the sign of peace.
Peace be with you, brothers and sisters.
Thank you again for joining us from mass and all your support.
Please know we’re praying for you.
We have your intentions here.
And we encourage you to please send us your prayers,
Anything you need from us.
On behalf of Father Donahue and everyone here at mercy home,
Thank you and God bless you.
∫ [music] ∫
∫ lamb of God, ∫
∫ you take away the sins of the world: ∫
∫ have mercy on us. ∫
∫ lamb of God, ∫
∫ you take away the sins of the world: ∫
∫ have mercy on us. ∫
∫ lamb of God, ∫
∫ you take away the sins of the world: ∫
∫ grant us peace. ∫
Behold the lamb of God,
Behold him who takes away the sins of the world.
Blessed those called to the supper of the lamb.
Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof,
But only say the word and my soul shall be healed.
∫ [music] ∫
For those of you at home,
Please turn to page six in your tv mass guide
And join in singing our communion hymn,
“One bread, one body.”
∫ [music] ∫
∫ one bread, one body, one Lord of all, ∫
∫ one cup of blessing which we bless. ∫
∫ and we, though many, throughout the earth, ∫
∫ we are one body in this one Lord. ∫
∫ gentile or jew servant or free, ∫
∫ woman or man, no more. ∫
∫ one bread, one body, one Lord of all, ∫
∫ one cup of blessing which we bless, ∫
∫ and we, though many throughout the earth, ∫
∫ we are one body in this one Lord. ∫
∫ grain for the fields scattered and grown, ∫
∫ gathered to one for all. ∫
∫ one bread, one body, one Lord of all, ∫
∫ one cup of blessing which we bless, ∫
∫ and we, though many throughout the earth, ∫
∫ we are one body in this one Lord. ∫
Friends, I invite you to join me in our prayer
For the children of mercy home.
Our lady of mercy, we pray that you will guide,
Protect and bless all boys and girls
Who on this day has a home called mercy.
May they find the father’s mercy
As we offer them our hearts
In the name of your son, Jesus Christ.
May they see God’s mercy in action
Through our love, prayers and sacrifices.
Let us pray.
Almighty, ever-living God,
Who allow those on earth to celebrate divine mysteries,
Grant, we pray, that Christian hope
May draw us onward to where our nature is united with you.
Through Christ our Lord.
-amen.
The Lord be with you.
-and with your spirit.
May almighty God bless you,
The father and the son and the holy spirit.
-amen.
Go forth, the mass has ended.
-thanks be to God.
∫ [music] ∫
∫ “go make of all disciples.” ∫
∫ we hear the call, o Lord. ∫
Hello, my friends. As you know, as I know,
This tv ministry at mercy home is so important.
It allows us to gather wherever you may be
To participate in the prayer of the church.
It allows us to pray for one another
And how important it is.
It allows you and me to pray for the children
Here at mercy home for boys and girls.
We’re nourished by our presence together
And by the celebration of the eucharist.
I just want to take this opportunity
To thank you so very much
For the ways in which you support this mass
Here at mercy home for boys and girls.
Please consider doing that going forward as well.
May God bless you and your family and your friends
For all you do for the tv mass at mercy home and for our children.
The music for the broadcast of Sunday Mass at Mercy Home
Is generously provided by GIA publications incorporated
And its world library publications division.
∫ [music] ∫

∫ [Music] ∫
The following presentation is made possible
By the generosity of the viewers
Of Sunday Mass at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls in Chicago.

Good morning and welcome
To Sunday Mass at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls.
Today we celebrate the Ascension of the Lord.
My name is Dan Riley.
I’m joined by Tom McNamara and Maudette Carr
And our celebrant is Father James Wallace.

∫ A hymn of glory let us sing, ∫
∫ new hymns throughout the world shall ring. ∫
∫ alleluia, alleluia! ∫
∫ Christ by a road before untrod, ∫
∫ all sins unto the throne of God. ∫
∫ alleluia, alleluia! ∫
∫ alleluia, alleluia! Alleluia! ∫

In the name of the Father
And of the Son
And of the Holy Spirit.
-Amen.

The Lord be with you.
-And with your spirit.

Good morning, everyone.
Welcome for Mass here at Mercy Home.
We’re delighted that you could join us to celebrate
Especially on this Feast of the Ascension,
The Ascension of our Lord into Heaven,
The end of the Easter season.

So let us prepare ourselves to celebrate
These sacred mysteries by calling to mind our sins.

Lord Jesus, you are mighty God and Prince of Peace.
Lord have mercy.
-Lord have mercy.

You are Son of God and Son of Mary.
Christ have mercy.
-Christ have mercy.

You are Word made Flesh and splendor of the Father.
Lord have mercy.
-Lord have mercy.

May almighty God have mercy on us,
Forgive us our sins and bring us to everlasting life.
-Amen.

∫ [Music] ∫
∫ Glory to God in the highest, ∫
∫ and on earth peace to people of good will. ∫

∫ Glory to God in the highest, ∫
∫ and on earth peace to people of good will. ∫

Let us pray.

Gladden us with holy joys, almighty God,
And make us rejoice with devout thanksgiving.
For the Ascension of Christ, your Son, is our exaltation.
And where the Head has gone before in glory,
The Body is called to follow in hope.

Through our Lord, Jesus Christ, your Son
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God forever and ever.
-Amen.

A reading from the beginning of the Acts of the Apostles.

In the first book, Theophilus, I dealt with all that Jesus
Did and taught until the day he was taken up.
After giving instructions through the Holy Spirit
To the Apostles whom he had chosen.

He presented himself alive to them
By many proofs after he had suffered,
Appearing to them during 40 days
And speaking about the Kingdom of God.

While meeting with them he enjoined them not to depart
From Jerusalem but to wait for the promise of the Father
About which you have heard me speak.

For John baptized with water but in a few days
You will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.

When they had gathered together, they asked him,
“Lord, are you at this time going to restore
The Kingdom to Israel?”

He answered them, “It is not for you to know the times
Or seasons that the Father has established

By his own authority.
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit
Comes upon you and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem
Throughout Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth.”

When he had said this, as they were looking on,
He was lifted up and a cloud took him from their sight.

While they were looking intently at the sky as he was going,
Suddenly two men dressed
In white garments stood beside them.

They said, “Men of Galilee, why are you standing there
Looking at the sky?
This Jesus who has been taken up from you into Heaven
Will return in the same way
As you have seen him going into heaven.”

The word of the Lord.
-thanks be to God.
∫ [music] ∫
∫ God mounts his throne to shouts of joy; ∫
∫ a blare of trumpets for the Lord. ∫
∫ God mounts his throne to shouts of joy; ∫
∫ a blare of trumpets for the Lord. ∫
∫ all peoples clap your hands. ∫
∫ cry to God with shouts of joy! ∫
∫ for the Lord the most high, is awesome, ∫
∫ the great king over all the earth. ∫
∫ God mounts his throne to shouts of joy, ∫
∫ a blare of trumpets for the Lord. ∫
A reading from the letter of St. Paul to the Ephesians.
Brothers and sisters, may the God of our Lord
Jesus Christ, the father of glory,
Give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation
Resulting in knowledge of him.
May the eyes of your hearts be enlightened,
That you may know what is the hope that belongs to his call,
What are the riches of glory in his inheritance
Among the holy ones, and what is the surpassing greatness
Of his power for us who believe.
In accord with the exercise of his great might,
Which he worked in Christ, raising him from the dead
And seating him at his right hand in the heavens,
Far above every principality, authority,
Power, and dominion, and every name that is named,
Not only in this age, but also in the one to come.
And he put all things beneath his feet,
And gave him as head over all things to the church,
Which is his body, the fullness of the one
Who fills all things in every way.
The word of the Lord.
-thanks be to God.
∫ [music] ∫
∫ alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. ∫
∫ alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. ∫
∫ go and teach all nations, says the Lord; ∫
∫ I am with you always until the end of the world. ∫
∫ alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. ∫
∫ alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. ∫
The Lord be with you.
-and with your spirit.
A reading from the holy gospel according to Matthew.
-glory to you, o Lord.
The eleven disciples went to galilee,
To the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them.
When they saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted.
Then Jesus approached and said to them,
“All power in heaven on earth has been given to me.
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations,
Baptizing them in the name of the father,
And of the son, and of the holy spirit.
Teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.
And behold, I am with you always until the end of the age.”
The gospel of the Lord.
-praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
So, the ascension, kind of wrapping up the easter season,
Next week we’re going to have Pentecost,
The birthday of the church.
The two feasts are very much linked together,
Ascension and Pentecost.
Why ascension is such a glorious day and not a sad day
Is because Christ doesn’t necessarily leave us,
But he enters into a deeper depth of our soul.
He goes up to heaven and then inward,
Inward to us, you could say.
And then he sends the holy spirit down,
And the holy spirit comes and remains with us forever.
Holy spirit, father and son.
So again, on the surface, it might seem confusing,
Like again, why are we celebrating
Jesus departing from us?
Don’t we want him on this earth?
But again, this is where, as we heard in the readings,
The eyes of our faith, the eyes of our heart
Are able to really see Jesus within us.
So, Jesus gives us this instruction then,
Or he gives the apostles as he leaves.
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations,
Baptized in the name of the father,
Son, and the holy spirit,
And do all that I’ve commanded you to do.”
That word “disciple” or “make disciples,”
I kind of want to focus on that
Because that’s a buzzword these days in the catholic church.
See this a lot in parishes.
We’ve got to make disciples, and, you know,
Parish slogans are all about making disciples,
And there’s programs and all these companies,
Frankly, that are around for trying to make disciples.
So, what does it mean to make a disciple?
Now, before I answer that question,
Let me just make a point about this.
Okay, the church, and I don’t mean this, like, arrogantly,
But the church doesn’t need to make disciples, okay?
That might be a controversial statement
Even because our Lord said that all right?
The church doesn’t rely on people in the pews, in fact.
Okay, we’re not a corporation.
We’re not a business that if we lose all of our customers,
We’re going to go under.
The church, as Jesus promised us,
Is always going to be around until the end of time.
The gates of the netherworld are never going to prevail against us.
So, we don’t need to go out there
And try to convince people to come.
We don’t need to harangue them or whatever,
Have catchy slogans, whatever it might be,
Entertainment, to get people into the church.
Now, it’d be nice to have them in the church,
And yes, there are plenty of examples
Of parishes closing, of dioceses, in fact, disappearing.
In fact, the history of the church
Has many dioceses that have disappeared.
Yes, parishes will close, dioceses will disappear.
Religious orders might go away too,
But the church will not go away.
The church doesn’t need it
Because the church is the source itself of life.
So, wherever the church is, there will always be Catholics.
Now, the church might move around different locations,
But we have the fullness of it.
So, we don’t need to put this pressure on ourselves.
Like, we got to convince people.
We got to have the best homilies and the best music
Because otherwise, we’re going to go down.
We won’t go down, okay?
So that takes a little pressure
Off evangelizing or discipling people.
So again, what does it mean then to disciple?
So, it’s not just to convince someone of the truth.
I don’t think that’s what discipleship is.
There’s plenty of people that might know the truth,
But are they really close to God?
It’s not about getting people to go to the sacraments.
Plenty of people that go to mass,
Plenty of people that go to confession regularly.
They’re not close to God either.
The sacraments aren’t just these magic pills.
We’re not just trying to check proxies to get numbers, okay?
So, what is discipleship?
Now, unfortunately, I’m not going to be able to
To answer this question even though I set it up for it
Because it’s something you got to figure out yourself.
All we know is that Jesus is telling us to make disciples.
So how can you, in your own way, make a disciple
That maybe is not one of those things,
Like trying to argue with people and convince them,
Or trying to just get them to partake of the sacraments.
That might be like the end, you know, some fruit of it.
But I sense it’s something about
You are having that personal relationship with God.
You really loving Christ?
You are being able to tell God, “Hey, this is why I love you.
This is why I need you in my life.
This is why my life is better off with you.”
And then somehow in your own way, conveying that.
You might not even convey it with your words,
But just by your loving actions and like a deep peace
That you have in your life that resonates out of you.
Maybe that’s what it is to make a disciple.
But something perhaps we can pray with today,
And something, a grace that we can ask for,
That we are radiant light for people,
And that we reflect the face of God.
Amen.
And so, friends, we together stand and profess our faith.
I believe in one God, the father almighty,
Maker of heaven and earth,
Of all things, visible and invisible.
I believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
The only begotten son of God,
Born of the father before all ages,
God from God, light from light, true God from true God,
Begotten not made, consubstantial with the father.
Through him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation,
He came down from heaven,
And by the holy spirit
Was incarnate of the virgin Mary and became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,
He suffered death and was buried,
And rose again on the third day
In accordance with the scriptures.
He ascended into heaven
And is seated at the right hand of the father.
He will come again in glory
To judge the living and the dead,
And his kingdom will have no end.
I believe in the holy spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
Who proceeds from the father and the son,
Who with the father and the son
Is adored and glorified,
Who has spoken through the prophets.
I believe in one holy, catholic and apostolic church.
I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins,
And I look forward to the resurrection of the dead
And the life of the world to come.
Amen.
We turn now to our heavenly father and offer our petitions.
Our response to each prayer will be,
“Lord, hear our prayer.”
For our church leaders, as they proclaim
The resurrection and ascension of Christ
To those who do not believe.
We pray to the Lord.
-Lord, hear our prayer.
For the grace of discipleship,
May Jesus’ words and the first disciples’ examples help us
Discover ways to help others come to know the risen Lord.
We pray to the Lord.
-Lord, hear our prayer.
For mercy home’s youth who are graduating this year,
May they find opportunity and hope in their future.
We pray to the Lord.
-Lord, hear our prayer.
For our deceased loved ones, may our risen Lord
Welcome them into his eternal kingdom.
We pray to the Lord.
-Lord, hear our prayer.
Loving God, please answer these prayers.
We make them with confidence through Christ our Lord.
-amen.
∫ [music] ∫
∫ [music continues] ∫
Pray, brothers and sisters, that my sacrifice and yours
May be acceptable to God, the almighty father.
-may the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands.
For the praise and glory of his name,
For our good and the good of all his holy church.
We offer sacrifice now in supplication, o Lord,
In honor and to honor the wondrous ascension of your son.
Grant, we pray that through this most holy exchange
We too may rise up to the heavenly realms
Through Christ our Lord.
-amen.
The Lord be with you.
-and with your spirit.
Lift up your hearts.
-we lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
-it is right and just.
It is truly right and just.
Our duty and our salvation
Always and everywhere to give you thanks, Lord,
Holy father, almighty and eternal God.
For after his resurrection he plainly appeared to all
His disciples and was taken up to heaven in their sight
That he might make us sharers in his divinity.
Therefore, overcome with paschal joy
Every land, every people exalts in your praise.
And even the heavenly powers with the angelic hosts
Sing together the unending hymn of your glory as they acclaim.
∫ [music] ∫
∫ holy, holy, holy ∫
∫ Lord God of hosts, ∫
∫ heaven and earth are full of your glory. ∫
∫ hosanna in the highest. ∫
∫ blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. ∫
∫ hosanna in the highest. ∫
You are indeed holy, o Lord.
The fount of all holiness.
Make holy therefore these gifts, we pray,
By sending down your spirit upon them like the dew fall
So that they may become for us
The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.
At the time he was betrayed and entered willingly
Into his passion, he took bread and giving thanks,
Broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying,
“Take this, all of you, and eat of it.
For this is my body, which will be given up for you.”
In a similar way, when supper was ended,
He took the chalice and once more giving thanks,
He gave it to his disciples, saying,
“Take this, all of you, and drink from it.
For this the chalice of my blood,
The blood of the new and eternal covenant,
Which will be poured out for you and for many
For the forgiveness of sins.
Do this in memory of me.”
The mystery of faith.
∫ [music] ∫
∫ when we eat this bread and drink this cup, ∫
∫ we proclaim your death, o Lord, until you come again. ∫
Therefore, as we celebrate the memorial
Of his death and resurrection, we offer you, Lord,
The bread of life and the chalice of salvation,
Giving thanks to you who have held us worthy
To be in your presence and minister to you.
Humbly we pray that partaking of the body and blood of Christ,
We may be gathered into one by the holy spirit.
Remember, Lord, your church spread throughout the world
And bring her to the fullness of charity,
Together with Leo, our pope,
And Blase…, our bishop, and all the clergy.
Remember also our brothers and sisters
Who have fallen asleep in the hope of the resurrection
And all who have died in your mercy.
Welcome them into the light of your face.
Have mercy on us all, we pray,
That with the blessed virgin Mary, mother of God,
Blessed joseph, her spouse,
With the blessed apostles, and all the saints
Who have pleased you throughout the ages,
We may merit to be coheirs to eternal life
And may praise and glorify you through your son, Jesus Christ.
Through him and with him and in him,
O God, almighty father, in the unity of the holy spirit,
All glory and honor is yours forever and ever.
∫ [music] ∫
∫ amen, amen, amen. ∫
By the savior’s command formed by divine teaching
We dare to say:
Our father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread
And forgive us our trespasses
As we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil,
Graciously grant peace in our days,
That by the help of your mercy we may be always
Free from sin and safe from all distress,
As we await the blessed hope
And the coming of our savior, Jesus Christ.
-for the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours,
Now and forever.
Lord Jesus Christ, who said to your apostles,
“Peace I leave you, my peace I give you,”
Look not on our sins but on the faith of your church
And graciously grant her peace and unity
In accordance with your will,
Who live and reign forever and ever.
-amen.
May the peace and Lord be with you always.
-and with your spirit.
Let us offer each other the sign of peace.
Peace be with you, brothers and sisters.
Thank you again for joining us from mass and all your support.
Please know we’re praying for you.
We have your intentions here.
And we encourage you to please send us your prayers,
Anything you need from us.
On behalf of Father Donahue and everyone here at mercy home,
Thank you and God bless you.
∫ [music] ∫
∫ lamb of God, ∫
∫ you take away the sins of the world: ∫
∫ have mercy on us. ∫
∫ lamb of God, ∫
∫ you take away the sins of the world: ∫
∫ have mercy on us. ∫
∫ lamb of God, ∫
∫ you take away the sins of the world: ∫
∫ grant us peace. ∫
Behold the lamb of God,
Behold him who takes away the sins of the world.
Blessed those called to the supper of the lamb.
Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof,
But only say the word and my soul shall be healed.
∫ [music] ∫
For those of you at home,
Please turn to page six in your tv mass guide
And join in singing our communion hymn,
“One bread, one body.”
∫ [music] ∫
∫ one bread, one body, one Lord of all, ∫
∫ one cup of blessing which we bless. ∫
∫ and we, though many, throughout the earth, ∫
∫ we are one body in this one Lord. ∫
∫ gentile or jew servant or free, ∫
∫ woman or man, no more. ∫
∫ one bread, one body, one Lord of all, ∫
∫ one cup of blessing which we bless, ∫
∫ and we, though many throughout the earth, ∫
∫ we are one body in this one Lord. ∫
∫ grain for the fields scattered and grown, ∫
∫ gathered to one for all. ∫
∫ one bread, one body, one Lord of all, ∫
∫ one cup of blessing which we bless, ∫
∫ and we, though many throughout the earth, ∫
∫ we are one body in this one Lord. ∫
Friends, I invite you to join me in our prayer
For the children of mercy home.
Our lady of mercy, we pray that you will guide,
Protect and bless all boys and girls
Who on this day has a home called mercy.
May they find the father’s mercy
As we offer them our hearts
In the name of your son, Jesus Christ.
May they see God’s mercy in action
Through our love, prayers and sacrifices.
Let us pray.
Almighty, ever-living God,
Who allow those on earth to celebrate divine mysteries,
Grant, we pray, that Christian hope
May draw us onward to where our nature is united with you.
Through Christ our Lord.
-amen.
The Lord be with you.
-and with your spirit.
May almighty God bless you,
The father and the son and the holy spirit.
-amen.
Go forth, the mass has ended.
-thanks be to God.
∫ [music] ∫
∫ “go make of all disciples.” ∫
∫ we hear the call, o Lord. ∫
Hello, my friends. As you know, as I know,
This tv ministry at mercy home is so important.
It allows us to gather wherever you may be
To participate in the prayer of the church.
It allows us to pray for one another
And how important it is.
It allows you and me to pray for the children
Here at mercy home for boys and girls.
We’re nourished by our presence together
And by the celebration of the eucharist.
I just want to take this opportunity
To thank you so very much
For the ways in which you support this mass
Here at mercy home for boys and girls.
Please consider doing that going forward as well.
May God bless you and your family and your friends
For all you do for the tv mass at mercy home and for our children.
The music for the broadcast of Sunday Mass at Mercy Home
Is generously provided by GIA publications incorporated
And its world library publications division.
∫ [music] ∫

So, the ascension, kind of wrapping up the easter season,
Next week we’re going to have Pentecost,
The birthday of the church.
The two feasts are very much linked together,
Ascension and Pentecost.
Why ascension is such a glorious day and not a sad day
Is because Christ doesn’t necessarily leave us,
But he enters into a deeper depth of our soul.
He goes up to heaven and then inward,
Inward to us, you could say.
And then he sends the holy spirit down,
And the holy spirit comes and remains with us forever.
Holy spirit, father and son.
So again, on the surface, it might seem confusing,
Like again, why are we celebrating
Jesus departing from us?
Don’t we want him on this earth?
But again, this is where, as we heard in the readings,
The eyes of our faith, the eyes of our heart
Are able to really see Jesus within us.
So, Jesus gives us this instruction then,
Or he gives the apostles as he leaves.
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations,
Baptized in the name of the father,
Son, and the holy spirit,
And do all that I’ve commanded you to do.”
That word “disciple” or “make disciples,”
I kind of want to focus on that
Because that’s a buzzword these days in the catholic church.
See this a lot in parishes.
We’ve got to make disciples, and, you know,
Parish slogans are all about making disciples,
And there’s programs and all these companies,
Frankly, that are around for trying to make disciples.
So, what does it mean to make a disciple?
Now, before I answer that question,
Let me just make a point about this.
Okay, the church, and I don’t mean this, like, arrogantly,
But the church doesn’t need to make disciples, okay?
That might be a controversial statement
Even because our Lord said that all right?
The church doesn’t rely on people in the pews, in fact.
Okay, we’re not a corporation.
We’re not a business that if we lose all of our customers,
We’re going to go under.
The church, as Jesus promised us,
Is always going to be around until the end of time.
The gates of the netherworld are never going to prevail against us.
So, we don’t need to go out there
And try to convince people to come.
We don’t need to harangue them or whatever,
Have catchy slogans, whatever it might be,
Entertainment, to get people into the church.
Now, it’d be nice to have them in the church,
And yes, there are plenty of examples
Of parishes closing, of dioceses, in fact, disappearing.
In fact, the history of the church
Has many dioceses that have disappeared.
Yes, parishes will close, dioceses will disappear.
Religious orders might go away too,
But the church will not go away.
The church doesn’t need it
Because the church is the source itself of life.
So, wherever the church is, there will always be Catholics.
Now, the church might move around different locations,
But we have the fullness of it.
So, we don’t need to put this pressure on ourselves.
Like, we got to convince people.
We got to have the best homilies and the best music
Because otherwise, we’re going to go down.
We won’t go down, okay?
So that takes a little pressure
Off evangelizing or discipling people.
So again, what does it mean then to disciple?
So, it’s not just to convince someone of the truth.
I don’t think that’s what discipleship is.
There’s plenty of people that might know the truth,
But are they really close to God?
It’s not about getting people to go to the sacraments.
Plenty of people that go to mass,
Plenty of people that go to confession regularly.
They’re not close to God either.
The sacraments aren’t just these magic pills.
We’re not just trying to check proxies to get numbers, okay?
So, what is discipleship?
Now, unfortunately, I’m not going to be able to
To answer this question even though I set it up for it
Because it’s something you got to figure out yourself.
All we know is that Jesus is telling us to make disciples.
So how can you, in your own way, make a disciple
That maybe is not one of those things,
Like trying to argue with people and convince them,
Or trying to just get them to partake of the sacraments.
That might be like the end, you know, some fruit of it.
But I sense it’s something about
You are having that personal relationship with God.
You really loving Christ?
You are being able to tell God, “Hey, this is why I love you.
This is why I need you in my life.
This is why my life is better off with you.”
And then somehow in your own way, conveying that.
You might not even convey it with your words,
But just by your loving actions and like a deep peace
That you have in your life that resonates out of you.
Maybe that’s what it is to make a disciple.
But something perhaps we can pray with today,
And something, a grace that we can ask for,
That we are radiant light for people,
And that we reflect the face of God.
Amen.