Liturgical Guide: Ascension

The hymns used in the Liturgy of the Hours on the Ascension of Our Lord reflect the themes of heaven and earth. In the following video Fr. Robert Barron from Word On Fire Ministries lends his own perspective on the Ascension. To best understand it, he explains that Christians need to recover a Jewish sense of heaven and earth. When Jesus prayed: "as it is on earth as it is in heaven", he was expressing the ancient Jewish concept of heaven and earth  as impinging on each other. Instead, many in modern times have, without realizing adopted Plato's view of earth, and indeed even our own body as a prison from which we long to be freed. The other world is 'up there' in a spiritual realm, and 'down here' we live in a world of matter; the two are distinct and unrelated. After the Ascension, the disciples stand looking up at the sky in a manner more fitting for a Platonist. But then, two men dressed in white garments (denizens of heaven) chastise them: "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.” Acts:1, 10-11. They are reminding the Apostles of their mission "to do all they can to bring about the Kingdom on earth, as it is in heaven."



LITURGY OF THE HOURS (1975)
122. Hail Thee, Festival Day
124. Let the Earth Rejoice and Sing
125. Praise Him As He Mounts the Skies
126. The Head That Once Was Crowned with Thorns

DIVINE OFFICE (1974)
The Lord Goes Up with Shouts of Joy
Sower and Seed of Man's Reprieving

Hymns from the Liturgy of the Hours (ICEL-1975)

Alphabetical Index of the hymns found in the Liturgy of the Hours (ICEL, 1975) approved by the Episcopal Conferences of the Antilles, Bangledesh, Burma, Canada, of the Pacific CEPAC (Fiji Islands, Rarotangta, Samoa and Takelau, Tonga), Ghana, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, Papua, New Guinea and The Solomons, The Phillipines, Rhodesia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Uganda, and the United States of America for use in their Dioceses and Confirmed by the Apostolic See. Related: Thematic Index and Numerical Index.

A Child is Born (68)
A Child is Born in Bethlehem (75)
A Mighty Fortress is Our God (171)
All Creatures of Our God and King (14)
All Glory, Praise, and Honor (103)
All Hail, Adored Trinity (131)
All Praise to You, My God, This Night (52)
All You Nations (11)
Alleluia! Sing to Jesus (121)
Alleluia, The Strife is O'er (112)
Almighty Ruler, God of Truth (127)
Amazing Grace (173)
As with Gladness Men of Old (81)
At the Lamb's High Feast (116)
At the Name of Jesus (139)

Be Consoled, My People (57)
Behold a Virgin Bearing Him (65)
Behold, a Rose of Judah (67)
Blest Are the Pure in Heart (181)
Breathe on Me, Breath of God (18)
Brightness of the Father's Glory (2)

Christ is Made Our Sure Foundation (154)
Christ is the World's Light (17)
Christ Jesus Lay in Death's Strong Bands (115)
Christ the Lord is Risen Today (Leeson) (123)
Christ the Lord is Risen Today (Wesley) (120)
Christ, in Whose Passion Once Was Sown (170)
Christ, Victim for the Sins of Men (111)
Come to Me (139)
Come, Holy Ghost, Creator, Come (127)
Come, Holy Ghost, Who Ever One (23)
Come, Thou Almighty King (133)
Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus (56)
Creator of the Earth and Skies (86)
Creator of the Stars of Night (61)
Crown Him With Many Crowns (101)
Darkness Has Faded (5)

Day is Done (42)
Draw Near, O Lord (96)

Faith of Our Fathers (31)
Father, Lord of Earth and Heaven (21)
Father, We Thank Thee (46)
Firmly I Believe and Truly (28)
For All the Saints (172)
For Forty Years (93)
For the Fruits of His Creation (37)
From All That Dwell Below the Skies (with Alleluias) (19)
From All That Dwell Below the Skies (20)
From Heaven High (69)

Go Tell It on the Mountain (70)
God Father, Praise and Glory (13)
God With Hidden Majesty (135)
God, Whose Almighty Word (188)
Grant to Us (90)
Great Saint Andrew (142)

Hail Thee, Festival Day (122)
Hail to the Lord Who Comes (143)
Hail, Holy Queen (162)
Hail, Redeemer, King Divine (102)
Hail, This Festival Day (160)
Have Mercy, O Lord (107)
Hear the Herald Voice Resounding (58)
Heart of Christ (137)
Help Us, O Lord (24)
Holy God, We Praise Thy Name (49)
Holy Mary, Now We Crown You (158)
Holy Spirit, Come Confirm Us (22)
Holy Spirit, God of Light (129)
Holy, Holy, Holy (132)

I Am the Bread of Life (114)
I Shall Praise the Savior's Glory (108)
I Sing the Mighty Power of God (10)
In Ancient Times God Spoke to Man (190)
In the Midst of Death (113)

Jesus Christ is Ris'n Today (118)
Jesus Comes to Be Baptized (83)
John 15 (This I Ask) (106)
Joseph of Nazareth (78)
Joy to You (79)

Keep in Mind (98)

Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence (100)
Let All Things Now Living (45)
Let the Earth Rejoice and Sing (124)
Look Down to Us, Saint Joseph (145)
Lord God and Maker of All Things (29)
Lord Jesus Christ, Abide With Us (34)
Lord Jesus, Once You Spoke to Men (191)
Lord of All Being, Throned Afar (26)
Lord of All Hopefulness (25)
Lord Who at Your First Eucharist Did Pray (134)
Lord Who Throughout These Forty Days (94)
Lord Whose Love in Humble Service (7)
Lord, Your Glory in Christ We Have Seen (87)
Lord, Your Word Abiding (187)
Love Divine All Loves Excelling (40)
Loving Shepherd of Thy Sheep (174)

Maranatha (55)
Mary Immaculate, Star of the Morning (157)
Mary the Dawn (165)
Mary, Crowned with Living Light (156)
May Flights of Angels Lead You On Your Way (185)
Morning Has Broken (4)
Most Ancient of All Mysteries (30)
Mother of Christ (159)
Mother of Holy Hope (164)
My Loving Savior (110)

Now at Daylight's Ending (51)
Now Fades All Earthly Splendor (41)
Now From the Heav'ns Descending (178)
Now Let the Heav'ns Resound with Praise (169)
Now Let Us All with One Accord (85)
Now Let Us Praise (179)
Now We Thank We All Our God (32)

O Christ, Redeemer of Mankind (136)
O Christ, You Are the Light and Day (33)
O Come, All Ye Faithful (71)
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel (63)
O Cross of Christ Immortal Tree (150)
O Father, Whose Creating Hand (36)
O God of Light (15)
O God, Our Hope in Ages Past (182)
O Mary, of All Women (80)
O Radiant Light, O Sun Divine (184)
O Raise Your Eyes on High and See (148)
O Sacred Head, Surrounded (104)
O Worship the King (43)
On Jordan's Bank (54)
On This Day, the First of Days (1)

Praise Him As He Mounts the Skies (125)
Praise the Lord, Ye Heavens, Adore Him (151)
Praise to Mary, Heaven's Gate (166)
Praise to the Holiest (88)
Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven (8)

Queen of Heaven (167)

Rejoice, O Virgin Mary (161)
Rise Up, O Men of God (176)
Romans VIII (For Those Who Love God) (44)

Shepherd of Souls, in Love Come, Feed Us (140)
Sing of Mary, Pure and Lowly (77)
Sing Praise to Our Creator (82)
Sing with All the Sons of Glory (9)
Sion, Sing (3)
Song of Salvation Drawing Near (66)
Songs of Praise the Angels Sang (72)
Songs of Thankfulness and Praise (84)
Splendor of Creation (Send Forth Your Spirit) (130)

Take Up Your Cross (92)
The Beatitudes (180)
The Church's One Foundation (155)
The Coming of Our God (64)
The Day of Resurrection (117)
The Eternal Gifts of Christ the King (168)
The Glory of These Forty Days (89)
The God Whom Earth and Sea and Sky (163)
The Great Forerunner of the Morn (146)
The Head That Once Was Crowned With Thorns (126)
The King of Glory (59)
The King of Love My Shepherd Is (175)
The Master Came (53)
The Setting Sun (35)
The Spirit of God (128)
The Word of God Proceeding Forth (109)
They Come, God's Messengers of Love (152)
This Day God Gives Me (12)
This is Our Accepted Time (95)
This is the Feast Day of the Lord's True Witness (177)
This World, My God (50)
Tis Good, Lord, To Be Here (149)
To Christ, the Prince of Peace (138)
To Jesus Christ, Our Sovereign King (141)

Unto Us a Child is Given (76)

Virgin-Born, We Bow Before You (73)

Wake, Awake, the Night is Dying (60)
We Plough the Fields and Scatter (47)
We Praise You, Father, for Your Gifts (48)
We Turn to You, O God (16)
Were You There (105)
What Child is This (20)
What Fairer Light (147)
When from the Darkness (99)
When I Survey the Wondrous Cross (97)
When in His Own Image (38)
When Mary Brought Her Treasure (144)
When Morning Fills the Sky (6)
Who Would True Valor See (183)
With Hearts Renewed (91)

Ye Sons and Daughters (119)
You Heavens, Open From Above (62)
You Holy Angels Bright (153)

My God I Love Thee / O Deus Ego Amo Te

Basilica of Bom Jesus - Goa, India

My God I Love Thee is a translation of O Deus Ego Amo Te, attributed to the great Jesuit missionary, St. Francis Xavier (1506-1552). It was likely written sometime in the 1540's during his time in India. The original text was likely composed as a sonnet in Spanish or Portuguese and then later translated into Latin, either by Xavier himself and/or by others, for there are several Latin versions. It has been translated into English many times. The most well known is the 1849 translation by Fr. Edward Caswall (1814-1878). In the Divine Office (1974) it is set to the tune, Everlasting Love. A more commonly used setting is to the tune, St. Fulbert (see 1st video). The 2nd video features a 2 stanza 18th century Latin hymn from the album, Angels and Saints At Ephesus performed by the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles. In the Divine Office, My God I Love Thee is used on Holy Saturday.

Tune: St. Fulbert

My God I Love Thee (Translation by Fr. Caswall)

My God, I love Thee, not because
I hope for heaven thereby;
Nor yet since they who love Thee not
Must burn eternally.

Thou, O my Jesus, Thou didst me
Upon the Cross embrace;
For me didst bear the nails and spear,
And manifold disgrace;

And griefs and torments numberless,
And sweat of agony;
E’en death itself; and all for one
Who was Thine enemy.

Then why, O blessed Jesus Christ,
Should I not love Thee well,
Not for the sake of winning heaven,
Or of escaping hell;

Not with the hope of gaining aught,
Not seeking a reward;
But as Thyself hast loved me,
O ever-loving Lord?

E’en so I love Thee, and will love,
And in Thy praise will sing,
Solely because Thou art my God,
And my eternal King.



O Deus Ego Amo Te (18th Century Hymn)

O Deus, ego amo te,
Nec amo te ut salves me,
Nec quod qui te non diligent,
Æterno igne pereunt.

Ex cruces lingo germinat,
Qui pectus amor occupant,
Ex pansis unde brachiis,
Ad te amandum arripes. Amen.


Traditional Latin Text

O Deus, ego amo te,
Nec amo te, ut salves me,
Aut, quia non amantes te
Æterno punis igne.

Tu, tu, mi Jesu, totum me
Amplexus es in cruce;
Tuliste clavos, lanceam,
Multamque ignominiam,

Innumeros dolores,
Sudores, et angores,
Et mortem, et hæc propter me,
Ac pro me peccatore.

Cur igitur non amem te,
O Jesu amantissime,
Non, ut in cœlo salves me,
Aut ne æternum damnes me,

Nec præmii ullius spe;
Sed sicut tu amasti me?
Sic amo et amabo te,
Solum quia Rex meus es,
Et solum, quia Deus es.