Lectio Divina: For the Ascension

Please read slowly and reflectively.

Slowly count to five at the end of each line.

A READING FROM THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES (FIRST READER ONLY)

AFTER HIS PASSION, HE PRESENTED HIMSELF AT VARIOUS TIMES TO THE APOSTLES/

GIVING MANY SIGNS THAT HE WAS ALIVE./

WHEN THEY HAD COME TOGETHER HE SAID, “YOU WILL RECEIVE POWER WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT COMES UPON YOU./

YOU WILL BE MY WITNESSES THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.”/

AS SOON AS HE SAID THIS, HE WAS TAKEN UP BEFORE THEIR EYES./

A CLOUD HID HIM FROM THEIR SIGHT./

WHILE THEY WERE LOOKING UP,/

TWO FIGURES, DRESSED IN WHITE, STOOD BESIDE THEM./

THEY ASKED, “WHY DO YOU STAND HERE LOOKING UP AT THE SKY?/

THIS JESUS, WHO HAS BEEN TAKEN FROM YOU/

WILL RETURN IN THE SAME WAY AS YOU HAVE SEEN HIM GO.”/

THEN THEY RETURNED TO JERUSALEM./