The Ascension - Hail Thou who man's Redeemer art!

        
                                            Salutis humanae Sator

Latin text Salutis humanæ Sator, Jesu, voluptas cordium, Orbis redempti Conditor, Et casta lux amantium: 2. Que victus es clementia, Ut nostra ferres crimina? Mortem subires innocens, A morte nos ut tolleres? 3. Perrumpis infernum chaos; Vinctis catenas detrahis; Victor triumpho nobili Ad dexteram Patris sedes. 4. Te cogat indulgentia, Ut damna nostra sarcias Tuique vultus compotes Dites beato lumine. 5. Tu dux ad astra, et semita, Sis meta nostris cordibus, Sis lacrymarum gaudium, Sis dulce vitæ præmium.

English translation 1. Hail, Thou who man's Redeemer art, Jesu, the joy of every heart; Great Maker of the world's wide frame, And purest love's delight and flame: 2. What nameless mercy Thee o'ercame, To bear out load of sin and shame? For guiltless, Thou Thy life didst give, That sinful erring man might live. 3. The realms of woe are forced by Thee, Its captives from their chains set free; And Thou, amid Thy ransomed train, At God's right hand dost victor reign. 4. Let mercy sweet with Thee prevail, To cure the wounds we now bewail; Oh, bless us with Thy holy sight, And fill us with eternal light. 5. Our guide, our way to heavenly rest, Be Thou the aim of every breast; Be Thou the soother of our tears, Our sweet reward above the spheres

            
                                  St Leo's Sermon for The Ascension


"In truth it was a great and ineffable cause of rejoicing, when in the sight of a holy multitude, human nature ascended above the ranks of the Angels, to be raised beyond the heights of the Archangels; and not to have any degree of loftiness set as a limit to its advancement, short of the right hand of the eternal Father, where it should be associated to His royal glory, to whose nature it was united in the Son.


Since then, Christ's Ascension is our own exultation, and where the glory of the head has gone before, thither is the hope of the body summoned, let us, dearly beloved, exult with due rejoicing and be glad, devoutly giving thanks.


For today, not only have we been confirmed in the possession of paradise, but in Christ we have penetrated even the heights of heaven; having gained, through the ineffable grace of Christ, far more than we lost through the malice of the devil. 


For those, whom that virulent enemy cast down from the happiness of their first estate, these has the Son of God made to be one body with Himself, and placed at the right hand of the Father; with whom He liveth and reigneth in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God through all eternity.
Amen."