SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER—04/24/2022

		THE SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER APRIL 24, 2022 A LITURGY FOR WORSHIP AND MEDITATION
		CENTERING IN PREPARATION The tomb where Jesus was laid was found to be empty. While the emptiness of that tomb is a word about a resurrection, the tomb was empty. We can be Easter people, people of the resurrection, and still find empty places within. We can find empty places in the world. We can find empty places in our spirituality. Let us allow all the emptiness to arise within us. Let it arise in us so we can claim it. . .that we can acknowledge all of it. And let us know it is real. It is part of who we are and the life we live as humankind. Now that is recognized for what it is, let us find that place in our heart of hearts where God meets us and brings life, even to the emptiness. SILENT MEDITATION OPENING WORDS Risen Christ, for whom no door is locked, no entrance barred: open the doors of our hearts. Open the doors of our minds that your wisdom would bring new life. Open the doors to our souls that your love will be shared and that we may seek the good in others. Open the doors to our perceived limitations that we may walk the joyful road of peace. O God, help us to open ourselves to you. PRAYER FOR THE DAY Living God, long ago, faithful women proclaimed the good news of Jesus' resurrection, and the world was changed forever. Teach us to keep faith with them, that our witness may be as bold, our love as deep, and our faith as true. Amen. —Revised Common Lectionary Prayers, Consultation on Common Texts GLORIA Alleluia! Christ is risen. Glory to God in the highest. Peace and goodwill to all on earth. All is born anew. It is a new day—the day of resurrection! Indeed, Christ is risen. Alleluia! SONG "The Day Of Resurrection" (Click Here For Music} —St. John of Damascus 6th-7th C.); Translator: J. M. Neale The day of resurrection! Earth, tell it out abroad; the Passover of gladness, the Passover of God. From death to life eternal, from earth unto the sky, our Christ hath brought us over, with hymns of victory. Our hearts be pure from evil, that we may see aright the Lord in rays eternal of resurrection light; and listening to his accents, may hear, so calm and plain, his own "All hail!" and, hearing, may raise the victor strain. Now let the heavens be joyful! Let earth the song begin! Let the round world keep triumph, and all that is therein! Let all things seen and unseen their notes in gladness blend, for Christ the Lord hath risen, our joy that hath no end. PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION O God who rolled away the stone of the tomb, your Spirit opens the way to truth and wisdom. May your Word of Life fill our opened ears and hearts and minds; all that we may know both the gift you are giving and what it means to the world and our everyday life. FIRST READING Book of Revelation 1.4-8 4 Grace and peace to you, from the One who is, who was, and who is to come, from the seven spirits before the throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the Firstborn from the dead, sovereign of the rulers of the earth. To Christ—who loves us, and who has freed us from our sins by the shedding of blood, 6 and who has made us to be a Kin-Dom of priests to serve our God and Creator— to Jesus Christ be glory and power forever and ever! Amen. 7 Look! Christ is coming on the clouds for every eye to see, even those who pierced Jesus, and all the peoples of the earth will mourn over Christ. So be it! Amen. 8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says our God, “who is, who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” —Priests for Equality. The Inclusive Bible. Sheed & Ward. PSALMODY Psalm 150 1 Alleluia! We praise you, O God, in your sanctuary; we praise you in your mighty skies! 2 We praise you for your powerful deeds; we praise you for your overwhelming glory! 3 We praise you with the blast of the trumpet; we praise you with lyre and harp! 4 We praise you with timbrel and dance; we praise you with strings and flute! 5 We praise you with clashing cymbals; we praise you with resounding cymbals! 6 Let everything that has breath praise God! Alleluia! —Priests for Equality. The Inclusive Bible. Sheed & Ward. SECOND READING John 20:19-31 19 In the evening of that same day, the first day of the week, the doors were locked in the room where the disciples were, for fear of the Temple authorities. Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 20 Having said this, the savior showed them the marks of crucifixion. The disciples were filled with joy when they saw Jesus, 21 who said to them again, “Peace be with you. As Abba God sent me, so I’m sending you.” 22 After saying this, Jesus breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you retain anyone’s sins, they are retained.” 24 It happened that one of the Twelve, Thomas—nicknamed Didymus, or “Twin”—was absent when Jesus came. 25 The other disciples kept telling him, “We’ve seen Jesus!” Thomas’ answer was, “I’ll never believe it without putting my finger in the nail marks and my hand into the spear wound.” 26 On the eighth day, the disciples were once more in the room, and this time Thomas was with them. Despite the locked doors, Jesus came and stood before them, saying, “Peace be with you.” 27 Then, to Thomas, Jesus said, “Take your finger and examine my hands. Put your hand into my side. Don’t persist in your unbelief, but believe!” 28 Thomas said in response, “My Savior and my God!” 29 Jesus then said, “You’ve become a believer because you saw me. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” 30 Jesus performed many other signs as well—signs not recorded here—in the presence of the disciples. 31 But these have been recorded to help you believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Only Begotten, so that by believing you may have life in Jesus’ Name. —Priests for Equality. The Inclusive Bible. Sheed & Ward. PRAYER O God, you raised up your Beloved and Only-Begotten-One, Jesus who you Anointed as your Messiah, to be your faithful witness and the first-born of the dead. By your Holy Spirit, help us to share the good news of life— the life that is found in living in the way of your Kin-Dom. That those who have not yet seen your justice or peace may come to follow you, who is, and was, and is to come. Amen. —Revised Common Lectionary Prayers Copyright © 2002 Consultation on Common Texts (adapted) PRAYER OF INTERCESSION (Introductory Collect) Holy God, you have called us to follow in the way of your risen One, and to care for those who are our companions, not only with words of comfort, but with acts of love. Seeking to be true friends of all, we offer our prayers on behalf of the church and the world. —Revised Common Lectionary Prayers Copyright © 2002 Consultation on Common Texts (adapted) (Intercessions) For the Church: that we may be transformed through our encounters with the living Christ and be instruments of healing and forgiveness for those who are hurting. . .God of resurrection, bring the fullness of your life. For a deepening of faith: that we may grow in our awareness that death has been overcome and that in Christ we shall live forever. . .God of resurrection, bring the fullness of your life. For the gift of wisdom: that God will show us how our gifts can alleviate the needs of our communities and help us to use them to serve and build up one another. . .God of resurrection, bring the fullness of your life. For the grace to forgive: that the Spirit of God will help us to forgive as God has forgiven us and give us the strength to be instruments of forgiveness in our families and communities. . .God of resurrection, bring the fullness of your life. For abiding peace: that we may know Christ’s presence with us all along life’s journey and be sustained by the peace that Christ offers and that no one can take away. . .God of resurrection, bring the fullness of your life. For renewal of our minds and hearts: that the Spirit will empower us to engage in prayer, participate more fully in community and share our resources more generously. . .God of resurrection, bring the fullness of your life. For the gift of the Spirit upon the world: that God will breathe the Spirit upon the chaos of our society and its financial and political structures so that the dignity of each person may blossom. . .God of resurrection, bring the fullness of your life. For all who struggle with doubts and fear: that Christ may calm their fears, help someone to accompany them, and touch their hearts with peace. . .God of resurrection, bring the fullness of your life. For all who must face death each day: that Christ, who once died but who now lives forever, will strengthen and renew their spirits. . .God of resurrection, bring the fullness of your life. For all who are suffering: that God will heal the sick, comfort the grieving, guide refugees to safety, and open resources to those who lack food and medicine. . .God of resurrection, bring the fullness of your life. For peace in all the troubled areas of the world, particularly in Ukraine: that Christ's victory over death may bring an end to war, genocide, and inhumane treatment of people and help us to work together to end disease and malnutrition. . .God of resurrection, bring the fullness of your life. —Joe Milner, Liturgy Planning Team, St. Francis Xavier College Church (adapted) (Concluding Collect) Creator of the universe, you made the world in beauty, and restore all things in glory through the victory of your Beloved and Resurrected One— Jesus the Christ— We pray that, wherever your image is still disfigured by poverty, sickness, selfishness, war and greed, the new creation in your Redeemer may appear in justice, love, and peace, to the glory of your name. Amen. —Revised Common Lectionary Prayers Copyright © 2002 Consultation on Common Texts (adapted) PRAYER OF JESUS O most Compassionate Life-Giver, may we honor and praise you; May we work with you to establish your new order of justice, peace, and love: Give us what we need for growth, And help us, through forgiving others, to accept forgiveness. Strengthen us in the time of testing, that we may resist all evil, For all tenderness, strength and love are yours, now and forever. Amen. —Bill Wallace, Aootearoa, New Zealand PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING AND DEDICATION Holy One, Holy and Mighty, Holy Immortal God, in whom we know the power of redemption, you stand among us in the shadows of our time. As we move through every sorrow and trial of this life, uphold us with knowledge of the final morning when, in the glorious presence of your risen Redeemer, we will share in his resurrection, redeemed and restored to the fullness of life and forever freed to be your people. Amen. —Revised Common Lectionary Prayers Copyright © 2002 Consultation on Common Texts (adapted) SONG "The Strife Is O'er, The Battle Done" (Click Here For Music} —Translator: Francis Pott (1861) Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia! The strife is o'er, the battle done; the victory of life is won; the song of triumph has begun. Alleluia! The powers of death have done their worst, but Christ their legions has dispersed. Let shouts of holy joy outburst. Alleluia! The three sad days are quickly sped; he rises glorious from the dead. All glory to our risen Head. Alleluia! He closed the yawning gates of hell; the bars from heaven's high portals fell. Let hymns of praise his triumph tell. Alleluia! Lord, by the stripes which wounded thee, from death's dread sting thy servants free, that we may live and sing to thee. Alleluia! Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia! SENDING FORTH Go from here to share God’s love with those you meet. Bring hope to those who are in despair. Live lives of gratitude and praise. And may the love of God, the peace of Jesus Christ, and the ongoing presence of the Holy Spirit be with you. Amen.