Alleluia! Christ is risen from the grave, trampling down death by death, and in the tombs restoring life. Alleluia!
The Collect of the Day
Almighty
God, who through your only-begotten Son Jesus Christ overcame death and opened
to us the gate of everlasting life: Grant
that we, who celebrate with joy the day of the Lord’s resurrection, may be
raised from the death of sin by your life-giving Spirit; through Jesus Christ
our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for
ever. Amen.
1st Reading: Acts of the Apostles 10:34-43
This short passage is part of a long story (Acts 10:1—11:18) about how
the Gentiles came to be accepted as having the same relationship with Jesus as
his fellow Jews. The apostle Peter and the gentile Cornelius have both had
visions causing them to seek each other out. When Peter meets Cornelius in the
latter’s house (a line observant Jews were not to cross), he experiences the
Pentecostal Spirit at work among them just as he and his fellow disciples had
experienced it. This leads to the following declaration. It is a testimony to
the power of Jesus’ passion, death, and resurrection.
10:34 Peter began to speak to
Cornelius and the other Gentiles: “I truly understand that God shows no partiality,
35 but in every nation anyone who
fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. 36 You know the message he sent to the people
of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all. 37 That message spread throughout Judea,
beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: 38 how
God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went
about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was
with him. 39 We are witnesses to
all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by
hanging him on a tree; 40 but God
raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear, 41 not to all the people but to us who were
chosen by God as witnesses, and who ate and drank with him after he rose from
the dead. 42 He commanded us to
preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge
of the living and the dead. 43 All
the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives
forgiveness of sins through his name.”
Or this
1st Reading: Jeremiah 31:1-6
Jeremiah is known as “the gloomy prophet,” but in
chapters 30 through 33, his tone changes, so that these chapters are known as
“The Book of Comfort.” The opening verse is good news for a people who have
felt abandoned by God while in exile in Babylon. Jeremiah calls on the old memory of the
Exodus wilderness to make a statement about God’s continued presence with his
people. Verses 4 through 6 acknowledge Israel’s current plight by use of the
threefold “Again…again…again.” The time
of exile, a dramatic break in well-being for Israel, will be overcome by the
Lord who has never abandoned his people.
31:1 At that time, says the Lord, I will be the God of all the
families of Israel, and they shall be my people. 2
Thus says the Lord:
The people who survived the sword found grace in the wilderness; when Israel
sought for rest, 3 the Lord appeared to him from far away. I
have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my
faithfulness to you. 4 Again I will
build you, and you shall be built, O virgin Israel! Again you shall take your
tambourines, and go forth in the dance of the merrymakers. 5 Again you shall plant vineyards on the
mountains of Samaria; the planters shall plant, and shall enjoy the fruit. 6 For there shall be a day when sentinels will
call in the hill country of Ephraim: “Come, let us go up to Zion, to the Lord our God.”
Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24
1
Give thanks to the Lord,
for he is good; *
his
mercy endures for ever.
2
Let Israel now proclaim, *
“His
mercy endures for ever.”
14
The Lord is my strength and
my song, *
and
he has become my salvation.
15
There is a sound of exultation and victory *
in
the tents of the righteous:
16
“The right hand of the Lord
has triumphed! *
the
right hand of the Lord is exalted!
the
right hand of the Lord has
triumphed!”
17
I shall not die, but live, *
and
declare the works of the Lord.
18
The Lord has punished me
sorely, *
but
he did not hand me over to death.
19
Open for me the gates of righteousness; *
I
will enter them; I will offer thanks to the Lord.
20
“This is the gate of the Lord;
*
he
who is righteous may enter.”
21
I will give thanks to you, for you answered me *
and
have become my salvation.
22
The same stone which the builders rejected *
has
become the chief cornerstone.
23
This is the Lord’s doing, *
and
it is marvelous in our eyes.
24
On this day the Lord has
acted; *
we
will rejoice and be glad in it.
2nd Reading: Colossians 3:1-4
These four verses are a bridge used by Paul in this letter It
summarizes the argument that has come before and leads into the ethical
imperatives that follow. “If” here is
not a conditional word, it connects the text to the end of chapter 2, and, in that
context, clearly assumes that “you have been raised.” The mystery of Jesus’
passion, death, and resurrection is a theme of Colossians, emphasized here by
use of the word “hidden,” which is also used at 1:26 and 2:2-3. The Greek word
used has the definite connation of “hidden in safety.”
3:1 So if you have been raised with
Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right
hand of God. 2 Set your minds on
things that are above, not on things that are on earth, 3 for you have died, and your life is hidden
with Christ in God. 4 When Christ
who is your life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory.
Or this: Acts of
the Apostles reading from above
Gospel Reading: John 20:1-18
John’s witness to the empty tomb
and the experience of the risen Jesus centers on Mary Magdalene, who, on
account of this story, is known as “the Apostle of the Resurrection.” Mary is
the first to tell the other disciples, who themselves come to the tomb, but do
not remain. Mary, in her grief, does not leave and so has the first encounter
with the risen Jesus. Why she does not recognize him is a matter of much
speculation, as well as Jesus’ admonition to her not to hold on to him.
Whatever the meaning, Mary again becomes the first witness, “I have seen the
Lord.”
20:1 Early on the first day of the
week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the
stone had been removed from the tomb. 2 So
she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus
loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do
not know where they have laid him.” 3 Then
Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb. 4 The two were running together, but the other
disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5
He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there,
but he did not go in. 6 Then Simon
Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings
lying there, 7 and the cloth that
had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a
place by itself. 8 Then the other
disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; 9 for as yet they did not understand the
scripture, that he must rise from the dead. 10 Then
the disciples returned to their homes. 11 But
Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into
the tomb; 12 and she saw two angels
in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and
the other at the feet. 13 They said
to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away
my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” 14 When she had said this, she turned around
and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you
weeping? Whom are you looking for?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said
to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him,
and I will take him away.” 16 Jesus
said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” (which
means Teacher). 17 Jesus said to
her, “Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But
go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your
Father, to my God and your God.’” 18 Mary
Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”; and she
told them that he had said these things to her.
Or this
Gospel Reading: Matthew 28:1-10
In all the Gospel accounts of
the discovery of the empty tomb, it is women, led by Mary Magdalene who are the
first witnesses. Because of this Mary Magdalene is often called the “Apostle of
the Resurrection.” Matthew often tells a story which includes some response of
creation, and here we get a report of an earthquake (there had already been one
reported at the moment Jesus’ died—see Matt. 27:51-54, but also 8:24 and 24:7).
The Gospel writers disagree as to where the post-resurrection appearances take
place: Matthew says Galilee, Luke says
Jerusalem, and John first one and then the other. The worship of Jesus (v. 9) is
unique to Matthew—he clearly believes that it is the correct response to the
risen Lord.
Deacon or
Priest: The Holy Gospel … according
to Matthew. People: Glory
to you, Lord Christ.
28:1 After the sabbath, as the first
day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the
tomb. 2 And suddenly there was a
great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and
rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His
appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. 4 For fear of him the guards shook and became
like dead men. 5 But the angel said
to the women, “Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was
crucified. 6 He is not here; for he
has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He
has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee;
there you will see him.’ This is my message for you.” 8 So they left the tomb quickly with fear and
great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 Suddenly
Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came to him, took hold of his
feet, and worshiped him. 10 Then
Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to
Galilee; there they will see me.”
The Scripture quotations (except for the
psalm) are from the New Revised Standard
Version Bible, copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of
the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. All rights reserved. The Collect of the Day and the Psalm
translation are from The Book of Common
Prayer. Commentaries are copyright ©
2020, Epiphany ESources, 67 E. Main St., Hornell, NY 14843, www.epiphanyesources.com. All rights reserved.
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