And Peter opened his mouth and said: "Truly I perceive that God shows no partiality, the word which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. And we are witnesses to all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; but God raised him on the third day and made him manifest; not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. And he commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that he is the one ordained by God to be judge of the living and the dead. To him all the prophets bear witness that every one who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name."
Today's Song of Praise is taken from Psalm 118 (Ps 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23
R. This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
For his mercy endures forever.
Let the house of Israel say,
"His mercy endures forever."
R. This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.
"The right hand of the LORD has struck with power;
The right hand of the LORD is exalted.
I shall not die, but live,
And declare the works of the LORD."
R. This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.
The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the cornerstone.
By the LORD has this been done;
It is wonderful in our eyes.
R. This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.
Today's Epistle is from the Letter of Paul to the Colossians, beginning at the 3rd Chapter, and the 1st Verse (Colossians 3:1-4) ):
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
+ A Reading from the Gospel of John, beginning at the 20th Chapter, and the 1st Verse (John 20:1-9 ):
Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 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." Peter then came out with the other disciple, and they went toward the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first; and stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; he saw the linen cloths lying, and the napkin, which had been on his head, not lying with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not know the scripture, that he must rise from the dead.
Mark Twain said: "Immature
writers plagarize -- mature writers steal."
Instead of trying to write an Easter Sermon, I am going to point to one from a much greater preacher than I can ever hope to be -- St. John Chrysostom:
In the Name of the Father + And of the Son + And of the Holy Spirit + Amen.