The Second Sunday of Easter
THE COLLECT
Almighty and everlasting God, who in the Paschal mystery established the new
covenant of recon ciliation: Grant that all who have been reborn into the fellowship
of Christ’s Body may show forth in their lives what they profess by their faith;
through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen
FIRST LESSON: Acts 5:27-32
When they had brought them, they had them stand before the council. The high
priest questioned them, saying, “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,
yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and you are determined to
bring this man’s blood on us.” But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must
obey God rather than any human authority. The God of our ancestors raised up
Jesus, whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right
hand as Leader and Savior that he might give repentance to Israel and forgiveness
of sins. And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God
has given to those who obey him.”
Reader: The Word of the Lord People: Thanks be to God
PSALM Psalm 150
1 Hallelujah! Praise God in his holy temple; *
praise him in the firmament of his power.
2 Praise him for his mighty acts; *
praise him for his excellent greatness.
3 Praise him with the blast of the ram’s-horn; *
praise him with lyre and harp.
4 Praise him with timbrel and dance; *
praise him with strings and pipe.
5 Praise him with resounding cymbals; *
praise him with loud-clanging cymbals.
6 Let everything that has breath *
praise the Lord. Hallelujah!
ESPITLE: Revelation 1:4-8
John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who
is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his
throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the
ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by
his blood, and made us to be a kingdom, priests serving his God and Father, to him
be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Look! He is coming with the
clouds; every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and on his account all
the tribes of the earth will wail. So, it is to be. Amen. “I am the Alpha and the
Omega,” says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the
Almighty.
Reader: The Word of the Lord People: Thanks be to God
THE GOSPEL of our Lord Jesus Christ according to:
John 20:19-31 People: Glory to You Lord Christ
When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of
the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus
came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” After he said this,
he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they
saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has
sent me, so I send you.” When he had said this, he breathed on them and said
to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are
forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” But Thomas
(who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus
came. So, the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said
to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in
the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.” A week later
his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the
doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with
you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach
out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.” Thomas
answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed
because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have
come to believe.” Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his
disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you
may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that
through believing you may have life in his name.
Reader: The Gospel of the Lord People: Praise to you, Lord Christ