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Image: "Nole Me Tangere," Jacob Cornelisz Van Oostsanen, 1472?-1533, painting (detail). Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, Kassel, Germany.

Theme of the Day

“The last enemy to be destroyed is death,” Paul writes. Today Christ is risen, and we gather together with astonishment and joy. Christ is risen, and we have been set free from the bonds of death. Christ is risen, and we are forgiven. Christ is risen, and with the women at the tomb and Peter, we are amazed. Let us rejoice: Christ is risen indeed! Alleluia!

The Collect for Sunday

O God, you gave your only Son to suffer death on the cross for our redemption, and by his glorious resurrection you delivered us from the power of death. Make us die every day to sin, that we may live with him forever in the joy of the resurrection, through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Prayer Intentions

The prayers of the church are offered especially:

  • for the joy and peace of the resurrection to fill the earth;
  • for God's creation;
  • for peace in the world and especially for an end to the war in Ukraine;
  • for all refugees who flee war and violence;
  • for the needs of the world, especially at this time global pandemic;
  • for safety in the midst of widespread reopenings;
  • for those who are particularly vulnerable to this virus;
  • for those who are sick and those awaiting surgeries postponed;
  • for those who are isolated and anxious;
  • for the healing of racial inequality, prejudice, bigotry, systemic racism, injustice, and hatred;
  • for all who grieve for lost children, for the survivors of Indian Residential Schools, and for generational healing;
  • for those who are homeless;
  • for all those who mourn, who are lonely, or suffer from depression;
  • for all those who work for reconciliation and the common good;
  • for Elizabeth our Queen and all those set in authority under her, for Justin, the Prime Minister of Canada and all members of parliament; Doug, the Premier of Ontario and all members of the legislature; Fred, the mayor of Hamilton and those who serve city council;
  • for the First Nations of this land, for elders, chiefs, and band councils; for all in civil authority and for all citizens that we might work together for the common good;
  • for the whole church: for Susan, our Diocesan Bishop; for David and Brian, our priests; for Tom, our intern; for all bish­ops, priests and dea­cons; and for all the bap­tized: that God may accomplish God's work in and through us for the sake of the world;
  • for all for whom we have been asked to pray;
  • for those who are dying and all those who have departed from this life and are at rest.

In our cycles of prayer:

  • With the worldwide Anglican Communion, we pray for Church of Pakistan.
  • In our diocese, we pray for St. Paul's, Mount Forest; the Reverend Dr. Shirley Christian, Rector, and the people of that parish.
  • In our neighbourhood we pray for First Christian Reformed Church, The Rev’d Hayden Regeling, Pastor, and the people of that congregation.
  • In our parish cycle of prayer we pray for Thomas, Priscilla, Ranen, Leandra Jane, Paul, Andy, Orla, Aedhan, Fionn, Emily, and Gareth. 

Prayer requests to be included on the following Sunday can be submitted here by the Thursday morning before.

The Readings for Sunday

First Reading: Acts 10:34-43

Peter’s sermon, delivered at the home of Cornelius, a Roman army officer, is a summary of the essential message of Christianity: Everyone who believes in Jesus, whose life, death, and resurrection fulfilled the words of the prophets, receives forgiveness of sins through his name.

34Peter began to speak to [the people]: “I truly understand that God shows no partiality, 35but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. 36You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all. 37That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: 38how 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. 39We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; 40but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear, 41not 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. 42He 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. 43All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

Psalm: Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24

This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. (Ps. 118:24)

 1Give thanks to the Lord, for the | Lord is good;
  God’s mercy en- | dures forever.
 2Let Israel | now declare,
  “God’s mercy en- | dures forever.”
 14The Lord is my strength | and my song,
  and has become | my salvation.
 15Shouts of rejoicing and salvation echo in the tents | of the righteous:
  “The right hand of the | Lord acts valiantly!
 16The right hand of the Lord| is exalted!
  The right hand of the | Lord acts valiantly!”
 17I shall not | die, but live,
  and declare the works | of the Lord. R
 18The Lord indeed pun- | ished me sorely,
  but did not hand me o- | ver to death.
 19Open for me the | gates of righteousness;
  I will enter them and give thanks | to the Lord.
 20“This is the gate | of the Lord;
  here the righ- | teous may enter.”
 21I give thanks to you, for you have | answered me
  and you have become | my salvation. R
 22The stone that the build- | ers rejected
  has become the chief | cornerstone.
 23By the Lord has | this been done;
  it is marvelous | in our eyes.
 24This is the day that the | Lord has made;
  let us rejoice and be | glad in it. R

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:19-26

Paul describes the consequences of the resurrection, including the promise of new life in Christ to a world that has been in bondage to death. He celebrates the destruction of evil and the establishment of God’s victorious rule over all.

19If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.
 20But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died. 21For since death came through a human being, the resurrection of the dead has also come through a human being; 22for as all die in Adam, so all will be made alive in Christ. 23But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. 24Then comes the end, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father, after he has destroyed every ruler and every authority and power. 25For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

Gospel: John 20:1-18

This morning began with confusion: the stone was moved and the tomb was empty. Disciples arrive, then angels, and finally Jesus himself. Out of the confusion, hope emerges, and a weeping woman becomes the first to confess her faith in the risen Lord.

1Early 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. 2So 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.” 3Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb. 4The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. 6Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, 7and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. 8Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; 9for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. 10Then the disciples returned to their homes.

 11But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; 12and 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. 13They 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.” 14When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15Jesus 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.” 16Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” (which means Teacher). 17Jesus 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.’ ” 18Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”; and she told them that he had said these things to her.

This Week in Holy Time

  • Sunday (17): Easter Day (Principal Festival).
  • Monday (18): Monday in Easter Week. Within the Octave of Easter.
  • Tuesday (19): Tuesday in Easter Week. Within the Octave of Easter.
  • Wednesday (20): Wednesday in Easter Week. Within the Octave of Easter.
  • Thursday (21): Thursday in Easter Week. Within the Octave of Easter.
  • Friday (22):  Friday in Easter Week. Within the Octave of Easter.
  • Saturday (23):  Saturday in Easter Week. Eve of Easter II. Within the Octave of Easter.
  • Sunday (24): Second Sunday of Easter (The Lord's Day). Within the Octave of Easter.

For readings appropriate to the day visit here.

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