{Easter tuesday} | prayer & readings for Easter Week (2013)

For Easter Week: reading schedule/reflections.

prayer.

O God, who by the glorious resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ destroyed death and brought life and immortality to light: Grant that we, who have been raised with him, may abide in his presence and rejoice in the hope of eternal glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be dominion and praise for ever and ever. Amen.
(from the liberti Lent & Easter 2012 prayerbook & the Book of Common Prayer)

readings.

psalm 33 (voice)

Release your heart’s joy in sweet music to the Eternal.
When the upright passionately sing glory-filled songs to Him, everything is in its right place.
Worship the Eternal with your instruments, strings offering their praise;
write awe-filled songs to Him on the 10-stringed harp.
Sing to Him a new song;
play each the best way you can,
and don’t be afraid to be bold with your joyful feelings.

For the word of the Eternal is perfect and true;
His actions are always faithful and right.
He loves virtue and equity;
the Eternal’s love fills the whole earth.

The unfathomable cosmos came into being at the word of the Eternal’s imagination, a solitary voice in endless darkness.
The breath of His mouth whispered the sea of stars into existence.
He gathers every drop of every ocean as in a jar,
securing the ocean depths as His watery treasure.

Let all people stand in awe of the Eternal;
let every man, woman, and child live in wonder of Him.
For He spoke, and all things came into being.
A single command from His lips, and all creation obeyed and stood its ground.

The Eternal cripples the schemes of the other nations;
He impedes the plans of rival peoples.
The Eternal’s purposes will last to the end of time;
the thoughts of His heart will awaken and stir all generations.
The nation whose True God is the Eternal is truly blessed;
fortunate are all whom He chooses to inherit His legacy.

The Eternal peers down from heaven
and watches all of humanity;
He observes every soul
from His divine residence.
He has formed every human heart, breathing life into every human spirit;
He knows the deeds of each person, inside and out.
A king is not delivered by the might of his army.
Even the strongest warrior is not saved by his own strength.
A horse is not the way to victory;
its great strength cannot rescue.

Listen, the eye of the Eternal is upon those who live in awe of Him,
those who hope in His steadfast love,
That He may save them from the darkness of the grave
and be kept alive during the lean seasons.

We live with hope in the Eternal. We wait for Him,
for He is our Divine Help and Impenetrable Shield.
Our hearts erupt with joy in Him
because we trust His holy name.
O Eternal, drench us with Your endless love,
even now as we wait for You.

acts 2:36-42 (msg)

“All Israel, then, know this: There’s no longer room for doubt—God made him Master and Messiah, this Jesus whom you killed on a cross.”

Cut to the quick, those who were there listening asked Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers! Brothers! So now what do we do?”

Peter said, “Change your life. Turn to God and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, so your sins are forgiven. Receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is targeted to you and your children, but also to all who are far away—whomever, in fact, our Master God invites.”

He went on in this vein for a long time, urging them over and over, “Get out while you can; get out of this sick and stupid culture!”

That day about three thousand took him at his word, were baptized and were signed up. They committed themselves to the teaching of the apostles, the life together, the common meal, and the prayers.

john 20:11-18 (nrsv)

Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomband saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.

They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”

“They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.

He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”

Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”

Jesus said to her, “Mary.”

She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).

Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”

Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.