The Second Sunday of Easter
For a form of worship in the home based on today’s lessons in the Revised Common Lectionary, go to https://blogs.elca.org/worship/3804/.
Antiphon 1
Ant. Stretch forth your hand,
and feel the place where the nails were, alleluia;
and be not doubtful but believing, alleluia, alleluia.
V. Give praise to the Lord, for he is good; *
his mercy endures forever.
Let the house of Israel say, *
“His mercy endures forever.” John 20; Psalm 118
Almighty God,
to whom all hearts are open,
all desires, known,
and from whom no secrets are hid:
Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts
by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,
that we may perfectly love you
and worthily magnify your holy name;
through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Music: https://tinyurl.com/mb6h9xfa
O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth shall declare your praise.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Alleluia, alleluia!
HYMN: Henry Alford
Tune: Dunlap’s Creek https://tinyurl.com/9mxm96mn
1. We walk by faith, and not by sight;
no gracious words we hear from him
who spoke as none e’er spoke;
but we believe him near.
2. We may not touch his hands and side,
nor follow where he trod;
but in his promise we rejoice;
and cry, “My Lord and God!”
3. Help then, O Lord, our unbelief;
and may our faith abound,
to call on you when you are near,
and seek where you are found:
4. That, when our life of faith is done,
in realms of clearer light
we may behold you as you are,
with full and endless sight.
PSALMS
Psalm 59 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/y7xjmm3n)
1 Deliver me from mine enemies, O God *
defend me from them that rise up against me.
2 O deliver me from the wicked doers *
and save me from the blood-thirsty men.
3 For lo, they lie waiting for my soul *
the mighty men are gathered against me,
without any offence or fault of me, O Lord.
4 They run and prepare themselves without my fault *
arise thou therefore to help me, and behold.
5 Stand up, O Lord God of hosts, thou God of Israel, to visit all the heathen *
and be not merciful unto them that offend of malicious wickedness.
6 They go to and fro in the evening *
they grin like a dog, and run about through the city.
7 Behold, they speak with their mouth, and swords are in their lips *
for who doth hear?
8 But thou, O Lord, shalt have them in derision *
and thou shalt laugh all the heathen to scorn.
9 My strength will I ascribe unto thee *
for thou art the God of my refuge.
10 God sheweth me his goodness plenteously *
and God shall let me see my desire upon mine enemies.
11 Slay them not, lest my people forget it *
but scatter them abroad among the people,
and put them down, O Lord, our defence.
12 For the sin of their mouth, and for the words of their lips,
they shall be taken in their pride *
and why? their preaching is of cursing and lies.
13 Consume them in thy wrath, consume them, that they may perish *
and know that it is God that ruleth in Jacob,
and unto the ends of the world.
14 And in the evening they will return *
grin like a dog, and will go about the city.
15 They will run here and there for meat *
and grudge if they be not satisfied.
16 As for me, I will sing of thy power,
and will praise thy mercy betimes in the morning *
for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble.
17 Unto thee, O my strength, will I sing *
for thou, O God, art my refuge, and my merciful God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son :
and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be :
world without end. Amen.
Psalm 59
(Karl Kohlhase: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-59-Kohlhase.mp3)
Deliver me from my enemies, O God;
protect me from those who rise up against me
Deliver me from those who work evil,
and save me from bloodthirsty men
See them lying there in wait for my life;
fierce men who are joining themselves against me
For no trespass or sin of mine, O LORD;
for no fault of mine they run and make ready
Refrain:
O my strength, I will sing praise to you,
for you, O God, are my fortress
Yes my God will meet me in his steadfast love,
and let me look with triumph on my foes
Arouse yourself, come to help, and see;
LORD God Hosts, God of Israel
And awake to punish all the nations;
spare none who make treacherous plans
Every evening they come howling like wolves,
prowling about through the city
There they are barking with their mouths,
snarling with their lips, “Who will hear us?” (Refrain)
Slay them not, lest my people forget;
make them totter and fall by your might, Lord our Shield
For the sin of their mouths, the words of their lips,
let them be thereby caught in their pride
For the cursing and the lies which they utter,
consume them in wrath ‘til they are no more
That men know that God rules o’er Jacob,
to the ends of the earth. Selah. (Refrain)
Every evening they come howling like wolves,
prowling about through the city
They roam about scavenging for food,
and growl when they don’t get their fill
But I will sing of your might, O Lord;
and of your steadfast love in the morning
For you have been a fortress to me,
and a refuge in the day of my distress (Refrain)
Psalm 60 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/yaj9c4se)
1 O God, thou hast cast us out, and scattered us abroad *
thou hast also been displeased; O turn thee unto us again.
2 Thou hast moved the land, and divided it *
heal the sores thereof, for it shaketh.
3 Thou hast shewed thy people heavy things *
thou hast given us a drink of deadly wine.
4 Thou hast given a token for such as fear thee *
that they may triumph because of the truth.
5 Therefore were thy beloved delivered *
help me with thy right hand, and hear me.
6 God hath spoken in his holiness, I will rejoice, and divide Sichem *
and mete out the valley of Succoth.
7 Gilead is mine, and Manasses is mine *
Ephraim also is the strength of my head; Judah is my law-giver;
8 Moab is my wash-pot; over Edom will I cast out my shoe *
Philistia, be thou glad of me.
9 Who will lead me into the strong city *
who will bring me into Edom?
10 Hast not thou cast us out, O God *
wilt not thou, O God, go out with our hosts?
11 O be thou our help in trouble *
for vain is the help of man.
12 Through God will we do great acts *
for it is he that shall tread down our enemies.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son :
and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be :
world without end. Amen.
Psalm 60
(Karl Kohlhase: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-60-Kohlhase.mp3)
Refrain: With God we shall do valiantly;
He will trample down our enemies;
with God we shall do valiantly
You have rejected us, broken down our defenses;
You had been angry, Oh but now restore us
You made the earth quake and tear; heal it for it totters
Your people have suffered hardship,
the wine you gave us made us stagger
You set a banner for those who fear You,
to rally to it from the bow
That your beloved may be delivered,
Give victory by your right hand (Refrain)
For God has spoken from his sanctuary
“Gladly I divide Shechem, and portion out the Vale of Succoth
Gilead is mine; Manasseh, too, is mine
Ephraim is my helmet, and Judah is my scepter
Moab is my washbasin, upon Edom I cast my shoe
Over Philistia I shout in triumph (Refrain)
Who’ll bring me to the strong city, and lead me into Edom
If you, O God, reject us and will not go with our armies
O grant us your saving help, against the enemy
Because the help of man, is to no avail (Refrain x 2)
Psalm 61 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/ycmkl8hs)
1 Hear my crying, O God *
give ear unto my prayer.
2 From the ends of the earth will I call upon thee *
when my heart is in heaviness.
3 O set me up upon the rock that is higher than I *
for thou hast been my hope, and a strong tower for me against the enemy.
4 I will dwell in thy tabernacle for ever *
and my trust shall be under the covering of thy wings.
5 For thou, O Lord, hast heard my desires *
and hast given an heritage unto those that fear thy Name.
6 Thou shalt grant the King a long life *
that his years may endure throughout all generations.
7 He shall dwell before God for ever *
O prepare thy loving mercy and faithfulness, that they may preserve him.
8 So will I alway sing praise unto thy Name *
that I may daily perform my vows.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son :
and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be :
world without end. Amen.
Psalm 61 (Coptic: https://tinyurl.com/453bkxwz)
Hear, O God, my petition;
attend to my prayer.
From the ends of the earth I have cried to you,
when my heart was in trouble:
You elevated me up on a rock, you guided me:
You became a hope, a tower of power
from the face of an enemy.
I shall dwell in your dwelling place forever;
I shall be sheltered under the shadow of Your wings.
For you, O God, have heard my prayers;
You have given an inheritance to those who fear your name.
Days upon days of the king,
You shall lengthen his years to all generations.
He shall endure forever before God.
As for his mercy and truth, who will be able to seek them out?
So I will sing to your name forever and ever,
that I may perform my vows day by day.
ALLELUIA.
PRAYER
God of power,
deliver us from evil
and confirm our trust in you,
that at dusk we may sing of your justice
and at dawn exult in your mercy;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. BCW
THE WORD OF GOD
Reading: Isaiah 26:1-9,19
On that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah:
We have a strong city;
he sets up victory
like walls and bulwarks.
Open the gates,
so that the righteous nation that keeps faith
may enter in.
Those of steadfast mind you keep in peace—
in peace because they trust in you.
Trust in the Lord for ever,
for in the Lord God
you have an everlasting rock.
For he has brought low
the inhabitants of the height;
the lofty city he lays low.
He lays it low to the ground,
casts it to the dust.
The foot tramples it,
the feet of the poor,
the steps of the needy.
The way of the righteous is level;
O Just One, you make smooth the path of the righteous.
In the path of your judgements,
O Lord, we wait for you;
your name and your renown
are the soul’s desire.
My soul yearns for you in the night,
my spirit within me earnestly seeks you.
For when your judgements are in the earth,
the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.
Your dead shall live, their corpses shall rise.
O dwellers in the dust, awake and sing for joy!
For your dew is a radiant dew,
and the earth will give birth to those long dead.
HYMN: St John of Damascus; trans. John Mason Neale
Tune: St Kevin https://tinyurl.com/2szz92rs
1. Come, ye faithful, raise the strain
of triumphant gladness!
God hath brought his Israel
into joy from sadness:
loosed from Pharaoh’s bitter yoke
Jacob’s sons and daughters,
led them with unmoistened foot
through the Red Sea waters.
2. ‘Tis the spring of souls today:
Christ hath burst his prison,
and from three days’ sleep in death
as a sun hath risen;
all the winter of our sins,
long and dark, is flying
from his light, to whom we give
laud and praise undying.
3. Now the queen of seasons, bright
with the day of splendor,
with the royal feast of feasts,
comes its joy to render;
comes to glad Jerusalem,
who with true affection
welcomes in unwearied strains
Jesus’ resurrection.
4. Neither might the gates of death,
nor the tomb’s dark portal,
nor the watchers, nor the seal
hold thee as a mortal:
but today amidst thine own
thou didst stand, bestowing
that thy peace which evermore
passeth human knowing.
Reading: 1 John 1:1-4
We declare to you what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— this life was revealed, and we have seen it and testify to it, and declare to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us— we declare to you what we have seen and heard so that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. We are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.
HYMN: J.R. Peacey ©
Tune: Surrey https://tinyurl.com/ydjmwjaw
1 Dear Lord, we long to see your face,
to know you risen from the grave,
but we have missed the joy and grace
of seeing you, as others have;
yet in your company we’ll wait,
and we shall see you, soon or late.
2 Dear Friend, we do not know the way,
nor clearly see the path ahead,
so often, therefore, we delay
and doubt your power to raise the dead;
yet with you we will firmly stay —
you are the Truth, the Life, the Way.
3 We find it hard, Lord, to believe.
Long habit makes us want to prove:
to see, to touch, and thus perceive
the truth and person whom we love;
yet, as in fellowship we meet,
you come yourself, each one to greet.
4 You come to us, our God, our Lord.
You do not show your hands and side,
but give, instead, your best reward
as in your promise we abide.
By faith we know, and grow, and wait
to see and praise you, soon or late.
Reading: John 20:19-31
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.
CANTICLE Revelation 5:12-14 (LBW)
(Richard Hillert setting: https://tinyurl.com/25ev5pcd)
Refrain:
This is the feast of victory for our God.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
1 Worthy is Christ, the Lamb who was slain,
whose blood set us free to be people of God. [Refrain]
2 Power, riches, wisdom, and strength,
and honor, blessing, and glory are his. [Refrain]
3 Sing with all the people of God,
and join in the hymn of all creation. [Refrain]
4 Blessing, honor, glory, and might
be to God and the Lamb forever. Amen. [Refrain]
5 For the Lamb who was slain
has begun his reign. Alleluia. [Refrain]
THE PRAYERS Joe Milner
For the Church: that through the gift of the Spirit, we recognize God’s presence with us and profess with Thomas, “My Lord and My God”
For all the newly baptized: that their faith may continue to grow and that they may generously offer loving service to those in need
For the gift of peace: that Christ’s gift may abide with us and sustain us through all the challenges of life
For a spirit of openness: that we may be open to God’s love and forgiveness, which God abundantly pours out for us
For our growth as children of God: that God will give us the grace and strength to love God with all our hearts and keep the commandments God has given us
For the grace of reconciliation: that God will help us to turn from selfishness, forgive those who have injured us and be instruments of reconciliation in our society
For Confessors, Spiritual Directors and all ministers of reconciliation: that the Holy Spirit will give them wisdom and insight to help others recognize to the length and breadth of God’s love and mercy
For a renewed desire for the sacrament of penance: that God will help us recognize the healing and power that one can experience in the sacrament
For all who are questioning their faith or God presence in their lives: that the Spirit will guide them to new insights and help them recognize God’s presence through the witness of Christian’s love and service
For a renewal of our faith communities: that, like the early church, we may see the needs of others as our needs and open our hearts and resources to assist them
For a blossoming of faith: that God will enrich our faith so that we may be victors over the lies, illusions, and false promises that secular culture promotes
For all who are in need, particularly those who suffer violence, are recovering from natural disasters or lack resources for daily living: that God will give them strength, help them to trust, and move the hearts of many to assist them
For healing: that the Spirit will renew the gift of life in all who are sick, discouraged, struggling with addictions or weakness that comes with aging
For an end to violence: that Christ’s victory over death will turn hearts from violence and revenge and help us to respect the value and dignity of each human life
For peace: that the Spirit will open dialogue and new understanding amongst nations, communities, and families who are in conflict
(Traditional chant: https://tinyurl.com/ydzx5jdp)
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy Name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
[For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.]
Living God,
for whom no door is closed,
no heart is locked,
draw us beyond our doubts,
till we see your Christ
and touch his wounds
where they bleed in others.
This we ask through Christ our Savior,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen. BCW
https://tinyurl.com/rkxkpmc
Go in peace, alleluia, alleluia!
Thanks be to God, alleluia, alleluia!
Glory to God whose power, working in us,
can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine:
Glory to him from generation to generation in the Church,
and in Christ Jesus for ever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20,21
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BCW Book of Common Worship, Presbyterian Church U.S.A., 1993.
RCLP Revised Common Lectionary Prayers. © 2002 Consultation on Common Texts admin. Augsburg Fortress.
The intercessions are by Joe Milner, http://liturgy.slu.edu
The three main scripture readings are from the The New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Edition, The New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The traditional language psalms are from The Book of Common Prayer (1662). Psalms 59 and 60 are in the versions sung by Karl Kohlhase https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpnf6eoqQUh2xZ3_4C7dmiA; Psalm 61 is the version sung in the Coptic Orthodox Church.
Musical links are usually either to artists’ albums posted on Spotify or to recordings made available at smallchurchmusic.com. Audio stripped from YouTube videos is footnoted accordingly above.
Compilation © 2020 Stephen T. Benner. All links worked at the time they were created, but I cannot accept responsibility for their content or any damage resulting from their use. The linked content is under the control of the respective content creators and is subject to change at any time. Any copyright texts included in this compilation are provided for non-commercial purposes related to study or worship. Please contact the respective copyright holders for permission to use the texts in other contexts.
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