TheLordismylight LEVAS58

St.James’EpiscopalChurch

April11,2021

TheSecondSundayofEaster

Whereveryouareonthisjourneyoffaith,youarewelcomeatthistable.

Whereveryouareonthisjourneyoffaith,youarewelcomeatthistable.

TheWordofGod

Celebrant Alleluia.Christisrisen.People TheLordisrisenindeed.Alleluia.

TheCollectforPurity

Celebrant Letuspray.

AlmightyGod,toyouallheartsareopen,alldesiresknown,andfromyouno secretsarehid:Cleansethethoughtsofourheartsbytheinspirationofyour HolySpirit,thatwemayperfectlyloveyou,andworthilymagnifyyourholy Name;throughChristourLord.Amen.

Gloria LEVAS243

TheCollectoftheDay

Celebrant TheLordbewithyou.People Andalsowithyou.Celebrant Letuspray.

AlmightyandeverlastingGod,whointhePaschalmysteryestablishedthenewcovenantofreconciliation:GrantthatallwhohavebeenrebornintothefellowshipofChrist'sBodymayshowforthintheirliveswhattheyprofessbytheirfaith;throughJesusChristourLord,wholivesandreignswithyouandtheHolySpirit,oneGod,foreverandever.Amen.

TheFirstReading Acts4:32-35LectorAreadingfromtheActsoftheApostles.

Nowthewholegroupofthosewhobelievedwereofoneheartandsoul,andnooneclaimedprivateownershipofanypossessions,buteverythingtheyownedwasheldincommon.WithgreatpowertheapostlesgavetheirtestimonytotheresurrectionoftheLordJesus,andgreatgracewasuponthemall.Therewasnotaneedypersonamongthem,forasmanyasownedlandsorhousessoldthemandbroughttheproceedsofwhatwassold.Theylaiditattheapostles'feet,anditwasdistributedtoeachasanyhadneed.

Lector TheWordoftheLord.People ThanksbetoGod.

Psalm Psalm133

Oh,howgoodandpleasantitis,whenbrethrenlivetogetherinunity!

ItislikeNineoilupontheheadthatrunsdownuponthebeard,

UponthebeardofAaron,andrunsdownuponthecollarofhisrobe.

ItislikethedewofHermonthatfallsuponthehillsofZion.

FortheretheLordhasordainedtheblessing:lifeforevermore.

TheSecondReading 1John1:1-2:2

Lector AreadingfromtheFirstLetterofJohn.

Wedeclaretoyouwhatwasfromthebeginning,whatwehaveheard,whatwehaveseenwithoureyes,whatwehavelookedatandtouchedwithourhands,concerningthewordoflife--thislifewasrevealed,andwehaveseenitandtestifytoit,anddeclaretoyoutheeternallifethatwaswiththeFatherandwasrevealedtous--wedeclaretoyouwhatwehaveseenandheardsothatyoualsomayhavefellowshipwithus;andtrulyourfellowshipiswiththeFatherandwithhisSonJesusChrist.Wearewritingthesethingssothatourjoymaybecomplete.

Thisisthemessagewehaveheardfromhimandproclaimtoyou,thatGodislightandinhimthereisnodarknessatall.Ifwesaythatwehavefellowshipwithhimwhilewearewalkingindarkness,welieanddonotdowhatistrue;butifwewalkinthelightashehimselfisinthelight,wehavefellowshipwithoneanother,andthe

bloodofJesushisSoncleansesusfromallsin.Ifwesaythatwehavenosin,wedeceiveourselves,andthetruthisnotinus.Ifweconfessoursins,hewhoisfaithfulandjustwillforgiveusoursinsandcleanseusfromallunrighteousness.Ifwesaythatwehavenotsinned,wemakehimaliar,andhiswordisnotinus.

Mylittlechildren,Iamwritingthesethingstoyousothatyoumaynotsin.Butifanyonedoessin,wehaveanadvocatewiththeFather,JesusChristtherighteous;andheistheatoningsacriNiceforoursins,andnotforoursonlybutalsoforthesinsofthewholeworld.

Lector TheWordoftheLord.People ThanksbetoGod.

Iwanttowalkasachildofthelight H490

TheGospel John20:19-31

Deacon TheHolyGospelofourLordJesusChristaccordingtoJohn.People Glorytoyou,LordChrist.

Whenitwaseveningonthatday,theNirstdayoftheweek,andthedoorsofthehousewherethediscipleshadmetwerelockedforfearoftheJews,Jesuscameandstoodamongthemandsaid,"Peacebewithyou."Afterhesaidthis,heshowedthemhishandsandhisside.ThenthedisciplesrejoicedwhentheysawtheLord.Jesussaidtothemagain,"Peacebewithyou.AstheFatherhassentme,soIsendyou."Whenhehadsaidthis,hebreathedonthemandsaidtothem,"ReceivetheHolySpirit.Ifyouforgivethesinsofany,theyareforgiventhem;ifyouretainthesinsofany,theyareretained."

ButThomas(whowascalledtheTwin),oneofthetwelve,wasnotwiththemwhenJesuscame.Sotheotherdisciplestoldhim,"WehaveseentheLord."Buthesaidtothem,"UnlessIseethemarkofthenailsinhishands,andputmyNingerinthemark

ofthenailsandmyhandinhisside,Iwillnotbelieve."

Aweeklaterhisdiscipleswereagaininthehouse,andThomaswaswiththem.Althoughthedoorswereshut,Jesuscameandstoodamongthemandsaid,"Peacebewithyou."ThenhesaidtoThomas,"PutyourNingerhereandseemyhands.Reachoutyourhandandputitinmyside.Donotdoubtbutbelieve."Thomasansweredhim,"MyLordandmyGod!"Jesussaidtohim,"Haveyoubelievedbecauseyouhaveseenme?Blessedarethosewhohavenotseenandyethavecometobelieve."

NowJesusdidmanyothersignsinthepresenceofhisdisciples,whicharenotwritteninthisbook.ButthesearewrittensothatyoumaycometobelievethatJesusistheMessiah,theSonofGod,andthatthroughbelievingyoumayhavelifeinhisname.

Deacon TheGospeloftheLord.People Praisetoyou,LordChrist.

TheSermon TheRev.EileenO’Brien

MusicalMeditation

Veni,SancteSpiritus

TheNiceneCreed

WebelieveinoneGod,theFather,theAlmighty,makerofheavenandearth,ofallthatis,seenandunseen.

WebelieveinoneLord,JesusChrist,theonlySonofGod,eternallybegottenoftheFather,GodfromGod,LightfromLight,trueGodfromtrueGod,begotten,notmade,ofoneBeingwiththeFather.Throughhimallthingsweremade.Forusandforoursalvationhecamedownfromheaven:bythepoweroftheHolySpirithebecameincarnatefromtheVirginMary,andwasmademan.

ForoursakehewascrucifiedunderPontiusPilate;hesuffereddeathandwasburied.OnthethirddayheroseagaininaccordancewiththeScriptures;heascendedintoheavenandisseatedattherighthandoftheFather.Hewillcomeagaininglorytojudgethelivingandthedead,andhiskingdomwillhavenoend.

WebelieveintheHolySpirit,theLord,thegiveroflife,whoproceedsfromtheFatherandtheSon.WiththeFatherandtheSonheisworshipedandglorified.HehasspokenthroughtheProphets.WebelieveinoneholycatholicandapostolicChurch.Weacknowledgeonebaptismfortheforgivenessofsins.Welookfortheresurrectionofthedead,andthelifeoftheworldtocome.Amen.

ThePrayersofthePeopleIntercessor HeavenlyFather,youhavepromisedtohearwhenweprayinthenameofyourSon.

Therefore,inconfidenceandtrustweprayfortheChurch: (pausetoprayfortheChurch) Father,enliventheChurchforitsmissionPeople thatwemaybesaltoftheearthandlighttotheworld.Intercessor Breathefreshlifeintoyourpeople.People GiveuspowertorevealChristinwordandaction.Intercessor Weprayfortheworld: (pausetoprayfortheworld) Creatorofall,leadusandeverypeopleintowaysofjusticeandpeacePeople thatwemayrespectoneanotherinfreedomandtruth.Intercessor Awakeninusasenseofwonderfortheearthandallthatisinit.People Teachustocarecreativelyforitsresources.

Intercessor Weprayfortheparticularcommunitiesinwhichweliveandmoveandhaveourbeing:(pausetoprayforyourcommunity)Godoftruth,inspirewithyourwisdomthosewhosedecisionsaffectthelivesofothers

People thatallmayactwithintegrityandcourage.Intercessor Givegracetoallwhoselivesarelinkedwithours.People MayweserveChristinoneanother,andloveashelovesus.Intercessor Weprayforthoseinneed:

(pausetoprayforthoseinneed)Godofhope,comfortandrestoreallwhosufferinbody,mind,orspirit.

People Maytheyknowthepowerofyourhealinglove.Intercessor Makeuswillingagentsofyourcompassion.People Strengthenusasweshareinmakingpeoplewhole.Intercessor Werememberthosewhohavediedandthosewhomourn:

(pausetoprayforthosewhohavediedandthosewhomourn)WerememberwiththanksgivingthosewhohavediedinthefaithofChrist,andthosewhosefaithisknowntoyoualone.

People Father,intoyourhandswecommendthem.Intercessor Givecomforttothosewhomourn.People BringthempeaceintheirtimeoflossIntercessor Wepraiseyouandallyoursaintswhohaveenteredintoyoureternalglory.People Maytheirexampleinspireandencourageus.

Intercessor MercifulGod,youlookwithcompassiononallwhoturntoyou.Heartheprayersof yourpeople.

People Grantthatwhatwehaveaskedinfaithwemaybyyourgracereceive; throughJesusChristourLord.Amen.

Celebrant Andnow,asourSaviorChristhastaughtus,weareboldtopray,

People OurFather,whoartinheaven,hallowedbethyName,thykingdomcome,thywillbedone,onearthasitisinheaven.Giveusthisdayourdailybread.Andforgiveusourtrespasses,asweforgivethosewhotrespassagainstus.Andleadusnotintotemptation,butdeliverusfromevil.Forthineisthekingdom,andthepower,andtheglory,foreverandever.Amen.

Celebrant Letuspray.

LovingGod,wegivethanksforrestoringusinyourimageandnourishinguswithspiritualfoodthroughyourWord.Nowsendusforthapeople,forgiven,healed,renewed;thatwemayproclaimyourlovetotheworldandcontinueintherisenlifeofChristourSavior.Amen.

Celebrant GodtheFather,bywhoseloveChristwasraisedfromthedead,opentoyouthe gatesofeverlastinglife.Amen.

GodtheSon,whoinburstingfromthegravehaswonagloriousvictory,giveyoujoy asyousharetheEasterfaith.Amen.

GodtheHolySpirit,whofilledthediscipleswiththelifeoftherisenLord,empower youandfillyouwithChrist’speace.Amen.

AndtheblessingofGodAlmighty,theFather,theSon,andtheHolySpirit,bewith younowandremainwithyoualways.Amen.

Idon’tfeelnowaystired LEVAS199

Celebrant GoinpeacetoloveandservetheLord.Alleluia,alleluia!People ThanksbetoGod.Alleluia,alleluia!