Seventh Sunday of Easter	May 17, 2026
Prayer of the Day
O King of Glory and Lord of countless angels, in triumph you ascended to the highest heaven. Abandon us not to be orphans, but keep your Father’s promise to send your Spirit of truth. You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
First Reading: Acts 1:12-26
12Then {the disciples} returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. 13And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. 14All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers. 15In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) and said, 16“Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. 17For he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry.” 18(Now this man acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness, and falling headlong he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out. 19And it became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their own language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) 20“For it is written in the Book of Psalms, ‘May his camp become desolate, and let there be no one to dwell in it’; and ‘Let another take his office.’ 21So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us — one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.” 23And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias. 24And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen 25to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” 26And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
Psalm 68:1-10
1Let God arise, and let his ene- | mies be scattered;*
	let those who hate him | flee before him.
2Let them vanish like smoke when the wind drives | it away;*
	as the wax melts at the fire, so let the wicked perish at the pres- | ence of God.
3But let the righteous be glad and rejoice | before God;*
	let them also be mer- | ry and joyful.
4Sing to God, sing praises to his name; exalt him who rides up- | on the heavens;*
	 Yahweh is his name, re- | joice before him!
5Father of orphans, defend- | er of widows,*
	God in his holy | habitation!
6God gives the solitary a home and brings forth prisoners | into freedom;*
	 but the rebels shall live | in dry places.
7O God, when you went forth be- | fore your people,*
	when you marched | through the wilderness,
8The earth shook, and the skies poured down rain, 
at the presence of God, the | God of Sinai,*
	at the presence of God, the | God of Israel.
9You sent a gracious rain, O God, upon | your inheritance;*
	you refreshed the land when | it was weary.
10Your people found their | home in it;*
	in your goodness, O God, you have made provision | for the poor.
Psalm 68:1-10 (ESV)
1God shall arise, his enemies shall be scattered; and those who hate him shall flee before him!
2As smoke is driven away, so you shall drive them away; as wax melts before fire, so the wicked shall perish before God!
3But the righteous shall be glad; they shall exult before God; they shall be jubilant with joy!
4Sing to God, sing praises to his name; lift up a song to him who rides through the deserts; his name is the Lord; exult before him!
5Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation.
6God settles the solitary in a home; he leads out the prisoners to prosperity, but the rebellious dwell in a parched land.
7O God, when you went out before your people, when you marched through the wilderness, 
8the earth quaked, the heavens poured down rain, before God, the One of Sinai, before God, the God of Israel.
9Rain in abundance, O God, you shed abroad; you restored your inheritance as it languished;
10your flock found a dwelling in it; in your goodness, O God, you provided for the needy.
Second Reading: 1 Peter 4:12-19; 5:6-11
12Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 14If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. 15But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. 16Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. 17For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18And “If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” 19Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good. 
6Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 8Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. 10And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 11To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Gospel: John 17:1-11
1When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, 2since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. 3And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. 4I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. 5And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed. 6I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 7Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. 8For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. 9I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. 10All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. 11And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.”
Lessons for Next Week:
Numbers 11:24-30; Psalm 25:1-15; Acts 2:1-21; John 7:37-39