You Must Be a Subscriber to View This Page
Second Sunday of Easter • Year B
April 7, 2024
Click on black & white clipart (above left) or color photo-graphic (above) to view and download full resolution graphics for use on bulletin covers. Tutorials available.
Historical Collect
Help us, almighty God, that our joyful celebration of the resurrection feast may be reflected in our daily work and conversation. Grant this, we pray, through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. (Gelasian Sacramentary, 7th Century)
Thematic Collect
Gracious God, through your Son’s resurrected presence you transform us from frightened, self-absorbed people into a community marked by peace, forgiveness, and mercy. Guide us to faithfully be signs to the world of your abundant grace and love; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.
The Common Thread
Oh, to be of one heart and one soul with other people. The people of God are blessed with this aptitude. Indeed, they are endowed with this great gift right along with the whole earth. Praise the Lord! Therein lies our ability to be of one heart and soul. We have so much to praise him for, as do the sun and moon, angels and kings, young and old alike. For he has brought light into a dark world, forgiven and cleansed us. He has given us his Holy Spirit and peace. Praise the Lord!
First Reading • Acts 4:32-35
The unity of the Church finds its chief characteristic in giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus in preaching. The power of preaching comes from God — not the eloquence of an orator. Without great grace being upon this early community of Christians, the preaching would be ineffectual, little would have been shared with others, and they would have been a divided people, not the Church. God does wonders by his grace; we cannot do much without his good will toward us.
Psalm • Psalm 148:1-14
Let all of creation praise its maker. This is only right, for first of all, creation owes the creator a debt of gratitude and praise for its being. More than that, this same creator God has raised up the horn of his people — that great delivering power who is God himself. (2 Samuel 22:1-2). The people who are near to him take refuge in his power, for he is a very strong fortress.
Second Reading • 1 John 1:1-2:2
Here are the words that call us to confession. But what is it, besides the call itself, that compels us to confess? The Lord who calls us into fellowship with himself is all light. There is no absolutely no darkness in him. Therefore, if we claim to be his friends (John 15:15) but we practice darkness, we are discovered to be liars: “The truth is not in us.” Consequently, all that we poor sinners can do, so that we are not participating in a pattern of darkness, is interrupt the darkness with light. Through confession, we shine light on what would be total darkness. We admit our sin so that we may be forgiven and cleansed. In confession, we receive the word of righteousness that forces out the unrighteousness and darkness that would otherwise be the only dark tone of our lives.
Gospel • John 20:19-31
Imagine the wonder of that moment when the disciples were gathered together in fear, and Jesus appeared among them. He came to give them the thing they needed most in that hour: peace — his peace — himself. Then he sent them out to deliver his peace to others. He gave them his authority to forgive sins, an act which brings great peace. He also gave them the inspired word to write so that we may believe Jesus is the Christ and the Son of God. Now, imagine that he has just as much appeared to you through that written word. You, too, have been offered Christ and sent with his peace and forgiveness for others.
Resources
Links to Worship Resources for this Service
