Sunday 4 April- EASTER DAY
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles
(Acts 10.34-43)
Then
Peter began to speak to them: ‘I truly understand that God shows no partiality,
but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable
to him. You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace
by Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all. That message spread throughout Judea,
beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: how God anointed
Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing
good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. We
are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him
to death by hanging him on a tree; but God raised him on the third day and
allowed him to appear, not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God
as witnesses, and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He
commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained
by God as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him
that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his
name.’
This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark.
Glory to you, O Lord.
(Mark 16.1-8)
When the sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and
Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and
anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had
risen, they went to the tomb. They had been saying to one another, ‘Who will
roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?’ When they looked up,
they saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled back. As
they entered the tomb, they saw a young man, dressed in a white robe, sitting
on the right side; and they were alarmed. But he said to them, ‘Do not be
alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been
raised; he is not here. Look, there is the place they laid him. But go, tell
his disciples and Peter that he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you
will see him, just as he told you.’ So they went out and fled from the tomb,
for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for
they were afraid.
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
11th April - Second Sunday of Easter
(Acts 4.32-35)
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles
Now the
whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one
claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was
held in common. With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the
resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was
not a needy person among them, for as many as owned lands or houses sold them
and brought the proceeds of what was sold. They laid it at the apostles’ feet,
and it was distributed to each as any had need.
This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.
Glory to you, O Lord.
(John 20.19-end)
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. 31But 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.
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.