Easter 3

Hymns NEH 102, 352, 113, 486

COLLECT

Almighty Father, who in your great mercy gladdened the disciples with the sight of the risen Lord: give us such knowledge of his presence with us, that we may be strengthened and sustained by his risen life and serve you continually in righteousness and truth; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

FIRST READING (Acts 2: 14a, 36-41)

A reading from the Acts of the Apostles.

On the day of Pentecost Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: ‘Let the entire house of Israel know with certainty that God has made him both Lord and Messiah, this Jesus whom you crucified.’ Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and to the other apostles, ‘Brothers, what should we do?’ Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him.’ And he testified with many other arguments and exhorted them, saying, ‘Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.’ So those who welcomed his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand persons were added.

SECOND READING (1 Peter 1: 17-23)

A reading from the First Letter of Peter.

Beloved, if you invoke as Father the one who judges all people impartially according to their deeds, live in reverent fear during the time of your exile. You know that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish. He was destined before the foundation of the world, but was revealed at the end of the ages for your sake. Through him you have come to trust in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are set on God. Now that you have purified your souls by your obedience to the truth so that you have genuine mutual love, love one another deeply from the heart. You have been born anew, not of perishable but of imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM

1. Let the house of Israel say,
‘His mercy endures for ever.’
Let those who fear the Lord say,
‘His mercy endures for ever.’ R.

2. They surrounded me on every side
and pushed me so I almost fell.
But the Lord is my strength and my song
and has become my salvation. R.

3. The stone that the builders rejected
has become the chief cornerstone
this is the Lord’s doing
and it is marvellous in our eyes. R.

4. Give praise to the Lord, for he is good,
his mercy endures for ever.
I shall not die, but live
and declare the works of the Lord. R.

HOLY GOSPEL (Luke 24: 13-35)

If you cannot be with us on Sunday, do look up this passage in your Bible and prayerfully read the Gospel as part of your own keeping of Sunday.