EASTER SUNDAY OF THE RESURRECTION OF THE LORD (4 APRIL 2021)

Lectionary: 42

Reading I

Acts 10:34a, 37-43

Peter proceeded to speak and said:
“You know what has happened all over Judea, 
beginning in Galilee after the baptism
that John preached, 
how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth
with the Holy Spirit and power.
He went about doing good
and healing all those oppressed by the devil, 
for God was with him.
We are witnesses of all that he did
both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem.
They put him to death by hanging him on a tree.
This man God raised on the third day and granted that he be visible,
not to all the people, but to us,
the witnesses chosen by God in advance,
who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.
He commissioned us to preach to the people
and testify that he is the one appointed by God
as judge of the living and the dead.
To him all the prophets bear witness,
that everyone who believes in him
will receive forgiveness of sins through his name.”

Responsorial Psalm

118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23

R.  (24) This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.
or:
R.  Alleluia.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
    for his mercy endures forever.
Let the house of Israel say,
    “His mercy endures forever.”
R.  This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.
or:
R.  Alleluia.
“The right hand of the LORD has struck with power;
    the right hand of the LORD is exalted.
I shall not die, but live,
    and declare the works of the LORD.”
R.  This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.
or:
R.  Alleluia.
The stone which the builders rejected
    has become the cornerstone.
By the LORD has this been done;
    it is wonderful in our eyes.
R.  This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.
or:
R.  Alleluia.

Reading II

Col 3:1-4

Brothers and sisters:
If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, 
where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
Think of what is above, not of what is on earth.
For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
When Christ your life appears,
then you too will appear with him in glory.

OR:

I Cor 5:6b-8

Brothers and sisters:
Do you not know that a little yeast leavens all the dough?
Clear out the old yeast,
so that you may become a fresh batch of dough, 
inasmuch as you are unleavened.
For our paschal lamb, Christ, has been sacrificed.
Therefore, let us celebrate the feast, 
not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, 
but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Sequence

Victimae paschali laudes

Christians, to the Paschal Victim
    Offer your thankful praises!
A Lamb the sheep redeems;
    Christ, who only is sinless,
    Reconciles sinners to the Father.
Death and life have contended in that combat stupendous:
    The Prince of life, who died, reigns immortal.
Speak, Mary, declaring
    What you saw, wayfaring.
“The tomb of Christ, who is living,
    The glory of Jesus’ resurrection;
Bright angels attesting,
    The shroud and napkin resting.
Yes, Christ my hope is arisen;
    to Galilee he goes before you.”
Christ indeed from death is risen, our new life obtaining.
    Have mercy, victor King, ever reigning!
    Amen. Alleluia.

Alleluia

Cf. 1 Cor 5:7b-8a

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Christ, our paschal lamb, has been sacrificed;
let us then feast with joy in the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Jn 20:1-9

On the first day of the week,
Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning,
while it was still dark, 
and saw the stone removed from the tomb.
So she ran and went to Simon Peter 
and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, 
“They have taken the Lord from the tomb, 
and we don’t know where they put him.”
So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb.
They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter 
and arrived at the tomb first; 
he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in.
When Simon Peter arrived after him, 
he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there, 
and the cloth that had covered his head, 
not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place.
Then the other disciple also went in, 
the one who had arrived at the tomb first, 
and he saw and believed.
For they did not yet understand the Scripture 
that he had to rise from the dead.

Prayers

Celebrant: The Lord is Risen! Let us place our needs before God our Father, rejoicing because Christ has triumphed over death and entered into glory.

 

READER: For the successors to the apostles, commissioned to preach to the people, that like Peter, they boldly proclaim the resurrection of Christ and the forgiveness of sins in His name, (Pause) LET US PRAY TO THE LORD.

READER: For new believers everywhere and especially those who were baptized into our community last evening, that their witness of the resurrection be a source of joy and hope for all of us, (Pause) LET US PRAY TO THE LORD.

 

READER: May the triumph of Jesus over death be a comfort for those in distress, especially to those deprived of the freedom to worship and believe in Jesus Christ, (Pause) LET US PRAY TO THE LORD.

 

READER: May the joy of this Easter Day encourage us to grow in Christ, so that, like Him, we may choose to walk in the light and reject the darkness of sin, (Pause) LET US PRAY TO THE LORD.

 

READER: For the deceased members of our community, the intentions we carry in our hearts, and for all those who have asked for our prayers and who we remember now in silence, (Pause) LET US PRAY TO THE LORD.


CELEBRANT: Father, you raised Jesus to new life. Send your Spirit into our hearts that even in troubled times we may be people of hope. We ask this through Christ, our Risen Lord. (all) AMEN.

 

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