Third Sunday of Easter

Acts 2:14, 22-33 (JB)

A reading from the Acts of the Apostles

It was impossible for him to be held by the power of Hades.

On the day of Pentecost Peter stood up with the Eleven and addressed the crowd in a loud voice: ‘Men of Israel, listen to what I am going to say: Jesus the Nazarene was a man commended to you by God by the miracles and portents and signs that God worked through him when he was among you, as you all know. This man, who was put into your power by the deliberate intention and foreknowledge of God, you took and had crucified by men outside the Law. You killed him, but God raised him to life, freeing him from the pangs of Hades; for it was impossible for him to be held in its power since, as David says of him:

I saw the Lord before me always,

for with him at my right hand nothing can shake me.

So my heart was glad

and my tongue cried out with joy:

my body, too, will rest in the hope

that you will not abandon my soul to Hades

nor allow your holy one to experience corruption.

You have made known the way of life to me,

you will fill me with gladness through your presence.’

‘Brothers, no one can deny that the patriarch David himself is dead and buried: his tomb is still with us. But since he was a prophet, and knew that God had sworn him an oath to make one of his descendants succeed him on the throne, what he foresaw and spoke about was the resurrection of the Christ: he is the one who was not abandoned to Hades, and whose body did not experience corruption. God raised this man Jesus to life, and all of us are witness to that. Now raised to the heights by God’s right hand, he has received from the Father the Holy Spirit, who was promised, and what you see and hear is the outpouring of that Spirit.’

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Acts 2:14, 22-33 (NRSV)

A reading from the Acts of the Apostles

On the day of Pentecost,

Peter, standing with the eleven,

raised his voice and addressed the crowd,

“People of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem,

let this be known to you, and listen to what I say.

Jesus of Nazareth,

a man attested to you by God with deeds of power, wonders, and signs

that God did through him among you, as you yourselves know-

this man, handed over to you

according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God,

you crucified and killed by the hands of those outside the law.

“But God raised him up, having freed him from death,

because it was impossible for him to be held in its power.

For David says concerning him,

‘I saw the Lord always before me,

for he is at my right hand so that I will not be shaken;

therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced;

moreover my flesh will live in hope.

For you will not abandon my soul to Hades,

or let your Holy One experience corruption.

You have made known to me the ways of life;

you will make me full of gladness with your presence.'”

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Ps 15:1-2, 5, 7-11 (JB)

R. Lord, you will show us the path of life.

or

R. Alleluia.

Preserve me, God, I take refuge in you.

I say to the Lord: ‘You are my God.

O Lord, it is you who are my portion and cup;

it is you yourself who are my prize.’ R.

I will bless the Lord who gives me counsel,

who even at night directs my heart.

I keep the Lord ever in my sight:

since he is at my right hand, I shall stand firm. R.

And so my heart rejoices, my soul is glad;

even my body shall rest in safety.

For you will not leave my soul among the dead,

nor let your beloved know decay. R.

You will show me the path of life,

and the fullness of joy in your presence,

at your right hand happiness for ever. R.

1 Peter 1:17-21 (JB)

A reading from the first letter of St Peter

The ransom that was paid to free you was the blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ.

If you are acknowledging as your Father one who has no favourites and judges everyone according to what he has done, you must be scrupulously careful as long as you are living away from your home. Remember, the ransom that was paid to free you from the useless way of life your ancestors handed down was not paid in anything corruptible, neither in silver nor gold, but in the precious blood of a lamb without spot or stain, namely Christ; who, though known since before the world was made, has been revealed only in our time, the end of the ages, for your sake. Through him you now have faith in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory for that very reason – so that you would have faith and hope in God.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

1 Peter 1:17-21 (NRSV)

A reading from the first letter of Peter

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.

Christ 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.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

cf Luke 24:32 (JB)

Alleluia, alleluia!

Lord Jesus, make your word plain to us:

make our hearts burn with love when you speak.

Alleluia!

cf Luke 24:32 (NRSV)

Alleluia, alleluia!

Lord Jesus, make your word plain to us:

make our hearts burn with love when you speak.

Alleluia!

Luke 24:13-35 (JB)

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke

They recognised him at the breaking of the bread.

Two of the disciples of Jesus were on their way to a village called Emmaus, seven miles from Jerusalem, and they were talking together about all that had happened. Now as they talked this over, Jesus himself came up and walked by their side; but something prevented them from recognising him. He said to them, ‘What matters are you discussing as you walk along?’ They stopped short, their faces downcast.

Then one of them, called Cleopas answered him, ‘You must be the only person staying in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have been happening there these last few days.’ ‘What things?’ he asked. ‘All about Jesus of Nazareth’ they answered ‘who proved he was a great prophet by the things he said and did in the sight of God and of the whole people; and how our chief priests and our leaders handed him over to be sentenced to death, and had him crucified. Our own hope had been that he would be the one to set Israel free. And this is not all: two whole days have gone by since it all happened; and some women from our group have astounded us: they went to the tomb in the early morning, and when they did not find the body, they came back to tell us they had seen a vision of angels who declared he was alive. Some of our friends went to the tomb and found everything exactly as the women had reported, but of him they saw nothing.’

Then he said to them, ‘You foolish men! So slow to believe the full message of the prophets! Was it not ordained that the Christ should suffer and so enter into his glory?’ Then, starting with Moses and going through all the prophets, he explained to them the passages throughout the scriptures that were about himself.

When they drew near to the village to which they were going, he made as if to go on; but they pressed him to stay with them. ‘It is nearly evening’ they said ‘and the day is almost over.’ So he went in to stay with them. Now while he was with them at the table, he took the bread and said the blessing; then he broke it and handed it to them. And their eyes were opened and they recognised him; but he had vanished from their sight. Then they said to each other, ‘Did not our hearts burn within us as he talked to us on the road and explained the scriptures to us?’

They set out that instant and returned to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven assembled together with their companions, who said to them, ‘Yes it is true, The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.’ Then they told their story of what had happened on the road and how they had recognised him at the breaking of bread.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Luke 24:13-35 (NRSV)

A reading from the holy gospel according to Luke

On the first day of the week,

two of the disciples were going to a village called Emmaus,

about eleven kilometres from Jerusalem,

and talking with each other about all these things that had happened.

While they were talking and discussing,

Jesus himself came near and went with them,

but their eyes were kept from recognizing him.

And Jesus said to them,

“What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?”

They stood still, looking sad.

Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him,

“Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem

who does not know the things

that have taken place there in these days?”

Jesus asked them, “What things?”

They replied, “The things about Jesus of Nazareth,

who was a prophet mighty in deed and word

before God and all the people,

and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over

to be condemned to death and crucified him.

But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel.

Yes, and besides all this,

it is now the third day since these things took place.

Moreover, some women of our group astounded us.

They were at the tomb early this morning,

and when they did not find his body there,

they came back

and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels

who said that Jesus was alive.

Some of those who were with us went to the tomb

and found it just as the women had said;

but they did not see Jesus.”

Then Jesus said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are,

and how slow of heart

to believe all that the prophets have declared!

Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things

and then enter into his glory?”

Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets,

Jesus interpreted to them

the things about himself in all the scriptures.

As they came near the village to which they were going,

Jesus walked ahead as if he were going on.

But they urged him strongly, saying,

“Stay with us, because it is almost evening

and the day is now nearly over.”

So Jesus went in to stay with them.

When he was at the table with them,

he took bread, blessed and broke it,

and gave it to them.

Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized Jesus;

and he vanished from their sight.

The two disciples said to each other,

“Were not our hearts burning within us

while he was talking to us on the road,

while he was opening the scriptures to us?”

That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem;

and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together.

These were saying,

“The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!”

Then the two disciples told what had happened on the road,

and how the Lord had been made known to them

in the breaking of the bread.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.