Celebrating Eastertide from Home: Friday in the 3rd Week of Easter
In these worship resources,
we continue our journey in Eastertide.
The Conversion of Saul
Reflection on Eastertide and ideas for celebrating this season from home
Praise the Lord, all you nations!
Extol him, all you peoples!
For great is his steadfast love towards us,
and the faithfulness of the Lord endures for ever.
Praise the Lord!
Alleluia. Laudate Dominum, omnes gentes;
laudate eum, omnes populi.
Quoniam confirmata est super nos misericordia ejus,
et veritas Domini manet in aeternum.
Psalm 116 (117)
The Liturgy of the Word
Short Reflection
The Church is suffering violent persecution; Saul, who approved of Stephen’s killing, has authority from the high priest to arrest any followers of the Way.
On his way to Damascus he undergoes the eponymous conversion: blinded by light, he has to be led by hand to his destination where he remains for three days with neither food nor drink.
The Lord calls one of the disciples to go to Saul and lay hands on him that he may regain his sight.
Naturally, Ananias is alarmed at the thought of meeting one who was set on destroying the followers of the Jesus movement.
But he does as he is commanded. Saul, fasting and at prayer, has had a vision of Ananias coming to him.
Ananias calls him “Brother Saul” and lays his hands on him, a gesture of the giving of the Holy Spirit.
Saul is baptised and takes food to strengthen him for his new journey: proclaiming the Christ message in Damascus, around the known world and, some 30 years later, to martyrdom in Rome.
This food is truly viaticum, food for the journey.
With Saul, later to be named Paul,
we can pray the shortest of the Psalms:
Alleluia.
Praise the Lord all you nations.
Acclaim him, all you peoples.Strong is his love for us,
God is faithful for ever.
Alleluia.
—
Pray to discern God’s presence and to hear God’s call.
Pray for those who bring light into others’ lives.
Pray for essential workers.
Pray for us all.
Music for reflection *
An Eastertide hymn
1 Blest be the everlasting God,
the Father of our Lord!
Be God’s abounding mercy praised,
and majesty adored!
2 When from the dead he raised his Son,
and called him to the sky,
God gave our souls a lively hope
that they should never die.
3 There’s an inheritance divine
reserved against that day;
’tis uncorrupted, undefiled,
and cannot fade away
4 Saints by the power of God are kept,
till that salvation come
we walk by faith as strangers here,
till Christ shall call us home.
Isaac Watts, alt.
The Lord’s Prayer
You can say this in any language you choose.
Here it is, in English, Latin and French.
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
Your Kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins,
as we forgive those
who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom,
the power and the glory are yours.
Now and for ever. Amen.
Pater noster, qui es in cælis;
sanctificatur nomen tuum:
adveniat regnum tuum;
fiat voluntas tua,
sicut in cælo, et in terra.
Panem nostrum cotidianum da nobis hodie:
et dimitte nobis debita nostra,
sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris:
et ne nos inducas in tentationem:
sed libera nos a malo.
Quia tuum est regnum,
et potestas, et gloria, in saecula.
Amen.
Notre Père qui es aux cieux,
que ton nom soit sanctifié.
Que ton règne vienne.
Que ta volonté soit faite sur la terre comme au ciel.
Donne-nous aujourd’hui notre pain de ce jour.
Pardonne-nous nos offences
comme nous pardonnons aussi
à ceux qui nous ont offensés.
Et ne nous soumets pas à la tentation,
mais délivre-nous du mal.
Car c’est à toi qu’appartiennent le règne,
la puissance et la gloire
pour les siècles des siècles. Amen.
Concluding prayer
O God,
whose blessed Son made himself known to his disciples in the breaking of bread:
open the eyes of our faith,
that we may behold him in all his redeeming work;
who lives and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Alleluia!
In these strange times, we are called to trust
Other resources
Acknowledgements
The Bible texts of the Old Testament, Epistle and Gospel lessons are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicised Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993, 1995 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The Collects are from the Scottish Episcopal Church, 1982.
Images, unless otherwise stated, are by Alistair Warwick.
Music engraved by The Art of Music.
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* You can find more organ music from Holy Trinity Church, Stirling
on Alistair Warwick‘s website and on SoundCloud
