Celebrating Eastertide from Home: Tuesday in the 4th Week of Easter
In these worship resources,
we continue our journey in Eastertide.
Singers and dancers alike say,
“All my springs are in you.”
Reflection on Eastertide and ideas for celebrating this season from home
The hand of the Lord was with them,
and a great number became believers and turned to the Lord.Et erat manus Domini cum eis:
multusque numerus credentium conversus est ad Dominum.
Acts 11:21
The Liturgy of the Word
Short Reflection
The persecution that begun with the martyrdom of Stephen caused the early Church to scatter (as we read on Wednesday last week).
This scattering (a sort of Christian diaspora* following an earlier Jewish pathway) could have seemed disastrous for the newly-born Church; instead it caused the disciples to engage with those outside the Jewish faith and thus enable more Gentiles to come to faith in Christ.
Indeed it was in Antioch, we hear, that the disciples were first called Christians.
The reaction of the “home team” back in Jerusalem, was generous; instead of trying to keep this new experience to themselves, they rejoiced that there was new growth, that seeds were planted and were flowering.
It is good for us too to recognise opportunity for growth even when things seem at their darkest.
Unless a grain of wheat shall fall upon the ground and die,
it remains but a single grain, with no life.
Pray to trust in that darkness wherein lies the seed waiting for its time.
(JS Bach** reminds us that God’s time is the very best time!).
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.
* For an interesting account of the Jewish diaspora in and around Jesus’ time,
see https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/religion/portrait/diaspora.html
** Gottes Zeit ist die allebeste Zeit BWV106
(highly recommended recording)
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.
Alternative Eastertide Hymn (especially for the evening)
1 As spring buds forth your praise, O Christ,
We too proclaim you, Lord, enthroned:
For in your person we have passed
From exile to our Father’s home.
2 Compassion for our wintered earth
Brings forth a radiant world restored;
Flung open is the realm of life
To all whose life proclaims you Lord.
3 New growth springs up where all seemed dead;
Now open is the tomb once sealed.
The stone is rolled away that we
To resurrection life may yield.
4 With evening here, stay with us. Lord,
That Easter’s joy may never end.
In you our world can sing afresh;
In you our earth is sacrament.
Aelred-Seton Shanley
© 1999 Archdiocese of Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications,
3949 South Racine Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60609-2523
from ‘Hymns for Prayer & Praise‘
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 Son Jesus is the good shepherd of your people:
grant that when we hear his voice
we may know him who calls us each by name,
and follow where he leads;
who, with you and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns,
one God, for ever and 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.
The hymn ‘As spring buds forth your praise, O Christ’ is taken from ‘Hymns for Prayer & Praise‘.
Images, unless otherwise stated, are by Alistair Warwick.
Music engraved by The Art of Music.
Purchases made by clicking links on this website will cost you no more than buying directly from the supplier; we may receive a small commission, which helps with the costs of maintaining and running this website.
Enabling Music (part of The Art of Music) is a participant in the Amazon EU Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.
* You can find more organ music from Holy Trinity Church, Stirling
on Alistair Warwick‘s website and on SoundCloud
