Celebrating Eastertide from Home: 5th Thursday of Easter
In these worship resources,
we continue our journey in Eastertide.
Getting started
Read a reflection on Eastertide and ideas for celebrating this season from home
Opening to the Word
O sing to the Lord a new song;
sing to the Lord, all the earth.Cantate Domino canticum novum;
cantate Domino omnis terra.
Psalm 95 (96):1
The Liturgy of the Word
Click on one of the reading references to read the Bible passages:
Short Reflection
The disciples begin to see that the Way is not limited to the Jewish people.
Despite this, their framework makes them want to insist that the new converts abide by Jewish law and customs.
Following his vision (which we heard about a few days ago), Peter convinces the other disciples that these demands are wrong.
Salvation comes from God’s grace and is not limited to one race.
We can so easily expect others to conform to what we think is God’s way.
God, however, is a God of Surprises,** and subtly (sometimes not so subtly!) thwarts our expectations.
We need to to learn not to limit God or to reduce God to the small dimension of our tiny minds.
For God’s goodness is wider than the sea and far greater than human mind can imagine.
Jesus said,
I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you,
and that your joy may be complete.
At this time, pray that we may enter ever more deeply into the presence of God, who longs to make God’s home with us.
Pray for those who bring light to those in darkness,
for those who bring hope where there is despair.
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.
Alternative Eastertide Hymn (especially for the evening)
1 Stay with us Lord, for day is almost over;
Come to us in peace and greet us with your word.
You we have known, your love has sought and found us:
Speak to us now, our brother and our Lord.
2 Stay with us Lord, your word like fire within us
Sheds its searching light on all our despair:
We had forgotten you, the risen Master,
Taking our way, you talked with us there.
3 Stay with us Lord, and ever go before us,
Soon will your future dawn on us like day;
Stretch out your hand to hold and lead us always,
Gentle and strong one, Lord of our way.
Words: Alan Griffiths
© 1995 Alan Griffiths
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
Almighty God,
whom truly to know is everlasting life:
grant us so perfectly to know your Son Jesus Christ
to be the way, the truth, and the life,
that we may steadfastly follow his steps
in the way that leads to eternal life;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Alleluia!
** The beautiful and insightful God of Surprises, by the Jesuit priest Gerard W. Hughes takes a fresh look at Christianity.
It’s a great help on our spiritual journey.
* You can find more organ music from Holy Trinity Church, Stirling
on Alistair Warwick‘s website and on SoundCloud
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 ‘Stay with us Lord’ by Alan Griffiths, is taken from ‘Hymns for Prayer & Praise‘.
Images, unless otherwise stated, are from lockdown, by Alistair Warwick.
Music engraved by The Art of Music.
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