Celebrating Eastertide from Home: 7th Monday 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
God gives the desolate a home to live in;
he leads out the prisoners to prosperity,
but the rebellious live in a parched land.Deus qui inhabitare facit unius moris in domo;
qui educit vinctos in fortitudine,
similiter eos qui exasperant, qui habitant in sepulchris.
Psalm 67 (68):6
The Liturgy of the Word
Click on one of these references to read today’s Bible readings:
Short Reflection
Plain speaking seems to be the order of the day in today’s readings.
No faffin’ aboot!
Paul asks a direct question of the new disciples in Ephesus (these were perhaps the Christians he wrote to in what we know as the Letter to the Ephesians).
When these disciples reply that they were baptised with the baptism of John, he tells them straight that they need to be baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus. (John’s baptism, you may recall, was a baptism for repentence.)
After they are baptised they undergo what might be called a proto-confirmation rite: Paul lays hands on them and they receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Paul then continues his plain speaking over two years, arguing the early credal statement: Jesus is Lord.
Jesus, in the chapters and verses immediately preceding today’s Gospel reading from John, has been doing theology in the “Farewell Discourse”. It’s been pretty heady stuff and no wonder the disciples are relieved to hear him speak plainly.
Although it may not be our first thought, doing theology is for all of us (not just the professionals); in his Proslogion (II–IV), the 11th century Anselm of Canterbury described theology as
Fides quaerens intellectum.
Faith seeking understanding.
And that is what we do, when we think about our faith.
In a very real sense, we are all theologians now!
Let’s use plain speaking to be confident, assertive and wise, but always with humility.
Prayer
At this time, pray for our politicians and leaders,
that they may have wisdom and integrity.
Pray for those caring for patients with COVID-19
and for those working to protect the most vulnerable in society from this disease.
Pray for essential workers.
Pray for us all.
Music for reflection *
We sing the melody of this Noël in the hymn from the Iona Community:
We, who live by sound and symbol,
we, who learn from sight and word,
find these married in the person
of the one we call our Lord.
Taking bread to be his body,
taking wine to be his blood,
he let thought take flesh in action,
he let faith take root in food.Not just once with special people
not just hidden deep in time,
but, wherever Christ is followed,
earthly fare becomes sublime.
Though to sound this seems a mystery,
though to sense it seems absurd,
yet in faith, which seems like folly,
we meet Jesus Christ our Lord.God, our Maker, send your Spirit
to pervade the bread we break.
Let it bring the life we long for
and the love which we forsake.
Bind us closer to each other,
both forgiving and forgiven;
give us grace in this and all things
to discern the hand of heaven.
Text: ‘The Hand of Heaven’ by John L. Bell and Graham Maule
(it can also be sung to ABBOT’S LEIGH by Cyril Vincent Taylor)
from The Iona Abbey Worship Book, now also available as a digital download https://www.ionabooks.com/product/iona-abbey-worship-book-new-revised-edition-downloadable-book/
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
O God, the King of glory,
you have exalted your only Son Jesus Christ
with great triumph to your kingdom in heaven:
do not leave us comfortless,
but send us your Holy Spirit to strengthen us,
and exalt us to that place
where our Saviour Christ has gone before;
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.
Alleluia! Christ is risen.
He is risen indeed. Alleluia.
* 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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