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Notable Feast Days this Week:

April 24 - Mellitus, Bishop of Canterbury, 624
April 25 - St. Mark the Evangelist
April 27 - Asicus, Bishop of Elphin (Ireland), c.490
April 29 - Jason and Sosipater, Romans 16:21 (Eastern)
April 29 - Catherine of Siena, 1380 (Western)
April 30 - St. James Zebedee, Apostle (Eastern)

Revised Common Lectionary

Acts 2:14a, 36-41
Psalm 116:1-4, 12-19
1 Peter 1:17-23
Luke 24:13-35

Daily Readings (RCL)
Liturgical Color - White or Gold

Forward

------ The Third Sunday of Easter ------ April 30, 2017 (Year A)

Breaking Bread

"Jesus offers forgiveness of sins, which we embrace through baptism (Acts 2:14a, 36-41), and his presence with us today through the breaking of the bread in the sacrament of communion (Luke 24:13-25). Because of Christ's perfect life, laid down for our imperfect ones, we are to purify our souls through love and obedience (1 Peter 1:17-23). In the midst of personal affliction and difficulty, we call on the Lord for help, knowing he loves us (Psalm 116:1-4, 12-19)."
-Thomas Oden, Ancient Christian Devotional

Psalm of the Week

Scripture Readings

Psalm 116:1-4, 12-19

"I love the Lord, for he heard my voice;
he heard my cry for mercy.
Because he turned his ear to me,
I will call on him as long as I live.
The cords of death entangled me,
the anguish of the grave came over me; I was overcome by distress and sorrow. Then I called on the name of the Lord: “Lord, save me!"

What shall I return to the Lord
for all his goodness to me?
I will lift up the cup of salvation
and call on the name of the Lord.
I will fulfill my vows to the Lord
in the presence of all his people...”

Acts 2:14a, 36-41
Receiving God's promise through repentance and Baptism

1 Peter 1:17-23
Born anew through the risen Christ

Luke 24:13-35
Breaking bread with the risen Christ

Daily Readings
Revised Common Lectionary

Daily Readings
Book of Common Prayer

The Entire Bible in One Year

Chronological

Eastertide

Because the good news of Easter can hardly be contained in a single day's celebration, Easter is only the first of fifty days of Eastertide, the "Great Fifty Days" that lead up to Pentecost. This season is designed for extended celebration, for exploring the ramifications of Easter for the redemption of all creation, and for joyful Christian living ... Jesus Christ’s resurrection is the central event ... of all human history. Christians who make this confession are talking not about the resurrection of faith in the disciples, or of hope in the women at the tomb, or of tulips in the spring. They are confessing the real resurrection of Jesus ... (more)" -from The Worship Sourcebook, 2nd Edition.

Links

A meditation on Piero della Francesca’s 15th-century fresco of The Resurrection of Jesus Christ

Stations of the Resurrection (PDF) HT Cardiphonia

The Bible Project Videos:
Acts 1-12, 1 Peter, and Luke 10-24

Bible Gateway has recently made available a slew of free resources/commentary for Bible study. Take a look through the "Study This" section on the right-hand side of the webpage when accessing the lectionary passages for the week. The IVP New Testament commentary series is a great place to start!

Practicing 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."
-The Book of Common Prayer

Contemplative Prayer (Click to View)

Daily Prayer (Click to View))

Audio Prayer Meditation - Pray As You Go

Spotify Playlists

More Spotify Psalms Playlists...

Singing Psalms and Hymns

At the Lamb's High Feast We Sing | 17th Century form of Ad cenam Agni providi / Tune: Enchiridia, Erfurt, 1524 | Leadsheet

We Will Feast in the House of Zion | by Sandra McCraken | Leadsheet

Paschal Troparion | Traditional Greek Hymn with music by The Opiate Mass | Leadsheet

Christ the Lord is Risen Today | Leadsheet

Before the Throne of God Above | Original words by Charitie Lees Bancroft (1841-1892), music and alt. words by Vikki Cook. | Chord Charts

There are four versions of Psalm 116 on the Hallel Psalms album from Cardiphonia. Download of the album includes a PDF of a songbook with charts.

Music for Easter from Cardiphonia (With Recordings and Leadsheets)

Psalm 116 Metrical Options

Hymn Suggestions for The Third Sunday of Easter from Hymnary.org

Dan Sharp recommends choral anthems for Eastertide

Resources for Pointed Chant

Resources for Plainchant

Read about "Singing the Psalms: A Guide for Modern Worship" by Ashley Danyew

Commentary on Luke 24:13-35

"Did not our heart burn within us? Their recognition of Christ led the disciples to a lively perception of the secret and hidden grace of the Spirit, which he had formerly bestowed upon them. For God sometimes works in his people in such a manner, that for a time they are not aware of the power of the Spirit, (of which, however, they are not destitute,) or, at least, that they do not perceive it distinctly, but only feel it by a secret movement. Thus the disciples had formerly indeed felt an ardor, which they now remember, but which they had not then observed: now that Christ has made himself known to them, they at length begin to consider the grace which they had formerly, as it were, swallowed without tasting it, and perceive that they were stupid. "

-John Calvin

More Historical Commentary
(View and Download)

Music for Listening

Thematic Art

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