Saturday in Easter Week We thank you, heavenly Father, that you have delivered us from the dominion of sin and death and brought us into the kingdom of your Son; and we pray that, as by his death he has recalled us to life, so by his love he may raise us to eternal joys; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. Saturday in Easter Week 118:14-18 or 118:19-24 Acts 4:13-21 Mark 16:9-15,20 Mark 16 When the sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. 2And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. 3They had been saying to one another, ‘Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?’ 4When they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled back. 5As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man, dressed in a white robe, sitting on the r...

Friday in Easter Week Almighty Father, who gave your only Son to die for our sins and to rise for our justification: Give us grace so to put away the leaven of malice and wickedness, that we may always serve you in pureness of living and truth; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Yesterday a friend sent me a car quiz.  My score was 100% (48 correct out of 48 questions).  And several cars were saved that I remember loving from my earlier years.  Having saved them, what to do with them? Share them But one, none of these cars are made any longer. Match them up:  Kaiser Manhattan,  Packard Patrician,  Buick Roadmaster DeSoto Fireflite,  Hudson Hornet. Sorry this was not all that religious. For religion come to my Sunday School class, 9:15 to 10:15 in the Mary Stuart Poole Library at HNEC. As I will be away the following two Sundays, this...

Thursday in Easter Week Almighty and everlasting God, who in the Paschal mystery established the new covenant of reconciliation: Grant that all who have been reborn into the fellowship of Christ's Body may show forth in their lives what they profess by their faith; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Lectionary for Thursday in Easter Week (BCP 894) Psalm 8 or 114 or 118:19-24 Acts 3:11-26 Luke 24:36b-48 Until the 1979 Book of Common Prayer, all of our prayer books used the Coverdale Psalter from the sixteenth century Bible of Miles Coverdale (1488-1569). It precedes the seventeenth century King James Bible (1611) and was the familiar and beloved psalter of Anglicans for centuries. The 1979 book has a contemporary translation of the psalms, which are for the most part good, but lose some of their richness and memorability for both reading and singing. Of all the twentieth century changes to the pra...

Wednesday in Easter Week 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. Lectionary Readings for the Day   Psalm 105-1-8 or Psalm 118:19-24 Acts 3:1-10 Luke 24:13-35 13 Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles* from Jerusalem, 14and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, 16but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17And he said to them, ‘What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?’ They stood still, looking sad.* 18Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him, ‘Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?’ ...

Tuesday in Easter Week O God, who by the glorious resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ destroyed death and brought life and immortality to light: Grant that we, who have been raised with him, may abide in his presence and rejoice in the hope of eternal glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be dominion and praise for ever and ever. Amen. Lectionary Lessons for today (BCP 894).  Psalm 33:18-22, Psalm 118:19-24, Acts 2:36-41 , John 20:11-18 Acts 2 . 36 (Peter preaching to those gathered) “Let the entire house of Israel know with certainty that God has made him both Lord and Messiah, this Jesus whom you crucified.” 37  Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and to the other apostles, ‘Brothers, what should we do?’ 38 Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the pro...

Monday in Easter Week Grant, we pray, Almighty God, that we who celebrate with awe the Paschal feast may be found worthy to attain to  everlasting joys; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives  and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and  for ever. Amen. The Book of Common Prayer provides for each day of Easter Week, Monday through Saturday, a Collect and Eucharistic Lectionary with psalms and lessons. For today: Psalm 16:8-11 Psalm 118:19-24 Acts 2:14, 22-32 Matthew 28:9-15 Never in my over 75 years as an Episcopalian have we been in a parish that had Easter Week services. Might find that at a large church with daily mass though or one with a specially devout priest and congregation. Psalm 16 and Acts 2:14, 22-32 are appointed for next Sunday, the Second Sunday of Easter. Matthew 28:9-15 tells about the chief priests bribing the tomb guards to testify that Jesus‘ disciples came in the night and stole away his body.  Psalm 118:19-24 is from a...

Yesterday morning Joe phoned from Winston-Salem, and “requested permission” to put the Annie & Jennie in the water. My son is an artist, a craftsman at building models. He is so patient, deliberate and careful, and everything he works on turns out perfect. Modeled after the fishing schooner Annie & Jennie that was wrecked in a storm at the old east pass in January 1918, this boat is a gift of love to me and a tribute to my uncle Alfred, who drowned at sea that night.  The little twin-masted schooner sailed beautifully in a North Carolina lake yesterday and Joe emailed pictures, which I share on Easter Day.  I pray that your day is as blessed as mine. Six months ago I never expected to be here Easter. But here I am, alive, restored, healed, alive, restored, healed, alive!!! Come to church this morning. Children, music, a fantastic story. One Easter Day years ago, the late Reverend Mel Harper, rector of Nativity, Dothan, stepped up into the pulpit to deliver his Easter...

Holy Saturday During a Lenten Wednesday evening program at Holy Nativity the subject of Holy Saturday services came up. I have offered the Holy Saturday liturgy at times in the past, but no one ever came except me and Linda so I gave it up years ago. When asked what my service consisted of I couldn’t remember, so I looked it up (BCP 283) and here it is. It begins with the collect for the day and includes a reading from 1 Peter, a brief homily, the Apostles' Creed, the anthems from the Burial Office, and concludes with the Lord's Prayer and the Grace.   O God, Creator of heaven and earth: Grant that, as the crucified body of your dear Son was laid in the tomb and rested on this holy Sabbath, so we may await with him the coming of the third day, and rise with him to newness of life; who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. 1Peter 4:1-8 Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same intention (fo...

Preeminent twentieth century theologian Karl Barth (1886-1968) is reported to have said that a preacher should get in the pulpit with “a Bible in one hand and a newspaper in the other.” One plus or negative of this internet age is that it is so easy, instantaneous, to check the validity of whatever goes round and is coming round. For example, a ten second search reveals that Barthian scholars and researchers can’t find that Karl actually ever said that. It was a good thought though and Barth was brilliant: if he had thought of it he would have said it. Although if he were alive today he would be 125 years old and would say get in the pulpit with your iPad in one hand and hold on with the other so you don’t fall. An iPad is a marvelous wonder. Any portable computer with mobile wireless telecommunication is a wonder. You don’t need a Bible or newspaper anymore. Every morning the New York Times and the Washington Post and the Automotive News are all sitting here ready to read soon as th...

With mama at Community Health & Rehab this week, Linda and I were able to get out, so Tuesday we drove over to Destin Commons to select a wedding gift for Lauren at Williams Sonoma. After that we went to Fresh Market for our occasional browse and to get lunch at the deli. In the browse I picked up some whole wheat angel hair pasta, some walnuts and some shaved almonds to sprinkle on morning cereal. A strange breakfast cereal that obviously is healthy because it’s packaged in a ruggedly coarse looking box. A roast beef hoagie, ate half Tuesday supper, a quarter Wednesday supper and still a quarter in the refrigerator. Can’t load up a container from the olive stand anymore, loaded with salty brine, strictly forbidden. Linda scolded me for buying a few boiled shrimp, so I sat in the back seat and ate them while she was driving home (hey, it’s better than eating fried shrimp, nicht wahr?). Also picked up my favorite thing there, half a papaya. It’s for early breakfast this morning. M...

In the Liturgy of the Palms last Sunday we heard this gospel: Matthew 21 When they had come near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, ‘Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, just say this, “The Lord needs them.” And he will send them immediately. * ’ 4 This took place to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet, saying,  5 ‘Tell the daughter of Zion,    Look, your king is coming to you,    humble, and mounted on a donkey,     and on a colt, the foal of a donkey. 6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; 7 they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them. 8 A very large crowd * spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the roa...