See here for a commentary on the collect/opening prayer for this Sunday.
The forty days of Lent are to prepare for the fifty days of Easter. Is that continuing to be your experience?
How was your experience of Easter 4? Where I worshiped I was again delighted that the Easter Greeting was used (Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!), and Alleluias were added to the dismissal, there were also two baptisms. The Easter candle continues to be lit. Will this be (able to be) maintained for the fifty days of the Easter Season?
You can also add your (or any) resources or suggestions, prayers, hymns, reflections on readings, etc. for this coming Sunday and the following week below.
John Westerhoff III insisted that during Easter season the Confession/Absolution should not be used in the Eucharist. I found that its omission added to the sense of joy: we are in the Risen Christ. All is forgiven!
Most other liturgists consider the Confession mandatory at evert celebration.
Thanks Ted. You may have noticed that I, similarly, make the same suggestion in my outline for services in this season (from my book, Celebrating Eucharist). More on the place of confession here. I would have to check texts, and others may confirm or not: I think that absolution in the Eucharist is relatively recent – post-Reformation. Would Roman Catholics regard the priest’s prayer after the community confession at Mass an absolution? Do Orthodox have absolution in the Eucharist?