scripture readings
textweek resources
This is the Sixth Sunday of Easter (not the fifth Sunday after Easter).
• collect/opening prayer reflection for Easter 6 May 29 and week following
Please add hymns, prayers, ideas, resources in the comments.
Encourage consciousness of Easter being a season, not just a day – “attend” Easter is 50 days and invite your friends.
Exegesis of this Sunday’s readings
From WaiapuAcademy.org
Common Worship collect (CofE):
God our redeemer,
you have delivered us from the power of darkness
and brought us into the kingdom of your Son:
grant, that as by his death he has recalled us to life,
so by his continual presence in us he may raise us
to eternal joy;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
A revision of a Mozarabic prayer in Bright’s Ancient Collects.
Roman Catholic collect/opening prayer:
Fac nos, omnipotens Deus, hos laetitiae dies,
quos in honorem Domini resurgentis exsequimur,
affectu sedulo celebrare,
ut quod recordatione percurrimus
semper in opere teneamus.
Almighty God, cause us to celebrate these days of joy
which we have been accomplishing in honor of the rising Lord
with a zealous affection,
so that we may grasp in deed
what we are traversing in remembrance.
Grant, almighty God,
that we may celebrate with heartfelt devotion,
these days of joy which we keep in honour of the risen Lord,
and what we relive in remembrance
may we also hold to in what we do.
Through our Lord.
Almighty God,
enable us to celebrate with fitting joy
these days of happiness,
that as we accompany the risen Lord in faith
we may express in our daily lives the joyful memory of Easter.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever.
Alternative Opening Prayer from ICEL 1998:
Faithful God,
who love us in Christ Jesus,
send your Spirit of truth to dwell within us,
that we may always reject what is false,
live by the commands of Christ,
and be true to the love you have shown us.
Grant this through Jesus Christ, the resurrection and the life,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever.
image: Ark Floating on the Flood Waters, Choir stall wood carving 1508-1519 Cathédrale d’Amiens source
Orthodox prayers (well, you did ask!)
SUNDAY, MAY 29 TONE 5
6th Sunday of Pascha: The Blind Man
Virgin martyr Theodosia of Tyre
Tone 5 Troparion (Resurrection)
Let us, the faithful, praise and worship the Word,
co-eternal with the Father and the Spirit,
born for our salvation from the Virgin;
for He willed to be lifted up on the Cross in the flesh,
to endure death,
and to raise the dead//
by His glorious Resurrection.
Tone 4 Kontakion (from the Pentecostarion)
I come to You, O Christ, blind from birth in my spiritual eyes,
and call to You in repentance://
“You are the most radiant Light of those in darkness.”
Tone 8 Kontakion (Pascha)
You descended into the tomb, O Immortal,
You destroyed the power of death.
In victory You arose, O Christ God,
proclaiming: “Rejoice!” to the Myrrhbearing Women,//
granting peace to Your Apostles, and bestowing resurrection on the fallen.
Epistle
Acts 16:16-34
Gospel
John 9:1-38
(Instead of “It is truly meet …,” we sing:)
The Angel cried to the Lady, full of grace:
“Rejoice, O pure Virgin! Again, I say: ‘Rejoice,
your Son is risen from His three days in the tomb!
With Himself He has raised all the dead.’”
Rejoice, O ye people!
Shine, shine, O New Jerusalem!
The glory of the Lord has shone on you!
Exult now, and be glad, O Zion!
Be radiant, O pure Theotokos,
in the Resurrection of your Son!
(my favourite Easter hymn, and the last Sunday we sing it this year).
Steve, these additions here are very much appreciated.