Easter, 2nd Week,Thursday, Apr 23

Acts 5:27-33 / John 3:31-36 

Jesus speaks about eternal life: Whoever believes has eternal life.

Most people who turn on a television set can’t tell you how the magic box works. But they don’t deny that it works. The picture on the screen tells them that. Most people who drive an automobile can’t tell you how the magic motor works. But they don’t deny that it works. The movement of the car tells them that. Most people who eat food can’t tell you how the magic protein works. But they don’t deny that it works. The growth of the body tells them that. It’s the same way with the Christian life. Most people can’t tell you how faith works. But they don’t deny that it works. Their own transformed lives tell them that.

COVID - Prayer for Front Line Volunteers

MK 10:43:
But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant.

A Prayer for the Front liners

Heavenly Father, thank you for the front-liners caring for, protecting, and serving our communities, our families, and us. Thank you for these servant leaders, from our own community and those from others, called to this work, trained for such a time as this, daily risking their own health and safety for others. 

Easter 2nd Week,Wednesday, Apr 22nd

Acts 5:17-26 / John 3:16-21 

Jesus continues his instruction: “Whoever believes will not see death.”

The original stage version of God-spell captures the Gospel’s spirit of joy in an attractive way. The first act celebrates the joy of the woman who finds her lost coin, the joy of the shepherd who finds his lost sheep, the joy of the father who finds his lost son. The second act begins the same way. But then comes the sadness of the Last Supper farewells, the sadness of Jesus’ sufferings, and the sadness of Jesus’ crucifixion. But the joy returns again in the resurrection. It’s subtly portrayed by the disciples’ carrying the victorious Christ on their shoulders right down the center aisle of the theater.

Easter 3 Sunday A - Emmaus Journey

Gospel text : Luke 24:13-35

Easter 2nd Week, Tuesday, Apr 21

Acts 4:32-37 / John 3:7-15 

Jesus continues his instruction: “We must be born of the spirit.”

A town drunk and loafer underwent a religious conversion. Some of his old cronies ridiculed him. One said sarcastically, “Surely you haven’t begun to believe all that stuff about changing water into wine?” The ex-drunk replied, “I can’t tell you whether Jesus turned water into wine in Cana. But I can tell you he turned wine into food in my house.” This is what Jesus meant by saying that we can’t see where wind comes from and we can’t see where it goes, but we can hear the sound it makes. We may not know about all the mysteries connected with the Spirit, but we know about the effect of the Spirit on our own personal lives.

Easter 2nd Week - Apr 20-25

April 20 Monday: John 3:1-8: 1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do, unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”

Easter 2 Week, Monday, Apr 20th

Acts 4:23-31 / John 3:1-8 

Jesus speaks about spiritual birth: “You must be born from above.”

George Foreman, former heavyweight champion of the world, had been attending Bible classes and was in a prayer group. But he was still dragging his feet spiritually. One night after a fight he sat down in his dressing room and put his head in his hands. Suddenly he noticed the blood from a cut on his head flowing over his hands and dripping down onto his bare feet. Then it hit him. These were the wounds of Jesus: head, feet, and hands. That night Foreman experienced spiritual birth. He turned his life over to Jesus so totally that his handlers sent him to the hospital for head X rays, thinking he had a head injury and needed help.

Easter 2 A - Liturgical Prayers

Greeting
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!
By his great mercy we have been born anew
to a living hope through the resurrection
of Jesus Christ from the dead.
May the Risen Lord be always with you.

Prayer during Corona

YOU made the whole world stop spinning for a while,

YOU silenced the noise that we all have created

YOU made us bend our knees again and ask for a miracle.

YOU closed Your churches so we will realize how dark our world without You in it.

YOU humble the proud and powerful. The economy is crashing, businesses are closing.

Easter Octave, Saturday April 18th

Acts 4:13-21 / Mark 16:9-15 

Jesus instructs his disciples: “Proclaim the gospel to all creatures.”

The capital of Texas is named after Stephen Austin, an early pioneer who founded numerous settlements in Texas. Austin didn’t like preachers and tried to keep them out of his towns. One reason he disliked preachers was that they were always preaching against his saloons and the violence they caused. One man who knew Austin well quoted him as saying that one preacher could stir up more trouble in his settlements than a dozen horse thieves.

When Jesus commanded his disciples to preach the Gospel, he intended them to stir up trouble. That’s what Jesus himself did.