Worship for Sunday, April 19, 2020
The Second Sunday of Easter
Divine Mercy Sunday
Divine Mercy Sunday
Sunday, April 19, 2020
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OUR WORSHIP FOR TODAY
THE OPENING SENTENCE
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Almighty and eternal God, the strength of those
who believe and the hope of those who doubt, may we, who have not seen, have
faith in you and receive the fullness of Christ’s blessing, who lives and
reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.
FIRST READING: Acts 2:14a, 22-32
But Peter, standing with
the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them:
‘You that are Israelites,
listen to what I have to say: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God
with deeds of power, wonders, and signs that God did through him among you, as
you yourselves know— this man, handed over to you according to the definite
plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of those
outside the law. But God raised him up, having freed him from death, because it
was impossible for him to be held in its power. For David says concerning him,
“I saw the Lord always
before me,
for he is at my right hand so that I will
not be shaken;
therefore my heart was
glad, and my tongue rejoiced;
moreover, my flesh will live in hope.
For you will not abandon
my soul to Hades,
or let your Holy One experience corruption.
You have made known to me
the ways of life;
you will make me full of gladness with your
presence.”
‘Fellow Israelites, I may
say to you confidently of our ancestor David that he both died and was buried,
and his tomb is with us to this day. Since he was a prophet, he knew that God
had sworn with an oath to him that he would put one of his descendants on his
throne. Foreseeing this, David spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah,
saying,
“He was not abandoned to
Hades,
nor did his flesh experience corruption.”
This Jesus God raised up,
and of that all of us are witnesses.
PSALM: Psalm 16
Protect me, O God, for I take refuge in you;
I have said to the Lord, “You are my Lord,
my good above all other.”
All my delight is in the godly that are in
the land,
upon those who are noble among the people.
But those who run after other gods
shall have their troubles multiplied.
I will not pour out drink offerings to such
gods,
never take their names upon my lips.
O Lord, you are my portion and my cup;
it is you who uphold my lot.
My boundaries enclose a pleasant land;
indeed, I have a rich inheritance.
I will bless the Lord who gives me counsel;
my heart teaches me night after night.
I have set the Lord always before me;
because God is at my right hand, I shall not
be shaken.
My heart, therefore, is glad, and my spirit
rejoices;
my body also shall rest in hope.
For you will not abandon me to the grave,
nor let your holy one see the pit.
You will show me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy,
and in your right hand
are pleasures forevermore.
SECOND READING: 1 Peter 1:3-9
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance
that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who are
being protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be
revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, even if now for a little while
you have had to suffer various trials, so that the genuineness of your
faith—being more precious than gold that, though perishable, is tested by
fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is
revealed. Although you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do
not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and
glorious joy, for you are receiving the outcome of your faith, the salvation of
your souls.
THE HOLY GOSPEL: John 20:19-31
When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the
doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the
Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ After he
said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced
when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the
Father has sent me, so I send you.’ When he had said this, he breathed on them
and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any,
they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.’
But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with
them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, ‘We have seen the Lord.’
But he said to them, ‘Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put
my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not
believe.’
A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with
them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said,
‘Peace be with you.’ Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here and see my
hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.’
Thomas answered him, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have you
believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet
have come to believe.’
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which
are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to
believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing
you may have life in his name.
THE APOSTLES' CREED
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION
Uplifted by the promised hope of healing and resurrection, we join the people of God in all times and places in praying for the church, the world, and all who are in need.
A brief silence.
Open the doors we close, O God, when we fear
those who worship you in different ways. Guide us to unity and harmony so that
we may come to respect and cherish our commonalities. Lord, in your mercy, hear
our prayer.
Open the paths we ignore, O God, when we
prioritize financial gain and convenience over listening to the groaning of the
earth. Inspire all to care for the world you have made so that living things
might thrive. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Open the rooms we lock, O God, to those who live
without a homeland or place of safety. We pray that generous nations offer
refuge and peace for all. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Open the hearts we close, O God, to the cries of
those in pain. We pray for those isolated physically or emotionally through
incarceration, addiction, mental illness, chronic suffering, grief, and all in
need. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Open the ways of love, O God, in the pursuit of
peace throughout the world, and bless the efforts of missionaries, healthcare
professionals, activists for women and children, and relief workers, especially
those who find themselves in harm’s way. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Open the path to healing, O God, as we live in a
time of fear of disease. During Christ’s
ministry on Earth, you showed your power and caring by healing people of all
ages and stations of life from physical, mental, and spiritual ailments. Be
present now to people who need your loving touch because of COVID-19. May they
feel your power of healing through the care of doctors and nurses. Take away the fear, anxiety, and feelings of
isolation from people receiving treatment or under quarantine. Give them a
sense of purpose in pursuing health and protecting others from exposure to the
disease. Protect their families and friends and bring peace to all who love
them. Lord, in your mercy, hear our
prayer.
Open the ways of justice, O God, as we live
among the lowly and the meek. We lift to
You our concern for people who are more likely than others to become severely
ill from COVID-19 — the elderly and people with chronic health conditions. Protect
them from harm and be their comfort in this time of uncertainty. Lord, in your
mercy, hear our prayer.
Open our eyes to your wisdom, O God, as you
equip your children with wondrous gifts.
Be with people making decisions that affect the lives and futures of our
families, communities, countries, and the wider world. Inspire and invigorate
people developing better tests to diagnose the virus, vaccines to prevent it,
and protocols and communication to eliminate the disease’s spread. May truth
and empathy be the touchstones of people setting policies for our protection.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Open the way to eternal life, O God, as we
remember those who have died in faith. Free us from the fear of death, that we
embrace the peace you have promised. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
With bold confidence in your love, almighty God,
we place all for whom we pray into your eternal care; through Christ our
Lord. Amen.
Amen.
THE LORD'S PRAYER
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those
who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
forever and ever. Amen.
forever and ever. Amen.
CONCLUDING PRAYER A Prayer of St. Chrysostom
Almighty God, you have given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will be in the midst of them:
Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be
best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your
truth, and in the age to come life everlasting.
Amen
CLOSING PETITION FOR BLESSING
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