Hymn, to be said or sung
Alleluia, alleluia
hearts to heaven and voices raise;
sing to God a hymn of gladness,
sing to God a hymn of praise;
He who on the cross a victim
for the world’s salvation bled,
Jesus Christ, the King of Glory,
now is risen from the dead.
Christ is risen, Christ the first fruits
of the holy harvest field,
which will all its full abundance
at His second coming yield;
then the golden ears of harvest
will their heads before Him wave,
ripened by His glorious sunshine,
from the furrows of the grave.
Christ is risen, we are risen;
shed upon us heavenly grace,
rain, and dew, and gleams of glory
from the brightness of Thy face;
that we, with our hearts in heaven,
here on earth may fruitful be,
and by angel hands be gathered,
and be ever, Lord with Thee.
Alleluia, alleluia,
glory be to God on high;
alleluia to the Saviour,
who has gained the victory;
alleluia to the Spirit,
fount of love and sanctity;
alleluia, alleluia,
to the Triune Majesty
PSALM 116: 1-8
I love the Lord, for He has heard the voice of my supplication;
because He inclined His ear to me on the day I called to Him.
The snares of death encompassed me;
the pains of hell took hold of me; by grief and sorrow was I held.
Then I called upon the name of the Lord; “O Lord, I beg you, deliver my soul”.
Gracious is the Lord and righteous; our God is full of compassion.
The Lord watches over the simple; I was brought very low and He saved me.
Turn again to your rest, O my soul, for the Lord has been gracious to you.
For you have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears and my feet from falling;
I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
AMEN
The Holy Gospel is taken from St Luke, chapter 24 verses 13 – 35
Praise to you O Lord
Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing, Jesus Himself came near and went with them, but their eyes were kept from recognizing Him. And He said to them, “What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?” They stood still, looking sad. Then 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?” He asked them, “What things?” They replied, “The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and leaders handed Him over to be condemned to death and crucified Him. But we had hoped that He was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things took place. Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, and when they did not find His body there, they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who said that He was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Him”. Then He said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into His glory?” Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, He interpreted to them the things about Himself in all the scriptures.
As they came near the village to which they were going, He walked ahead as if He were going on. But they urged Him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over.” So He went in to stay with them. When He was at the table with them He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognised Him, and He vanished from their sight. They said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while He was talking to us on the road, while He was opening the scriptures to us?” That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. They were saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and He has appeared to Simon!” Then they told what had happened on the road, and how He had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.
This is the Gospel of the Lord,
Praise to you O Christ.
Address
Do you feel the mutual exasperation in the beginning of this story? When the disciples meet the risen Jesus, they are beyond belief that He does not know the news! They are so surprised that they stop walking to tell Him. But Jesus is even more direct. Aaagh, might be a good translation of “Oh”. He then describes them as being without understanding, slow on the uptake, might be a translation. He does not mince His words.
But the God of Love doesn’t leave it there. With loving patience He continues with the disciples. They were the ones quite unaware of the real news. They had been told by their own people that Jesus body had gone and that Jesus had been seen alive. They would have known the scriptures that had for years foretold what was to take place. But Jesus began from the beginning and explained what the Holy Scriptures had said would befall the Messiah when He came to the world He made and loved. His love and His presence meant that they could hardly bear to part with Him. He was easily persuaded to join them and to share their evening meal. The moment of breaking bread and passing the cup of wine, so ingrained in their hearts from the last supper, opened their eyes to the living Lord.
In all of our painful moments in these days of isolation, let us raise our eyes to the news, told again this Easter, and every Easter until He comes again. Jesus is alive! Above all the turmoil, let us join with Him in that moment of loving recognition. For Jesus comes to us again in these quiet days, days when we have time to open our eyes and to listen to the greatest news that our world has ever known.
AMEN
Prayers
Stay with us Lord Jesus, throughout this day;
Stay with us in our homes and in all of our seeking and longing;
Stay with us now and by your greatest gift, stay on into eternity.
Lord Jesus Christ, may we know you in the breaking of each day, in the breaking of our hearts at this time of turmoil. Help us to know that you are risen indeed, and that you are with us now as we seek communion with you. May your church be alive in the people you have called to serve you. May we be living signs of your presence in the world you love.
We ask you, travel with us as we go through this overwhelming experience of world unrest and disease.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord Jesus, as you live in us, teach us to live in you. And as we learn to trust you, help us to walk alongside all who are troubled, those who are tired, those who hate the thought of being on their own for much longer. Help us to find ways to reveal your loving presence.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord Jesus, we come before you as those without any excuses but who still don’t always open our eyes to see you in the world. We are people who have often not been tested, people who have not known the danger that others across the world have endured. Help us now to reach out to those who are suffering
hardship in our own country, and those across the world who have danger and distress as a daily burden. We pray for all homeless people, all refugees, all those who are suffering from corona virus in this and other lands.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord Jesus, we pray for all who are confused by the pain and sickness of the world.
We pray for all who walk on lonely paths and all who are approaching the end of the journey in this world.
We pray especially for all in nursing homes and care homes and all those whose skill and patience upholds them.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
AMEN
The Lord’s Prayer
The Blessing
And now to all priests and people in our Brackley Deanery, may Christ our King pour upon you the abundance of His gifts, and bring you to reign with Him in glory.
And the Blessing of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit be yours for ever.
AMEN
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