THE
READINGS
April 3, 2016
FIRST READING: Acts 5:27-32
27When they had brought
[the apostles], they had them stand before the council. The high priest
questioned them, 28saying, "We gave you strict orders not to
teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and
you are determined to bring this man's blood on us." 29But
Peter and the apostles answered, "We must obey God rather than any human
authority. 30The God of our ancestors raised up Jesus, whom you had
killed by hanging him on a tree. 31God exalted him at his right hand
as Leader and Savior that he might give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of
sins. 32And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy
Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him."
PSALM: Psalm 118:14-29 - please read
responsively
14The LORD is my strength
and my song, and has become my salvation.
15Shouts of rejoicing and
salvation echo in the tents of the righteous:
"The right hand of the LORD
acts valiantly!
16The right hand of the
LORD is exalted! The right hand of the
LORD acts valiantly!"
17I shall not die, but
live, and declare the works of the LORD.
18The LORD indeed
punished me sorely, but did not hand me over to death.
19Open for me the gates
of righteousness;
I will enter them and give thanks
to the LORD.
20"This is the gate
of the LORD; here the righteous may enter."
21I give thanks to you,
for you have answered me
and you have become my salvation.
22The stone that the
builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.
23By the LORD has this
been done; it is marvelous in our eyes.
24This is the day that
the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
25Hosanna! O LORD, save
us! We pray to you, LORD, prosper our
days!
26Blessed is the one who
comes in the name of the LORD;
we bless you from the house of the
LORD.
27The LORD is God and has
given us light.
Form a procession with branches
up to the corners of the altar.
28You are my God, and I
will thank you; you are my God, and I will exalt you.
29Give thanks to the
LORD, for the LORD is good; God's mercy endures forever.
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25I have said these
things to you while I am still with you.26But the Advocate,Holy
Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and
remind you of all that I have said to you. 27Peace I leave with you;
my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let
your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.28You heard
me say to you, I am going away, and I am coming to you. If you loved me, you
would rejoice that I am going to the Father, because the
Father
is greater than I.29And now I have told you this before it occurs,
so that when it does occur, you may believe.30I will no longer talk
much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no power over me;31but
I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the
Father. Rise, let us be on our way.
Stand
P: The holy gospel according to St. John, the
20th chapter.
C: Glory to you, O Lord.
GOSPEL: John
20:19-31
19When 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." 20After he said this,
he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they
saw the Lord. 21Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you.
As the Father has sent me, so I send you." 22When he had said
this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23If
you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of
any, they are retained."
24But Thomas (who was
called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25So
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."
26A 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." 27Then 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." 28Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my
God!" 29Jesus said to him, "Have you believed
because
you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to
believe."
30Now Jesus did many
other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this
book. 31But 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.
P: The Gospel of the Lord.
C: Praise to you, O Christ.
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