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.

SECOND READING: John 14:25-31

²⁵‘I 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.