In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Thanks to Ruth for our Easter Day cross so beautifully flowered.
Alleluia! Christ is risen
He is risen indeed. Alleluia!
Prayer
Loving God, we gather in the early morning of your Resurrection. We have been mourning and weeping believing that you have been taken from us. Instead, you meet us in the garden of new life. Here, in this sacred place, we discover that you are alive, that sin and death cannot defeat you. Now our tears of sorrow turn to tears of joy as we experience your presence among us. Today, we begin to understand that joy comes from grief. You call us to go into the world to share this good news, and because we are not left alone.
Collect for Easter Sunday
Lord of all life and power, who through the mighty resurrection of your Son overcame the old order of sin and death to make all things new in him: grant that we, being dead to sin and alive to you in Jesus Christ, may reign with him in glory; to whom with you and the Holy Spirit be praise and honour, glory and might, now and in all eternity.
Reading John 20 1-18 NRSV
20 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. 2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” 3 Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb. 4 The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, 7 and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; 9 for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. 10 Then the disciples returned to their homes.
11 But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look[a] into the tomb; 12 and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. 13 They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” 14 When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew,[b] “Rabbouni!” (which means Teacher). 17 Jesus said to her, “Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” 18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”; and she told them that he had said these things to her.
Reflection
In a former parish the Vicar at the time, was in Church early on Easter morning to make ready for the Eucharist, when the Sacristan entered and greeted the Vicar with the words "Morning! Christ has risen! Alleluia!." The response was not the normal, but rather
"He hasn't, not until I say so!"
This made me think, we are quite controlling over things normally. Things will happen, but in the set way and using our beloved liturgies. Easter Day will be a celebration of love and joy of new life and hope, but when we say.
This year in the midst of this awful Coronavirus we have been forced to think outside the box, to share in Jesus' sufferings and death and the power of the Resurrection in a way which is different and may be liberating. We are not able to control things in the same way, we do not know how those in isolation will feel today or those who can't be with family and friends or how a holiday at home will be celebrated as a worthwhile time. For many Holy week has been observed differently, no Eucharist but spiritual Eucharist for the people, a watch of the Passion alone, isolated in keeping with an isolated Christ, Jesus' trial and crucifixion exemplifying the aloneness of Christ and our separation. How for our communities has the church been readied and prepared for the joy of today? Are our communities isolated from our Easter joy? Or are we controlled in how we wish them to see the Church, even at Easter?
Go forth now, tied by controlling Coronavirus rules and regulations and yet free too to experience Christ's Resurrection in fresh and new exciting ways and then to share this in our isolation, so that it might become a reality for others.
The Lord is risen Alleluia! Alleluia!
He is risen indeed Alleluia! Alleluia!
Prayers prepared for us today by our Ordinand Rick, who is himself along with his wife, Catherine, recovering from the virus.
At this Easter time we remember how the stone was rolled away that Easter morning
The tomb was empty, death defeated, and Jesus was alive!
We bring to you now some our things that’s lay in a different tomb
Things which we worry about which lay in dark places in our hearts
We ask you to roll away the stones from these problems so that your Easter light may shine through
Lord in your Mercy
We pray for all the essential workers this Easter time
For those whose service and role, we have perhaps taken for granted over the years but now appreciate and see in a different light
Lord be beside them this Easter
Lord in your mercy
We think of all those in government this Easter time
We ask you to be alongside our Prime Minister as he continues his recovery and all who fight this virus this Easter time
Lord be beside them this Easter
Lord in your mercy
We take a moment to think of all who feel unwell and are sick this Easter time
In particular we think of Ian, John, Catherine, Rick and baby Oscar
And will take a moment in silence to recall those we know who need to feel the comfort of our Lord
Lord be beside them this Easter
Lord in your mercy
We take a moment to think of all who have passed away
In particular we think of Dave, Ian, Ken and Brenda
And we pray for all those families that mourn at this time
Lord be beside them this Easter
Lord in your mercy
Merciful Father, accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
Hymn See What a Morning
May the Grace of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all now and ever more. AMEN
