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<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>The following are the readings for the Second
Sunday of Easter, May 1, according to the Revised Common (RCL), Episcopal
(ECUSA), Roman Catholic, Canadian BAS, and the Church of England (Common
Worship) lectionaries. All readings are taken from the New Revised Standard
Version (NRSV) of the Bible. Unless noted otherwise, the ECUSA, Canadian and C
of E lectionaries are identical to the RCL for this day.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>FIRST READING: Acts 2: 14a, 22 - 32
(RCL)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Acts 2:14 (NRSV) But Peter, standing with the
eleven, raised his voice and addressed them,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>22 "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--
23 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. 24 But
God raised him up, having freed him from death, because it was impossible for
him to be held in its power. 25 For David says concerning him,<BR>"I saw the
Lord always before me,<BR>for he is at my right hand so that I will not be
shaken;<BR>26 therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced;<BR>moreover
my flesh will live in hope.<BR>27 For you will not abandon my soul to
Hades,<BR>or let your Holy One experience corruption.<BR>28 You have made known
to me the ways of life;<BR>you will make me full of gladness with your
presence.'<BR>29 "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. 30 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. 31 Foreseeing this,
David spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, saying,<BR>"He was not abandoned
to Hades,<BR>nor did his flesh experience corruption.'<BR>32 This Jesus God
raised up, and of that all of us are witnesses.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>
<DIV><BR>Acts 2: 42 - 47 (Roman Catholic)</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Acts 2:42 (NRSV) They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and
fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 Awe came upon everyone,
because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. 44 All who
believed were together and had all things in common; 45 they would sell their
possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46
Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at
home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and
having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their
number those who were being saved.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><BR>Exodus 14: 10 - 31, 15: 20, 21 (alt. for C of E)</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Exod 14:10 (NRSV) As Pharaoh drew near, the Israelites looked back, and
there were the Egyptians advancing on them. In great fear the Israelites cried
out to the LORD. 11 They said to Moses, "Was it because there were no graves in
Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done
to us, bringing us out of Egypt? 12 Is this not the very thing we told you in
Egypt, "Let us alone and let us serve the Egyptians'? For it would have been
better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness." 13 But
Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid, stand firm, and see the deliverance
that the LORD will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you see
today you shall never see again. 14 The LORD will fight for you, and you have
only to keep still." <BR>15 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Why do you cry out to
me? Tell the Israelites to go forward. 16 But you lift up your staff, and
stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, that the Israelites may go
into the sea on dry ground. 17 Then I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so
that they will go in after them; and so I will gain glory for myself over
Pharaoh and all his army, his chariots, and his chariot drivers. 18 And the
Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gained glory for myself
over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his chariot drivers." <BR>19 The angel of God
who was going before the Israelite army moved and went behind them; and the
pillar of cloud moved from in front of them and took its place behind them. 20
It came between the army of Egypt and the army of Israel. And so the cloud was
there with the darkness, and it lit up the night; one did not come near the
other all night. <BR>21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. The LORD
drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night, and turned the sea into dry
land; and the waters were divided. 22 The Israelites went into the sea on dry
ground, the waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left. 23
The Egyptians pursued, and went into the sea after them, all of Pharaoh's
horses, chariots, and chariot drivers. 24 At the morning watch the LORD in the
pillar of fire and cloud looked down upon the Egyptian army, and threw the
Egyptian army into panic. 25 He clogged their chariot wheels so that they turned
with difficulty. The Egyptians said, "Let us flee from the Israelites, for the
LORD is fighting for them against Egypt." <BR>26 Then the LORD said to Moses,
"Stretch out your hand over the sea, so that the water may come back upon the
Egyptians, upon their chariots and chariot drivers." 27 So Moses stretched out
his hand over the sea, and at dawn the sea returned to its normal depth. As the
Egyptians fled before it, the LORD tossed the Egyptians into the sea. 28 The
waters returned and covered the chariots and the chariot drivers, the entire
army of Pharaoh that had followed them into the sea; not one of them remained.
29 But the Israelites walked on dry ground through the sea, the waters forming a
wall for them on their right and on their left. <BR>30 Thus the LORD saved
Israel that day from the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the
seashore. 31 Israel saw the great work that the LORD did against the Egyptians.
So the people feared the LORD and believed in the LORD and in his servant
Moses.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>15: 20 Then the prophet Miriam, Aaron's sister, took a tambourine in her
hand; and all the women went out after her with tambourines and with dancing. 21
And Miriam sang to them: <BR>""Sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed
gloriously; <BR>horse and rider he has thrown into the sea." </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>PSALM 16 (RCL)</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Psal 16:1 (NRSV) Protect me, O God, for in you I take refuge.<BR>2 I say to
the LORD, "You are my Lord;<BR>I have no good apart from you." <BR>3 As for the
holy ones in the land, they are the noble,<BR>in whom is all my delight.<BR>4
Those who choose another god multiply their sorrows; <BR>their drink offerings
of blood I will not pour out<BR>or take their names upon my lips.<BR>5 The LORD
is my chosen portion and my cup;<BR>you hold my lot.<BR>6 The boundary lines
have fallen for me in pleasant places;<BR>I have a goodly heritage.<BR>7 I bless
the LORD who gives me counsel;<BR>in the night also my heart instructs me.<BR>8
I keep the LORD always before me;<BR>because he is at my right hand, I shall not
be moved.<BR>9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices;<BR>my body also
rests secure.<BR>10 For you do not give me up to She'ol,<BR>or let your faithful
one see the Pit.<BR>11 You show me the path of life.<BR>In your presence there
is fullness of joy;<BR>in your right hand are pleasures forevermore.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><BR>16 Conserva me, Domine (ECUSA
BCP)<BR> <BR>1 Protect me, O God, for I take refuge in you;
*<BR> I have said to the Lord, “You are my Lord,<BR> my
good above all other.”<BR> <BR>2 All my delight is upon the
godly that are in the land, *<BR> upon those who are noble among the
people.<BR> <BR>3 But those who run after other gods
*<BR> shall have their troubles multiplied.<BR> <BR>4
Their libations of blood I will not offer, *<BR> nor take the
names of their gods upon my lips.<BR> <BR>5 O Lord, you are my
portion and my cup; *<BR> it is you who uphold my
lot.<BR> <BR>6 My boundaries enclose a pleasant land;
*<BR> indeed, I have a goodly heritage.<BR> <BR>7 I
will bless the Lord who gives me counsel; *<BR> my heart teaches me,
night after night.<BR> <BR>8 I have set the Lord always before
me; *<BR> because he is at my right hand I shall not
fall.<BR> <BR>9 My heart, therefore, is glad, and my spirit
rejoices; *<BR> my body also shall rest in hope.<BR> <BR>10
For you will not abandon me to the grave, *<BR> nor let your
holy one see the Pit.<BR> <BR>11 You will show me the path of life;
*<BR> in your presence there is fullness of joy,<BR> and
in your right hand are pleasures for evermore.<BR> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><BR>Psalm 118: 2 - 4, 13 - 15, 22 - 24 (Roman Catholic)</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Psal 118:2 (NRSV) Let Israel say,<BR>"His steadfast love endures
forever."<BR>3 Let the house of Aaron say,<BR>"His steadfast love endures
forever."<BR>4 Let those who fear the LORD say,<BR>"His steadfast love endures
forever."</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>13 I was pushed hard, so that I was falling,<BR>but the LORD helped
me.<BR>14 The LORD is my strength and my might;<BR>he has become my
salvation.<BR>15 There are glad songs of victory in the tents of the
righteous:<BR>"The right hand of the LORD does valiantly;</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>22 The stone that the builders rejected<BR>has become the chief
cornerstone.<BR>23 This is the LORD's doing;<BR>it is marvelous in our
eyes.<BR>24 This is the day that the LORD has made;<BR>let us rejoice and be
glad in it. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><BR>SECOND READING: 1 Peter 1: 3 - 9 (all)</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>1Pet 1:3 (NRSV) 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, 4 and into an inheritance that is
imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who are being
protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed
in the last time. 6 In this you rejoice, even if now for a little while you have
had to suffer various trials, 7 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. 8
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, 9
for you are receiving the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your
souls.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Note: For C of E, if the alternate OT reading was used for the first
reading, the Acts reading above should be used here.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><BR>GOSPEL: John 20: 19 - 31 (all)</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>John 20:19 (NRSV) 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."
20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples
rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with
you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." 22 When he had said this, he
breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive
the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are
retained."<BR>24 But Thomas (who was called the Twin ), one of the twelve, was
not with them when Jesus came. 25 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."<BR>26 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." 27 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." 28 Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" 29 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."<BR>30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the
presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. 31 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.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Chad Wohlers<BR>Woodbury, Vermont USA<BR><A
href="mailto:chadwohl@satucket.com">chadwohl@satucket.com</A><BR><A
href="mailto:cwohlers@bridgew.edu">cwohlers@bridgew.edu</A><BR></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>