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<DIV>The following are the readings for the Third Sunday of Easter, April 30,
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.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>FIRST READING: Acts 2: 14a, 36 - 41 (RCL) </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Acts 2:14 (NRSV) But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and
addressed them, </DIV>
<DIV>36 Therefore let the entire house of Israel know with certainty that God
has made him both Lord and Messiah, this Jesus whom you crucified." </DIV>
<DIV>37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter
and to the other apostles, "Brothers, what should we do?" 38 Peter said to them,
"Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that
your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39
For the promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away,
everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him." 40 And he testified with many
other arguments and exhorted them, saying, "Save yourselves from this corrupt
generation." 41 So those who welcomed his message were baptized, and that day
about three thousand persons were added. 42 They devoted themselves to the
apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
</DIV>
<DIV>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> </DIV>
<DIV>Acts 2: 14, 22 - 33 (Roman Catholic) </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Acts 2:14 (NRSV) But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and
addressed them, </DIV>
<DIV>"Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and
listen to what I say. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>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, </DIV>
<DIV>"I saw the Lord always before me, </DIV>
<DIV>for he is at my right hand so that I will not be shaken; </DIV>
<DIV>26 therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; </DIV>
<DIV>moreover my flesh will live in hope. </DIV>
<DIV>27 For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, </DIV>
<DIV>or let your Holy One experience corruption. </DIV>
<DIV>28 You have made known to me the ways of life; </DIV>
<DIV>you will make me full of gladness with your presence.' </DIV>
<DIV>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, </DIV>
<DIV>"He was not abandoned to Hades, </DIV>
<DIV>nor did his flesh experience corruption.' 32 This Jesus God raised up, and
of that all of us are witnesses. 33 Being therefore exalted at the right hand of
God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has
poured out this that you both see and hear. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Zephaniah 3: 14 - 20 (alt. for C of E) </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Zeph 3:14 (NRSV) Sing aloud, O daughter Zion; </DIV>
<DIV>shout, O Israel! </DIV>
<DIV>Rejoice and exult with all your heart, </DIV>
<DIV>O daughter Jerusalem! </DIV>
<DIV>15 The LORD has taken away the judgments against you, </DIV>
<DIV>he has turned away your enemies. </DIV>
<DIV>The king of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; </DIV>
<DIV>you shall fear disaster no more. </DIV>
<DIV>16 On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: </DIV>
<DIV>Do not fear, O Zion; </DIV>
<DIV>do not let your hands grow weak. </DIV>
<DIV>17 The LORD, your God, is in your midst, </DIV>
<DIV>a warrior who gives victory; </DIV>
<DIV>he will rejoice over you with gladness, </DIV>
<DIV>he will renew you in his love; </DIV>
<DIV>he will exult over you with loud singing </DIV>
<DIV>18 as on a day of festival. </DIV>
<DIV>I will remove disaster from you, </DIV>
<DIV>so that you will not bear reproach for it. </DIV>
<DIV>19 I will deal with all your oppressors </DIV>
<DIV>at that time. </DIV>
<DIV>And I will save the lame </DIV>
<DIV>and gather the outcast, </DIV>
<DIV>and I will change their shame into praise </DIV>
<DIV>and renown in all the earth. </DIV>
<DIV>20 At that time I will bring you home, </DIV>
<DIV>at the time when I gather you; </DIV>
<DIV>for I will make you renowned and praised </DIV>
<DIV>among all the peoples of the earth, </DIV>
<DIV>when I restore your fortunes </DIV>
<DIV>before your eyes, says the LORD. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>PSALM 116: 1 - 4, 12 - 19 (RCL) </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Psal 116:1 (NRSV) I love the LORD, because he has heard </DIV>
<DIV>my voice and my supplications. </DIV>
<DIV>2 Because he inclined his ear to me, </DIV>
<DIV>therefore I will call on him as long as I live. </DIV>
<DIV>3 The snares of death encompassed me; </DIV>
<DIV>the pangs of She'ol laid hold on me; </DIV>
<DIV>I suffered distress and anguish. </DIV>
<DIV>4 Then I called on the name of the LORD: </DIV>
<DIV>"O LORD, I pray, save my life!" </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>12 What shall I return to the LORD </DIV>
<DIV>for all his bounty to me? </DIV>
<DIV>13 I will lift up the cup of salvation </DIV>
<DIV>and call on the name of the LORD, </DIV>
<DIV>14 I will pay my vows to the LORD </DIV>
<DIV>in the presence of all his people. </DIV>
<DIV>15 Precious in the sight of the LORD </DIV>
<DIV>is the death of his faithful ones. </DIV>
<DIV>16 O LORD, I am your servant; </DIV>
<DIV>I am your servant, the child of your serving girl. </DIV>
<DIV>You have loosed my bonds. </DIV>
<DIV>17 I will offer to you a thanksgiving sacrifice </DIV>
<DIV>and call on the name of the LORD. </DIV>
<DIV>18 I will pay my vows to the LORD </DIV>
<DIV>in the presence of all his people, </DIV>
<DIV>19 in the courts of the house of the LORD, </DIV>
<DIV>in your midst, O Jerusalem. </DIV>
<DIV>Praise the LORD! </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Note: Verse numbering in your Psalter may be different from the
above.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Psalm 16: 1 - 2, 5, 7 - 11 (Roman Catholic) </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Psal 16:1 (NRSV) Protect me, O God, for in you I take refuge. </DIV>
<DIV>2 I say to the LORD, "You are my Lord; </DIV>
<DIV>I have no good apart from you." </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>5 The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; </DIV>
<DIV>you hold my lot. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>7 I bless the LORD who gives me counsel; </DIV>
<DIV>in the night also my heart instructs me. </DIV>
<DIV>8 I keep the LORD always before me; </DIV>
<DIV>because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. </DIV>
<DIV>9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices; </DIV>
<DIV>my body also rests secure. </DIV>
<DIV>10 For you do not give me up to She'ol, </DIV>
<DIV>or let your faithful one see the Pit. </DIV>
<DIV>11 You show me the path of life. </DIV>
<DIV>In your presence there is fullness of joy; </DIV>
<DIV>in your right hand are pleasures forevermore. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>SECOND READING: 1 Peter 1: 17 - 23 (RCL) </DIV>
<DIV>
1 Peter 1: 17 - 21 (Roman Catholic) </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>1Pet 1:17 (NRSV) If you invoke as Father the one who judges all people
impartially according to their deeds, live in reverent fear during the time of
your exile. 18 You know that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited
from your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold, 19 but with
the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish. 20
He was destined before the foundation of the world, but was revealed at the end
of the ages for your sake. 21 Through him you have come to trust in God, who
raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are set
on God. </DIV>
<DIV>22 Now that you have purified your souls by your obedience to the truth so
that you have genuine mutual love, love one another deeply from the heart. 23
You have been born anew, not of perishable but of imperishable seed, through the
living and enduring word of God. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Note: If one of the alternative Old Testamernt readings was used for the
first reading, the Acts passage should be used here. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>GOSPEL: Luke 24: 13 - 35 (all) </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Luke 24:13 (NRSV) Now on that same day two of them were going to a village
called Emma'us, about seven miles from Jerusalem, 14 and talking with each other
about all these things that had happened. 15 While they were talking and
discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, 16 but their eyes were
kept from recognizing him. 17 And he said to them, "What are you discussing with
each other while you walk along?" They stood still, looking sad.18 Then one of
them, whose name was Cle'opas, answered him, "Are you the only stranger in
Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these
days?" 19 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, 20 and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned
to death and crucified him. 21 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. 22 Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the
tomb early this morning, 23 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. 24 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." 25 Then he said to them, "Oh,
how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have
declared! 26 Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things
and then enter into his glory?" 27 Then beginning with Moses and all the
prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures.
</DIV>
<DIV>28 As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead
as if he were going on. 29 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. 30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed
and broke it, and gave it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened, and they
recognized him; and he vanished from their sight. 32 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?" 33 That same hour they got up and
returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered
together. 34 They were saying, "The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared
to Simon!" 35 Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been
made known to them in the breaking of the bread. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri'; COLOR: #000000">Chad
Wohlers<BR>Woodbury, VT
USA<BR>chadwohl@satucket.com<BR></DIV></DIV></DIV></BODY></HTML>