Easter Day

Collect
Almighty God, who through thine only-begotten Son Jesus Christ overcame death and opened unto us the gate of everlasting life: Grant that we, who celebrate with joy the day of the Lord's resurrection, may be raised from the death of sin by thy life-giving Spirit; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the same Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

First Lesson: Exodus 14:10-14, 21-25; 15:20-21
As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the LORD. They said to Moses, "Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? Didn't we say to you in Egypt, 'Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians'? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!"

Moses answered the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still."

21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the LORD drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided, and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left.

The Egyptians pursued them, and all Pharaoh's horses and chariots and horsemen followed them into the sea.

During the last watch of the night the LORD looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud at the Egyptian army and threw it into confusion. He made the wheels of their chariots come off so that they had difficulty driving. And the Egyptians said, "Let's get away from the Israelites! The LORD is fighting for them against Egypt."

15. 20 Then Miriam the prophetess, Aaron's sister, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women followed her, with tambourines and dancing. Miriam sang to them: "Sing to the LORD,
for he is highly exalted.
The horse and its rider
he has hurled into the sea."

Second Lesson: Acts 10:34-43
Then Peter began to speak: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right. You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. You know what has happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached-- how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.

We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a tree, but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen--by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.

He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name."

Psalm: 118:14-29

  1. The LORD is my strength and my song, *
          and he has become my salvation.
  2. There is a sound of exultation and victory *
          in the tents of the righteous:
  3. "The right hand of the LORD has triumphed! *
          the right hand of the LORD is exalted!
          the right hand of the LORD has triumphed!"
  4. I shall not die, but live, *
          and declare the works of the LORD.
  5. The LORD has punished me sorely, *
          but he did not hand me over to death.
  6. Open for me the gates of righteousness; *
          I will enter them;
          I will offer thanks to the LORD.
  7. "This is the gate of the LORD; *
          he who is righteous may enter."
  8. I will give thanks to you, for you answered me *
          and have become my salvation.
  9. The same stone which the builders rejected *
          has become the chief cornerstone.
  10. This is the LORD'S doing, *
          and it is marvelous in our eyes.
  11. On this day the LORD has acted; *
          we will rejoice and be glad in it.
  12. Hosannah, LORD, hosannah! *
          LORD, send us now success.
  13. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord; *
          we bless you from the house of the LORD.
  14. God is the LORD; he has shined upon us; *
          form a procession with branches up to the horns of the altar.
  15. "You are my God, and I will thank you; *
          you are my God, and I will exalt you."
  16. Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; *
          his mercy endures for ever.

Gospel: Matthew 28:1-10
After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you."

So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me."

Collect & Psalm from the Book of Common Prayer
Other excerpts from the New International Bible

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