Lectionary Readings Book of Common Prayer - 1979 Sunday, April-14-2013 Third Sunday of Easter

The Collect

Third Sunday of Easter
O God, whose blessed Son did manifest himself to his disciples in the breaking of bread: Open, we pray thee, the eyes of our faith, that we may behold him in all his redeeming work; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen
Preface of Easter

Old Testament Reading

Acts 9:1-19
¹ But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest ² and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. ³ Now as he journeyed he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed about him. ⁴ And he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" ⁵ And he said, "Who are you, Lord?" And he said, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting; ⁶ but rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do." ⁷ The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. ⁸ Saul arose from the ground; and when his eyes were opened, he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. ⁹ And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank. ¹⁰ Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Anani'as. The Lord said to him in a vision, "Anani'as." And he said, "Here I am, Lord." ¹¹ And the Lord said to him, "Rise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for a man of Tarsus named Saul; for behold, he is praying, ¹² and he has seen a man named Anani'as come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight." ¹³ But Anani'as answered, "Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to thy saints at Jerusalem; ¹⁴ and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call upon thy name." ¹⁵ But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; ¹⁶ for I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name." ¹⁷ So Anani'as departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came, has sent me that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit." ¹⁸ And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized, ¹⁹ and took food and was strengthened. For several days he was with the disciples at Damascus. - OR -

Jeremiah 32:36-41
³⁶ "Now therefore thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning this city of which you say, `It is given into the hand of the king of Babylon by sword, by famine, and by pestilence': ³⁷ Behold, I will gather them from all the countries to which I drove them in my anger and my wrath and in great indignation; I will bring them back to this place, and I will make them dwell in safety. ³⁸ And they shall be my people, and I will be their God. ³⁹ I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for their own good and the good of their children after them. ⁴⁰ I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them; and I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me. ⁴¹ I will rejoice in doing them good, and I will plant them in this land in faithfulness, with all my heart and all my soul.

Psalm

Psalm 33

Exultate, justi
1Rejoice in the LORD, you righteous; *
     it is good for the just to sing praises.
2Praise the LORD with the harp; *
     play to him upon the psaltery and lyre.
3Sing for him a new song; *
     sound a fanfare with all your skill upon the trumpet.
4For the word of the LORD is right, *
     and all his works are sure.
5He loves righteousness and justice; *
     the loving-kindness of the LORD fills the whole earth.
6By the word of the LORD were the heavens made, *
     by the breath of his mouth all the heavenly hosts.
7He gathers up the waters of the ocean as in a water-skin *
     and stores up the depths of the sea.
8Let all the earth fear the LORD; *
     let all who dwell in the world stand in awe of him.
9For he spoke, and it came to pass; *
     he commanded, and it stood fast.
10The LORD brings the will of the nations to naught; *
     he thwarts the designs of the peoples.
11But the LORD'S will stands fast for ever, *
     and the designs of his heart from age to age.
12Happy is the nation whose God is the LORD! *
     happy the people he has chosen to be his own!
13The LORD looks down from heaven, *
     and beholds all the people in the world.
14From where he sits enthroned he turns his gaze *
     on all who dwell on the earth.
15He fashions all the hearts of them *
     and understands all their works.
16There is no king that can be saved by a mighty army; *
     a strong man is not delivered by his great strength.
17The horse is a vain hope for deliverance; *
     for all its strength it cannot save.
18Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon those who fear him, *
     on those who wait upon his love,
19To pluck their lives from death, *
     and to feed them in time of famine.
20Our soul waits for the LORD; *
     he is our help and our shield.
21Indeed, our heart rejoices in him, *
     for in his holy Name we put our trust.
22Let your loving-kindness, O LORD, be upon us, *
     as we have put our trust in you.

- OR -

Psalm 33:1-11

1Rejoice in the LORD, you righteous; *
     it is good for the just to sing praises.
2Praise the LORD with the harp; *
     play to him upon the psaltery and lyre.
3Sing for him a new song; *
     sound a fanfare with all your skill upon the trumpet.
4For the word of the LORD is right, *
     and all his works are sure.
5He loves righteousness and justice; *
     the loving-kindness of the LORD fills the whole earth.
6By the word of the LORD were the heavens made, *
     by the breath of his mouth all the heavenly hosts.
7He gathers up the waters of the ocean as in a water-skin *
     and stores up the depths of the sea.
8Let all the earth fear the LORD; *
     let all who dwell in the world stand in awe of him.
9For he spoke, and it came to pass; *
     he commanded, and it stood fast.
10The LORD brings the will of the nations to naught; *
     he thwarts the designs of the peoples.
11But the LORD'S will stands fast for ever, *
     and the designs of his heart from age to age.

New Testament Reading

Revelation 5:6-14
⁶ And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders, I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth; ⁷ and he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne. ⁸ And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and with golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints; ⁹ and they sang a new song, saying, "Worthy art thou to take the scroll and to open its seals, for thou wast slain and by thy blood didst ransom men for God from every tribe and tongue and people and nation, ¹⁰ and hast made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on earth." ¹¹ Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, ¹² saying with a loud voice, "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!" ¹³ And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all therein, saying, "To him who sits upon the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might for ever and ever!" ¹⁴ And the four living creatures said, "Amen!" and the elders fell down and worshiped. - OR -

Acts 9:1-19
¹ But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest ² and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. ³ Now as he journeyed he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed about him. ⁴ And he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" ⁵ And he said, "Who are you, Lord?" And he said, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting; ⁶ but rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do." ⁷ The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. ⁸ Saul arose from the ground; and when his eyes were opened, he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. ⁹ And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank. ¹⁰ Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Anani'as. The Lord said to him in a vision, "Anani'as." And he said, "Here I am, Lord." ¹¹ And the Lord said to him, "Rise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for a man of Tarsus named Saul; for behold, he is praying, ¹² and he has seen a man named Anani'as come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight." ¹³ But Anani'as answered, "Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to thy saints at Jerusalem; ¹⁴ and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call upon thy name." ¹⁵ But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; ¹⁶ for I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name." ¹⁷ So Anani'as departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came, has sent me that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit." ¹⁸ And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized, ¹⁹ and took food and was strengthened. For several days he was with the disciples at Damascus.

Gospel Reading

John 21:1-14
¹ After this Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tibe'ri-as; and he revealed himself in this way. ² Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathan'a-el of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zeb'edee, and two others of his disciples were together. ³ Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing." They said to him, "We will go with you." They went out and got into the boat; but that night they caught nothing. ⁴ Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the beach; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. ⁵ Jesus said to them, "Children, have you any fish?" They answered him, "No." ⁶ He said to them, "Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some." So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, for the quantity of fish. ⁷ That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his clothes, for he was stripped for work, and sprang into the sea. ⁸ But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off. ⁹ When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish lying on it, and bread. ¹⁰ Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish that you have just caught." ¹¹ So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred and fifty-three of them; and although there were so many, the net was not torn. ¹² Jesus said to them, "Come and have breakfast." Now none of the disciples dared ask him, "Who are you?" They knew it was the Lord. ¹³ Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. ¹⁴ This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.