Sunday readings and prayers

“Have you believed because you have seen me?  Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe."

1) Now the green blade riseth, from the buried grain,
Wheat that in dark earth many days has lain;
Love lives again, that with the dead has been:
Love is come again like wheat that springeth green.

2) In the grave they laid Him, Love who had been slain,
Thinking that He never would awake again,
Laid in the earth like grain that sleeps unseen:
Love is come again like wheat that springeth green.

3) Forth He came at Easter, like the risen grain,
Jesus who for three days in the grave had lain;
Quick from the dead the risen One is seen:
Love is come again like wheat that springeth green.

4) When our hearts are wintry, grieving, or in pain,
Jesus' touch can call us back to life again,
Fields of our hearts that dead and bare have been:
Love is come again like wheat that springeth green 

The collect for Low Sunday.

Risen Christ, for whom no door is locked, no entrance barred: open the doors of our hearts, that we may seek the good of others and walk the joyful road of sacrifice and peace, to the praise of God the Father. CW

First Bible Reading  Acts 2.14a,22–32

But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them: ‘Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say.‘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— 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. But God raised him up, having freed him from death, because it was impossible for him to be held in its power. For David says concerning him, "I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand so that I will not be shaken; therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; moreover, my flesh will live in hope. For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One experience corruption. You have made known to me the ways of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.” ‘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. 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. Foreseeing this, David spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, saying, “He was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh experience corruption.” This Jesus God raised up, and of that all of us are witnesses.

Psalm 16

Protect me, O God, for I take refuge in you; I have said to the Lord, "You are my Lord,  my good above all other."

 All my delight is upon the godly that are in the land, upon those who are noble among the people.

But those who run after other gods shall have their troubles multiplied.

Their libations of blood I will not offer, nor take the names of their gods upon my lips.

O Lord, you are my portion and my cup; it is you who uphold my lot.

My boundaries enclose a pleasant land; indeed, I have a goodly heritage.

I will bless the Lord who gives me counsel; my heart teaches me, night after night.

I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand I shall not fall.

My heart, therefore, is glad, and my spirit rejoices; my body also shall rest in hope.

For you will not abandon me to the grave, nor let your holy one see the Pit.

You will show me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy,  and in your right hand are pleasures for evermore.

The Epistle: 1 Peter 1:3-9

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, and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who are being protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, even if now for a little while you have had to suffer various trials, 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 honour when Jesus Christ is revealed. 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, for you are receiving the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

The Gospel: John 20:19-31

 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." After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."

But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 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."

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." 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." Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" 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."

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. 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.

The Gospel reading today is the familiar and encouraging account of Thomas’s meeting with the risen Christ. What an extraordinary experience it was for Thomas and one that completely changed his life! Many may feel that their faith is being tested through these difficult times but  there is nothing wrong with doubt. Indeed, very often it leads to a deeper rooted faith.  The Incredulity of  Thomas: Duccio

Heavenly Father, the resurrection of Your Son has given us new life and renewed hope.
Strengthen our faith and help us to live as Christ commanded us, loving our neighbour as ourselves and trusting in your unfailing goodness.

• We pray for those who are struggling to see the truth of the resurrection that your loving presence may be made known to them.
• We pray for the church communities in this Diocese that we may find renewed joy, hope and encouragement through the Resurrected Christ.
• We continue to pray for peace in Ukraine, the Middle East and other wartorn countries. We pray for diplomats and peacemakers seeking to promote understanding and cooperation among the nations.
• We pray for those in our own country who are struggling with uncertainty and anxiety due to the cost of living crisis.
• We pray for those known to us who are in poor health, thinking especially of ....................................................
• We pray for the repose of the souls of those who have recently departed this life ………. We ask you, Father, to be with the recently bereaved that they may know the comforting presence of the risen Christ.   

The Prayer of St. Anselm 

O Lord my God, teach my heart this day where and how to find you. You have made me and re-made me, and you have bestowed on me all the good things I possess, and still I do not know you.  I have not yet done that for which I was made. Teach me to seek you, for I cannot seek you unless you teach me, or find you unless you show yourself to me. Let me seek you in my desire; Let me desire you in my seeking.  Let me find you by loving you; Let me love you when I find you.

Fra Angelico: Resurrection