Hymn, readings and prayers for Sunday

THE SEVENTH SUNDAY OF EASTER  

Last Thursday was Ascension Day and in this week’s readings we are preparing for the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.  Jesus knew that his time on earth was limited but he never wanted his people to feel abandoned or anxious about his going. He wanted them to know the truth of God’s redeeming love that would protect and guide them as they ministered to others and passed on the good news of the Gospel.                                     

The Ascension: Waldburg-Gebetbuch

The collect for the Seventh Sunday of Easter

O God the King of glory, you have exalted your only Son Jesus Christ with great triumph to your kingdom in heaven: we beseech you, leave us not comfortless, but send your Holy Spirit to strengthen us and exalt us to the place where our Saviour Christ is gone before, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.  Amen

The first reading continues the story of the setbacks Paul encountered during his second missionary journey. Last week he found himself being welcomed into a worshipping community of women when he had expected to base himself on an established  group of men. This week his patience is tried by a  slave girl who stalks and taunts him. Unable to take it any more, Paul in desperation cures her of her illness but in the process incurs the anger of her owners who have Silas and himself  thrown into jail. Paul could have lost heart at this point but no, he prayed and sang hymns to God – and God came to the rescue by causing an earthquake that flung the prison doors wide open. Paul and Silas could have taken the opportunity to escape but no, they remained so as not to get the jailer into trouble. Their trust in God and their care for the welfare of others led to the conversion of the jailer and those around him.  

The First Reading: Acts 16:16-34

One day, as we were going to the place of prayer, we met a slave-girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners a great deal of money by fortune-telling. While she followed Paul and us, she would cry out, ‘These men are slaves of the Most High God, who proclaim to you a way of salvation.‘ She kept doing this for many days. But Paul, very much annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, ‘I order you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.‘ And it came out that very hour. But when her owners saw that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the market-place before the authorities. When they had brought them before the magistrates, they said, ‘These men are disturbing our city; they are Jews and are advocating customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to adopt or observe.‘ The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates had them stripped of their clothing and ordered them to be beaten with rods. After they had given them a severe flogging, they threw them into prison and ordered the jailer to keep them securely. Following these instructions, he put them in the innermost cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was an earthquake, so violent that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were unfastened. When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors wide open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, since he supposed that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted in a loud voice, ‘Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.’ The jailer called for lights, and rushing in, he fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them outside and said, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ They answered, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.’ They spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. At the same hour of the night he took them and washed their wounds; then he and his entire family were baptized without delay. He brought them up into the house and set food before them; and he and his entire household rejoiced that he had become a believer in God.

However black things look, however much things are not turning out as we might expect, God is in control. Jesus has overcome death itself and His believers have His Spirit with them wherever they may go. 

Psalm 97

The LORD is King; let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of the isles be glad. Clouds and darkness are round about him, righteousness and justice are the foundations of his throne. A fire goes before him and burns up his enemies on every side. His lightnings light up the world; the earth sees it and is afraid. The mountains melt like wax at the presence of the LORD, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth. The heavens declare his righteousness, and all the peoples see his glory. Confounded be all who worship carved images and delight in false gods! Bow down before him, all you gods. Zion hears and is glad, and the cities of Judah rejoice, because of your judgments, O LORD.For you are the LORD, most high over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods. The LORD loves those who hate evil; he preserves the lives of his saints and delivers them from the hand of the wicked. Light has sprung up for the righteous, and joyful gladness for those who are truehearted. Rejoice in the LORD, you righteous, and give thanks to his holy Name.

Second Reading: Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20-21

I, John, heard a voice saying to me: ‘See, I am coming soon; my reward is with me, to repay according to everyone’s work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end. Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they will have the right to the tree of life and may enter the city by the gates.

It is I, Jesus, who sent my angel to you with this testimony for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.’

The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come.’ And let everyone who hears say, ‘Come.’ And let everyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who wishes take the water of life as a gift.

The one who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all the saints. Amen.

Gospel reading: John 17:20-26

Jesus looked up to heaven and prayed: ‘Holy Father, I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. Father, I desire that those also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory, which you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.

‘Righteous Father, the world does not know you, but I know you; and these know that you have sent me. I made your name known to them, and I will make it known, so that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.’

At Ascensiontide we give thanks that Jesus cared so much for God’s people (us!) that,  before he ended his ministry on earth,  he prayed to the Father to protect them, to reassure them and to give them joy. 

Jesus, we often do not know how to pray,
So pray for us, Pray with us,
That we may be one with you,
One with each other, and One in ministry to the world.                                

                                     written by Rev. Abi, and posted on her Long and Winding Road blog. 

• We pray for all working to put joy back into people’s hearts despite the unsettling state of the world around us.
• We pray for those who experience little joy in their lives at the moment, whether due to a medical condition, financial concerns or other circumstances.
• We  pray for those known to us who are in poor health, thinking especially of........................................................ May they know the strength and the comfort of the Holy Spirit.
• We pray for the repose of the souls of those who have recently departed this life… and bring before you all who are deeply missing loved ones through bereavement.