Glory Among the Nations: Seventh Sunday of Easter
Happy Resurrection Day, friends! Easter Sunday kicks off a seven-week festival in the liturgical calendar known as Eastertide or The Great Fifty Days. I'll be posting daily each day of the Easter Octave and each Sunday following that. May you know new life, peace, and hope today, tomorrow, and forever.
Read all the way to the end of the post for a way you can help us practice resurrection!
LOOK: Easter 2021, Shin Maeng - Source
Artist’s Statement: “In the front and center is Jesus, the Savior of the world. We see him in the fullness of his majesty, a majesty which includes the scars in his wrists and the crown of thorns on his head. He is the Good Shepherd who leads the multiethnic, diverse family of God into the Final Resurrection. This deliverance echoes the Exodus story, where a pillar of cloud led the Israelites by day and a pillar of fire by night. He is with us, guides us, and welcomes us into his family. At the tomb, we see Mary mourning and then the angels (depicted here as women) point her to Jesus. Jesus welcomes us, with all our scars and wounds, to be a part of his family.”
LISTEN: Alleluia, Sing to Jesus, Urban Doxology - Lyrics | Spotify | YouTube
READ: Ezekiel 39:21-29; Psalm 47; 1 Peter 4:12-19; John 17:1-11
Daily readings for the second week of Eastertide
Monday (5/22) Psalm 89; Ezekiel 4:1-17; Hebrews 6:1-12; Luke 9:51-62
Tuesday (5/23) Psalm 97, 99; Psalm 94; Ezekiel 7:10-15,23b-27; Hebrews 6:13-20; Luke 10:1-17
Wednesday (5/24) Psalm 101, 109; Psalm 119:121-144; Ezekiel 11:14-25; Hebrews 7:1-17; Luke 10:17-24
Thursday (5/25) Psalm 105; Ezekiel 18:1-4,19-32; Hebrews 7:18-28; Luke 10:25-37
Friday (5/26) Psalm 102; Psalm 107:1-32; Ezekiel 34:17-31; Hebrews 8:1-13; Luke 10:38-42
Saturday (5/27) Psalm 107:33-43; Psalm 108; Ezekiel 43:1-12; Hebrews 9:1-14; Luke 11:14-23
PRAY: Collect for Seventh Sunday After Easter, the Book of Common Prayer
O God, the King of glory, you have exalted your only Son Jesus Christ with great triumph to your kingdom in heaven: Do not leave us comfortless, but send us your Holy Spirit to strengthen us, and exalt us to that place where our Savior Christ has gone before; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.
DO: We have ONE LAST WEEK to encourage each other to practice resurrection. One last time, check out the list of ideas I brainstormed for simple ways to practice resurrection.
Choose 1 idea for the week or for each day, and whatever you do, do it with gusto! Share your photo and caption on FB or IG with the hashtag #practiceresurrection2022. If you don’t use social media or hashtags, feel free to email them to me and I’ll share them on your behalf.
“Ascension Day Sky (view from the chapel at my retreat center in Richmond, VA).”—Brian Murphy, CT
“An adventure awaiting” —Walter Wittwer, CT
“I often think of these pathways and how they are made by people who have gone before us, and are sustained by us every time we walk them. It makes me grateful for those who have gone before me in my Christian walk, my parents and other spiritual leaders, of course. But mostly my Jesus, who has gone before me and not only beckons me to Him, but also walks beside me, behind me, and within me. I also feel the weight of my responsibility of the ones who come behind and I pray that the trail I leave behind points straight to Jesus. Yesterday when David asked me why some people didn’t love Jesus, I told him it is because they don’t really know him. Because to know him is to love him! That’s why we have to share who Jesus really is.” —Amy Willers, CT
“This picture felt like the right one for the photo prompt: roots and seeds. It’s a surreal feeling watching your kids grow up in the same place you did. Probably less and less common these days. It’s making me think of how important it is for us to put down roots. As my friends wait for their green cards to come, I anticipate the feeling of them finally being able to put down roots. Roots help to anchor us somewhere. We need them to grow. Places matter. And I’m so thankful to live in such a beautiful place.
Also, Audrey has a boba tea in her hand, the tapioca pearls which come from the cassava root!” —Amy Willers, CT
“Today’s prompt is roots and seeds. Baby plants are growing here. And slowly, ever so slowly, I’m putting down roots of my own, far away from where my babies are.”—Beth Toy, CT
“Rogation Days Photo-a-Day Challenge: Young & Old. I love this picture. I am so grateful for the joy and perspective that our kids and grandkids bring into the life of the world. It is truly God’s creation, preservation, and blessing.”—Brian Murphy, CT
“Flowers for Rogation Sunday and Mother’s Day.”—Tamara Murphy, CT
You can read here for a brief description of the liturgical season of Eastertide, and see previous Eastertide posts here.
Sunday Scripture readings are taken from Year A of the Book of Common Prayer 2019 (Anglican Church of North America). Daily Scripture readings are taken from the 1979 Book of Common Prayer and include both Morning and Evening Psalms (Year 1)