V EASTER Wednesday | THE DAILY FEAST

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Invitation to Worship

Our Love is truly risen! Alleluia! Alleluia!

O Holy One,+ open my lips.

~And my mouth will proclaim your praise.

Christ trampled down death by his death, alleluia;

~And brought life to those in the grave, alleluia!

Hymn for Easter Mornings

Now the green blade rises 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 arising green.

In the grave they laid him, love by hatred slain,

Thinking that he would never wake again.

Laid in the earth like grain that sleeps unseen:

Love is come again like wheat arising green.

Forth he came at Easter, like the risen grain,

He that for three day in the grave had lain;

Raised from the dead, my living Lord is seen:

Love is come again like wheat arising green.

When our hearts are wintry, grieving or in pain,

Your touch can call us back to life again,

Fields of our hearts that dead and bare have been:

Love is come again like wheat arising green.

Text: John M.C. Crum, alt. ; Tune: NOEL NOUVELET 11.10.11.10

PSALMODY

Antiphon

Let all the Earth cry out to God with joy, Alleluia, Alleluia!

Psalm 65/66

Cry out with joy to God, all the Earth!

Sing to the glory of the Name!

Rendering glorious praise,

say to God, “How awesome your deeds!”

Because of your mighty strength

those who love evil cringe before you.

All on earth must acknowledge your glory

and sing to you, sing to your Name.

Come and see the works of God,

tremendous deeds for the people:

God turned the sea into dry land,

they crossed the river on foot.

Let us rejoice then in our God

who rules forever with the power of love,

who keeps watch over all the nations;

let no rebels resist or raise their heads.

O peoples, bless our God,

loudly sound God’s praise,

this God kept our spirits alive

and our feet from stumbling.

We were tested, refined like silver;

caught in a trap with weights on our back,

We passed through water and fire,

but then You brought us relief.

Come and hear, all you who revere God,

as I tell what God did for my soul:

To God I cried aloud,

with high praise ready on my tongue.

Bless God who was ready to listen,

and heeded the sound of my prayer.

God did not reject my plea,

but kept the pledge of constant love.

Glory to the ONE and to the WORD

and to the BREATH of Love

As always before

so now and evermore, Amen.

Let all the Earth cry out to God with joy, Alleluia, Alleluia!

READING Acts 15:1-3

Some who had come down from Judea were instructing the brothers,
“Unless you are circumcised according to the Mosaic practice,
you cannot be saved.” Because there arose no little dissension and debate
by Paul and Barnabas with them, it was decided that Paul, Barnabas, and some of the others should go up to Jerusalem to the Apostles and presbyters about this question.

Responsory

R. With great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus,

*and great grace was upon them all, alleluia!

V. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God with boldness

*and great grace was upon them all, alleluia!

V. Glory to the Abba and the Word and the Holy Breath of Love.

Canticle of Zachariah

Antiphon

I am the true vine, Alleluia!

and you are the branches– Alleluia!

Blessed + be Adonai, the God of Israel,

Who visits this people to set us free

Raising for us a sign of salvation

In the house and family of David.

God promised throughout past ages

In words of holy prophets

To save us from our enemies,

And from the control of our oppressors.

Adonai favored our ancestors

And remembered the sacred covenant.

The pledge to Abraham and Sarah

Is now renewed for us;

That freed from the grip of our foes

We might worship without fear

And be both just and holy

For the rest of our days.

And you, child, called “prophet of the Most High,”

Will go ahead to prepare the way,

By teaching this people of salvation

Through forgiveness of their sins.

For the loving compassion of the Holy One

As the Rising Sun will shine upon us

To illumine the darkness and dispel death’s shadow

To guide our feet on the way of peace.

Glory to the ONE and to the WORD

And to the BREATH of Love!

As always before,

so now and evermore. Amen

I am the true vine, Alleluia!

and you are the branches– Alleluia!