Tuesday in Easter Week

The collect for today, Tuesday in Easter Week, from The Book of Common Prayer (Canadian, 1962):

ALMIGHTY God, who through thine only begotten Son Jesus Christ hast overcome death, and opened unto us the gate of everlasting life: We humbly beseech thee, that as by thy special grace thou dost put into our minds good desires, so by thy continual help we may bring the same to good effect; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

The Lesson: Acts 13:26-41
The Gospel: St. Luke 24:36-48

Duccio, Christ and disciples at tableArtwork: Duccio di Buoninsegna, Christ’s appearance when the apostles are at table (from Back crowning of The Maestà), 1308-11. Tempera on wood, Museo dell’Opera del Duomo, Siena.

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Monday In Easter Week

The collect for today, Monday in Easter Week, from The Book of Common Prayer (Canadian, 1962):

ALMIGHTY God, who through thine only begotten Son Jesus Christ hast overcome death, and opened unto us the gate of everlasting life: We humbly beseech thee, that as by thy special grace thou dost put into our minds good desires, so by thy continual help we may bring the same to good effect; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

The Lesson: Acts 10:34-43
The Gospel: St. Luke 24:13-35

Bloemaert, Emmaus DisciplesArtwork: Abraham Bloemaert, The Emmaus Disciples, 1622. Oil on wood, Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts, Brussels.

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Easter Day

The collect for today, Easter-Day, from The Book of Common Prayer (Canadian, 1962) :

ALMIGHTY God, who through thine only begotten Son Jesus Christ hast overcome death, and opened unto us the gate of everlasting life: We humbly beseech thee, that as by thy special grace thou dost put into our minds good desires, so by thy continual help we may bring the same to good effect; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

The Epistle: Colossians 3:1-11
The Gospel: St. John 20:1-10

Santi di Tito, ResurrectionArtwork: Santi di Tito, The Resurrection, 1565. Oil on wood, Basilica di Santa Croce, Florence.

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Easter Even

The collect for today, Easter Even, or Holy Saturday, from The Book of Common Prayer (Canadian, 1962):

GRANT, O Lord, that as we are baptized into the death of thy blessed Son our Saviour Jesus Christ, so by continual mortifying our corrupt affections we may be buried with him; and that, through the grave, and gate of death, we may pass to our joyful resurrection; for his merits, who died, and was buried, and rose again for us, thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Epistle: 1 St. Peter 3:17-22
The Gospel: St. Matthew 27:57-66

Rubens, Entombment, 1614Artwork: Peter Paul Rubens, The Entombment, c. 1612-14. Oil on oak, National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa.

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Good Friday

The collects for today, Good Friday, from The Book of Common Prayer (Canadian, 1962):

ALMIGHTY God, we beseech thee graciously to behold this thy family, for which our Lord Jesus Christ was contented to be betrayed, and given up into the hands of wicked men, and to suffer death upon the cross; who now liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of the Church is governed and sanctified: Receive our supplications and prayers, which we offer before thee for all estates of men in thy holy Church, that every member of the same, in his vocation and ministry, may truly and godly serve thee; through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

The Epistle: Hebrews 10:1-25
The Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Saint John
The Gospel: St. John 18:33-19:37

Foppa, CrucifixionArtwork: Vincenzo Foppa, Crucifixion, 1456. Tempera on panel, Accademia Carrara, Bergamo.

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Maundy Thursday

The collects for today, Thursday in Holy Week, commonly called Maundy Thursday, from The Book of Common Prayer (Canadian, 1962):

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who, of thy tender love towards mankind, hast sent thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ, to take upon him our flesh, and to suffer death upon the cross, that all mankind should follow the example of his great humility: Mercifully grant, that we may both follow the example of his patience, and also he made partakers of his resurrection; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

O GOD, who in a wonderful sacrament hast left unto us a memorial of thy passion: Grant us so to reverence the holy mysteries of thy Body and Blood, that we may ever know within ourselves the fruit of thy redemption; who livest and reignest with the Father in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.

The Epistle: 1 Corinthians 11:23-29
The Continuation of the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke
The Gospel: St. Luke 23:1-49

Baburen, Christ Washing the Apostles' FeetArtwork: Dirck van Baburen, Christ Washing the Apostles’ Feet, c. 1616. Oil on Canvas, Staatliche Museen, Berlin.

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Wednesday in Holy Week

The collect for today, Wednesday in Holy Week, from The Book of Common Prayer (Canadian, 1962):

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who, of thy tender love towards mankind, hast sent thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ, to take upon him our flesh, and to suffer death upon the cross, that all mankind should follow the example of his great humility: Mercifully grant, that we may both follow the example of his patience, and also be made partakers of his resurrection; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Epistle: Hebrews 9:15-28
The Beginning of the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ according to St. Luke

The Gospel: St. Luke 22:1-71

G.B. Tiepolo, Christ Carrying the CrossArtwork: Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, Christ Carrying the Cross, 1737-38. Oil on canvas, Chiesa di Sant’Alvise, Venice.

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Tuesday in Holy Week

The collect for today, Tuesday in Holy Week, from The Book of Common Prayer (Canadian, 1962):

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who, of thy tender love towards mankind, hast sent thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ, to take upon him our flesh, and to suffer death upon the cross, that all mankind should follow the example of his great humility: Mercifully grant, that we may both follow the example of his patience, and also be made partakers of his resurrection; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Lesson: Isaiah 50:5-9a
The Continuation of the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ according to St. Mark
The Gospel: St. Mark 15:1-39

Caravaggio, Flagellation of ChristArtwork: Caravaggio, The Flagellation of Christ, 1607. Oil on canvas, Museo Nazionale di Capodimonte, Naples.

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Monday in Holy Week

The collect for today, Monday in Holy Week, from The Book of Common Prayer (Canadian, 1962):

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who, of thy tender love towards mankind, hast sent thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ, to take upon him our flesh, and to suffer death upon the cross, that all mankind should follow the example of his great humility: Mercifully grant, that we may both follow the example of his patience, and also be made partakers of his resurrection; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Lesson: Isaiah 63:7-9
The Beginning of the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark
The Gospel: St. Mark 14:1-72

Cerezo, Ecce HomoArtwork: Mateo Cerezo the Younger, Ecce Homo, c. 1665. Oil on canvas, Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest.

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Holy Week

There is a mysterious intensity to Holy Week that begins with Palm Sunday. It is the intensity of Christ’s Passion. In the Passion of Christ, our humanity is on display in all of its varied array and disarray, in all of our faults and failings, in all of our sins and foolishnesses. And yet there is a great good that is shown as well, a great good which ultimately speaks to human dignity restored. Holy Week shows us nothing less than ‘the height and the depth, the length and the breadth’ of God’s love for us. How will we respond? With indifference or with devotion?

I encourage you ever so strongly to make the effort. The fullness of the Passion is set before us this week from all four Gospels. This week, in a way, is one continuous liturgy. What kind of Easter can there be without Good Friday, without the fullness of the Passion, which this week presents us? “Walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God.”

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