Easter Sunday

Call to Worship – A Prayer of Saint Ignatius

One: Alleluia! Christ is Risen! ☩

Many: The Lord is Risen indeed! Alleluia!

One: Are there any who are devout lovers of God?

Let them enjoy this beautiful bright festival!

Many: Are there any who are grateful servants?

Let them rejoice and enter into the joy of their Lord!

One: Are there any weary with fasting?

Let them now receive their wages!

Many: If any have toiled from the first hour,

let them receive their due reward;

If any have come after the third hour,

let him with gratitude join in the Feast!

One: And they that arrived after the sixth hour,

let them not doubt; for they too shall sustain no loss.

And if any delayed until the ninth hour,

let them not hesitate; but let them come too.

Many: And they who arrived only at the eleventh hour,

let them not be afraid by reason of their delay.

For the Lord is gracious and receives the last even as the first.

He gives rest to him that comes at the eleventh hour,

as well as to them that toiled from the first.

One: To this one He gives, and upon another He bestows.

He accepts the works as He greets the endeavor.

The deed He honors and the intention He commends.

Let us all enter into the joy of the Lord!

Many: First and last alike receive your reward;

rich and poor, rejoice together!

Sober and slothful, celebrate the day!

You that have kept the fast, and you that have not,

rejoice today for the Table is richly laden!

One: Feast royally on it, the calf is a fatted one.

Let no one go away hungry. Partake, all, of the cup of faith.

Enjoy all the riches of His goodness!

Many: Let no one grieve at their poverty,

for the universal kingdom has been revealed.

One: Let no one mourn that they have fallen again and again;

for forgiveness has risen from the grave.

Many: Let no one fear death, for the Death of our Savior has set us free.

He has destroyed it by enduring it.

He destroyed Hell when He descended into it.

He put it into an uproar even as it tasted of His flesh.

One: Isaiah foretold this when he said,

"You, O Hell, have been troubled by encountering Him below."

Hell was in an uproar because it was done away with.

It was in an uproar because it is mocked.

It was in an uproar, for it is destroyed.

It is in an uproar, for it is annihilated.

It is in an uproar, for it is now made captive.

Many: Hell took a body, and discovered God.

It took earth, and encountered Heaven.

It took what it saw, and was overcome by what it did not see.

One: O death, where is thy sting?

O Hell, where is thy victory?

Many: Christ is Risen, and you, o death, are annihilated!

Christ is Risen, and the evil ones are cast down!

Christ is Risen, and the angels rejoice!

Christ is Risen, and life is liberated!

One: Christ is Risen, and the tomb is emptied of its dead;

for Christ having risen from the dead,

is become the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep.

Many: : To Him be Glory and Power forever and ever. Amen!

One: Come, let us worship, our Risen King!

(The Easter Homily of Saint John Chrysostom)

Collect

O God, who for our redemption gave your only-begotten Son to the death of the cross, and by his glorious resurrection delivered us from the power of our enemy: Grant us so to die daily to sin, that we may evermore live with him in the joy of his resurrection; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

or this

O God, who made this most holy night to shine with the glory of the Lord's resurrection: Stir up in your Church that Spirit of adoption which is given to us in Baptism, that we, being renewed both in body and mind, may worship you in sincerity and truth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

or this

Almighty God, who through your only-begotten Son Jesus Christ overcame death and opened to us the gate of everlasting life: Grant that we, who celebrate with joy the day of the Lord's resurrection, may be raised from the death of sin by your life-giving Spirit; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Liturgy of the Table

(Adapted From Lift Up Your Hearts: Year C, OSL Publications) One: The Lord be with you. Many: And also with you. One: Lift up your hearts. Many: We lift them up to the Lord One: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. Many: It is right to give our thanks and praise.

One: It is right, and a good and joyful thing

Always and everywhere to give thanks to you,

Almighty God, Creator of heaven and earth.

Whose blessed son, Jesus, conquered sin and death, rising from the grave and bestowing life.

And so, with your people on earth and all the company of heaven, we praise your name and join in their unending hymn:

Many: Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

One: Holy are you, and blessed is your Son, Jesus Christ,

through whom the resurrection of the dead shall come.

Your Spirit anointed him to preach the good news to the poor,

to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind,

to set at liberty those who are oppressed,

and to announce that the time had come when you would save your people.

He healed the sick, fed the hungry, and ate with sinners.

By the baptism of his suffering, death, and resurrection,

you gave birth to your church, delivered us from slavery of sin and death,

and made with us a new covenant by water and the Spirit.

On the night in which he gave himself up for us, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to his disciples.

And he said “Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you.

Do this in remembrance of me.” When the supper was over he took the cup, gave thanks, gave it to his disciples, and said

“Drink from this, all of you;

this is my blood of the new covenant poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

And so, in remembrance of these mighty acts in Jesus Christ,

We offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving as a holy and living sacrifice,

in union with Christ’s offering for us,

as we proclaim the mystery of faith.

Many: Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again.

**Placing hands over the elements to consecrate them**

One: Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here, and on these gifts of bread and cup.

Make them be for us the body and blood of Christ,

that we may be for the world the body of Christ, redeemed by his blood,

for we are called to be saints and bring the world to Christ.

By your Spirit make us one with Christ,

one with each other,

and one in ministry to all the world,

until Christ comes in final victory and we feast at the heavenly banquet.

Through your Son Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit in your holy Church,

all honor and glory is yours, almighty God, now and forever.

Amen

And now with the confidence of children of God, let us pray:

Many: Our Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven: Give us this day our daily bread; And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us; And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil; For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, For ever and ever. Amen.

One: Come, receive the elements.

**Taking the bread**

One: Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf. The bread which we break is a sharing in the body of Christ. Receive, and eat.

**Taking the Cup**

The cup over which we give thanks is a sharing in the blood of Christ. Receive, and drink.

[Prayer After All Receive] Eternal God, we give you thanks for this holy mystery in which you have given yourself to us. Grant that we may go into the world in the strength of your Spirit, as we journey through Holy Week. In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. ☩ Amen.

Benediction

One: Go, feast in the joy of the resurrection of Christ Jesus our Lord!

In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit ☩ go in grace and peace to love and serve the Lord and neighbor. Many – Thanks be to God.