Tag: they didn’t believe her

Saturday of Easter Week, 22 Apr – Mark 16:9-15 ~ go and tell… everyone

Saturday of Easter Week

+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!

Opening Prayer

Our God and Father, your Son Jesus lived among us, flesh of our flesh, blood of our blood. He died for our sake and you raised him back to life. May we experience his love and his presence to such an extent that we can never stop proclaiming what we have seen and heard, and that people may give glory to you, our God. We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord.
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Reading: Mark 16:9-15 (NLT)

After Jesus rose from the dead early on Sunday morning, the first person who saw him was Mary Magdalene, the woman from whom he had cast out seven demons. She went to the disciples, who were grieving and weeping, and told them what had happened. But when she told them that Jesus was alive and she had seen him, they didn’t believe her.

Afterward he appeared in a different form to two of his followers who were walking from Jerusalem into the country. They rushed back to tell the others, but no one believed them.

Still later he appeared to the eleven disciples as they were eating together. He rebuked them for their stubborn unbelief because they refused to believe those who had seen him after he had been raised from the dead.

And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone….”
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Reflection & Prayer:

Lord God: the message of Easter is joyously loud and clear –

“Christ the Lord is risen from the dead!”
“I’ve seen him!”

And yet, this life-changing Good News was met by skepticism and disbelief, even by those who were closest to him. And so it is today, we are not prepared to receive this message until we have personally experienced his love and his presence.

Lord Jesus: you call me to be a personal witness of the Good News of Easter.

+ Transform my life by your saving power, that I may credibly say: “I have seen the Lord!”
+ Fill me with your peace and joy, that I may rejoice in your victory over sin and death.
+ Strengthen my faith that I may persevere as your witness in the face obstinacy and disbelief.

Holy Spirit: help me to live as a child of the light, among my friends and neighbors.

+ Show me how to serve the poor and powerless, and the lost and lonely.
+ Show me how to heal those who feel unworthy, those who feel empty.
+ Show me how to love those who feel content, and self-satisfied.

Lord God: make me a credible witness of your saving power. Through my Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Soli Deo gloria!
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“All the Poor and Powerless” – All Sons & Daughters


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Concluding Prayer

May God be merciful and bless us. May his face smile with favor on us. May your ways be known throughout the earth, your saving power among people everywhere.– Psalm 67:1-2 (NLT)

+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!

Morning Prayer: 11 Apr – Acts 4:13-21; Mark 16:9-15 ~ we cannot stop

Easter Saturday

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Opening sentence and prayer:

The Lord has truly risen, alleluia.
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Lord God, You increase and multiply Your faithful by Your abundant gift of grace. Look now on Your chosen people, and clothe forever in the garment of eternal life all those who have been reborn in baptism. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
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A Reading from Acts: Acts 4:13-21 (NLT)

obey God

The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus. But since they could see the man who had been healed standing right there among them, there was nothing the council could say. So they ordered Peter and John out of the council chamber and conferred among themselves.

“What should we do with these men?” they asked each other. “We can’t deny that they have performed a miraculous sign, and everybody in Jerusalem knows about it. But to keep them from spreading their propaganda any further, we must warn them not to speak to anyone in Jesus’ name again.” So they called the apostles back in and commanded them never again to speak or teach in the name of Jesus.

But Peter and John replied, “Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him? We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard.”

The council then threatened them further, but they finally let them go because they didn’t know how to punish them without starting a riot. For everyone was praising God….
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Alleluia. The Lord has risen, as He promised. Alleluia.
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A Reading from the Gospels: Mark 16:9-15 (NLT)

Appearence Behind Locked Doors Duccio Di Buoninsegna, 1308-11 Museo Dell'Opera Del Duomo, Siena, Italy
Appearence Behind Locked Doors
Duccio Di Buoninsegna, 1308-11
Museo Dell’Opera Del Duomo, Siena, Italy

After Jesus rose from the dead early on Sunday morning, the first person who saw him was Mary Magdalene, the woman from whom he had cast out seven demons. She went to the disciples, who were grieving and weeping, and told them what had happened. But when she told them that Jesus was alive and she had seen him, they didn’t believe her.

Afterward he appeared in a different form to two of his followers who were walking from Jerusalem into the country. They rushed back to tell the others, but no one believed them.

Still later he appeared to the eleven disciples as they were eating together. He rebuked them for their stubborn unbelief because they refused to believe those who had seen him after he had been raised from the dead.

And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone.
__________


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Canticle

Christ, as a light illumine and guide me. Christ as a shield overshadow me. Christ under me; Christ over me; Christ beside me on my left and my right.

This day be within and without me, lowly and meek, yet all-powerful. Be in the heart of each to whom I speak; in the mouth of each who speaks unto me. This day be within and without me, lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.

Christ as a light; Christ as a shield; Christ beside me on my left and my right.

Blessing:

May the Lord Christ go with you, wherever He may send you. May He guide you through the wilderness, protect you through the storm. May He bring you home rejoicing at the wonders He has shown you. May He bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen