St Edburg's Church - Bicester

Collect of the Day

Almighty God,
who through your only-begotten Son Jesus Christ have overcome death and opened to us the gate of everlasting life: grant that, as by your grace going before us
you put into our minds good desires, so by your continual help
we may bring them to good effect; through Jesus Christ our risen Lord.

 

First Reading

Acts 7.55-60

Standing before the high priest and the council, 55Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56‘Look,’ he said, ‘I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!’ 57But they covered their ears, and with a loud shout all rushed together against him. 58Then they dragged him out of the city and began to stone him; and the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’ 60Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them.’ When he had said this, he died.

 

Psalm  Psalm 31.1-5,15-16

1                 In you, O Lord, have I taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in your righteousness.  Incline your ear to me; make haste to deliver me.

3                 Be my strong rock, a fortress to save me, for you are my rock and my stronghold; guide me, and lead me for your name’s sake.

4                 Take me out of the net that they have laid secretly for me, for you are my strength.  Into your hands I commend my spirit, for you have redeemed me, O Lord God of truth. 

15               ‘My times are in your hand; deliver me from the hand of my enemies, and from those who persecute me.  ‘Make your face to shine upon your servant, and save me for your mercy’s sake.’

 

Second Reading

1 Peter 2.2-10

2Like newborn infants, long for the pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow into salvation – 3if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. 4Come to him, a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God’s sight, and 5like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6For it stands in scripture: ‘See, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.’
7To you then who believe, he is precious; but for those who do not believe,       ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the very head of the corner’,
8and ‘A stone that makes them stumble, and a rock that makes them fall.’  They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.

9But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light. 10Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

 

Gospel   John 14.1-14

Jesus said to his disciples: 1‘Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. 2In my Father’s house there are many dwelling-places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. 4And you know the way to the place where I am going.’ 5Thomas said to him, ‘Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?’ 6Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.’

8Philip said to him, ‘Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.’ 9Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, “Show us the Father”? 10Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. 11Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves. 12Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. 13I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.’

 

Post Communion Prayer

Eternal God, whose Son Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life: grant us to walk in his way, to rejoice in his truth,
and to share his risen life; who is alive and reigns, now and for ever.

 

Copyright acknowledgement (where not already indicated above):

1 Peter 2.2-10 ©  1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ, USA.  Acts 7.55-60 ©  1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ, USA

John 14.1-14 ©  1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ, USA.  Post Communion (5th of Easter) ©  The Archbishops' Council 2000

Psalm 31.1-5,15-16 ©  The Archbishops' Council 2000.  Collect (5th of Easter, Short) ©  The Archbishops' Council 2005