Sunday April 17 Easter Day
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Psalm 148
These three psalms are especially appropriate on Sundays, the mini-anniversary of the resurrection. All creation praises God—the heavens, the earth—including fog, sea monsters, and “creeping things” (perhaps even insects or worms)—and humanity—rulers, young people and old people—all things without exception praise God together. Notice that the sequence is taken from the first creation story in Genesis: first the heavens, then creatures of the water, then creatures of the land, and finally people.
Psalm 149
Songs of joy at God’s victory. The joy of military victories toward the end of the psalm was their way of saying that God has conquered all injustice.
Psalm 150
A scene of riotous joy as every conceivable instrument and every creature praises God.
Exodus 12.1-14 What’s Exodus about?
Moses instructs the people in Egypt that God will destroy those who have enslaved them and then rescue them through the Red Sea. By sacrificing a lamb and putting its blood outside their doors, God’s destructive power will know which houses belong to the Israelites, and will pass over those houses and their families will be safe.
The early Christians saw in this foundational Jewish story a way of explaining what had happened to Jesus— he was such a lamb whose death saves the entire world. Christians may read these accounts as a symbolic way of anticipating God’s power to save the world.
John 1.1-18 What’s John about?
John explains that even though Jesus was present at, and central to the creation of the universe, the universe rejects him. Nevertheless the universe is given glory through Jesus’ resurrection, and we are part of that. No wonder we rejoice that creation has been renewed, and we with it!
This week’s collect:
Lord of life and power,
through the mighty resurrection of your Son,
you have overcome the old order of sin and death
and have made all things new in him.
May we, being dead to sin
and alive to you in Jesus Christ,
reign with him in glory,
who with you and the Holy Spirit is alive,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
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