"Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, I am sending you."

           

Monday musical meditations on God's good news






















An opening prayer:

    At the Lamb’s high feast we sing
    Praise to our victorious King,
    Who has washed us in the tide
    Flowing from his pierced side.
    Alleluia!

    Mighty victim from on high,
    Hell’s fierce powers beneath you lie;
    You have conquered in the fight,
    You have brought us life and light:
    Alleluia!

    Now no more can death appall,
    Now no more the grave entrall;
    You have opened paradise,
    And your saints in you shall rise.
    Alleluia!

    Easter triumph, Easter joy,
    This alone can sin destroy;
    From sin’s power, Lord, set us free,
    Newborn souls in you to be.
    Alleluia!

    Father, who the crown shall give,
    Savior, by whose death we live,
    Spirit, guide through all our days,
    Three in one, your name we praise.
    Alleluia!Amen.

John 20:19–31

  • On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.

  • 21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” 22 And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

    24 Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”

    But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

    26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”

    28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”

    29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

    30 Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

     

Good news questions

  • Jesus lives! "Peace be with you," Jesus tells his followers three time. What especially does this change for you?

For others pray

  • That God spreads the good news of the kingdom of the Son he loves in Algeria

J.S. Bach's beautiful music for today

  • BWV 42 (YouTube, "On the Evening of the Same Sabbath")
  • This piece walks us partway through Jesus appearing to his disciples on the evening of the first Easter.
  • What peace he brings them!
  • What peace his Easter actions bring us too.

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