ACTS 10:34a, 37-43
“We ate and drank with Him after He rose from the dead.”

A Reading from the Acts of the Apostles.
In those days: ^34a Peter opened his mouth and said, “You know ³⁷ the word which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: ³⁸ how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. How He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. ³⁹ And we are witnesses to all that He did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put Him to death by hanging Him on a tree, ⁴⁰ but God raised Him on the third day and made him to manifest, ⁴¹ not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with Him after He rose from the dead.

⁴² And He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that He is the one ordained by God to be judge of the living and the dead. ⁴³ To Him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His Name.”

The Word of the LORD.

PSALMS 118:1-2, 15c-17, 22-23
℟. 24; “This is the day the LORD has made; Let us rejoice in it and be glad.” Or: Alleluia.

¹ Give praise to the LORD, for He is Good; His mercy endures forever. ² Let the house of Israel say, “His mercy endures forever.”℟.

¹⁶ “The LORD's right hand has done mighty deeds; His right hand is exalted. The LORD's right hand has done mighty deeds.” ¹⁷ I shall not die, I shall live and recount the deeds of the LORD.℟.

²² The Stone that the builders rejected has become the Cornerstone. ²³ By the LORD has this been done, marvel in our eyes.℟.

FIRST OPTION: COLOSSIANS 3:1-4
“Seek the things that are above, where Christ is.”

A Reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Colossians.
Brethren: ¹ If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. ² Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. ³ For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. ⁴ When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

The Word of the LORD.

SECOND OPTION: 1 CORINTHIANS 5:6b-8
“Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be new dough.”

A Reading from the First Letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians.
^6b Do you not know that a little leaven leavens all the dough? ⁷ Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new dough, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Paschal Lamb, has been sacrificed. ⁸ Let us, therefore, celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

The Word of the LORD.

To the Paschal victim, let Christians offer a sacrifice of praise.
The Lamb redeemed the sheep.
Christ, sinless, reconciled sinners to the Father.
Death and life were locked together in a unique struggle.
Life's caption died; now He reigns, never more to die.

Tell us, Mary, “What did you see on the way?”
“I saw the tomb of the now living Christ.
I saw the Glory of Christ, now Risen.
I saw angels who gave witness;
the cloths too, which once had covered head and limbs.

Christ my hope has Risen.
He will go before His own into Galilee.”
We know that Christ has indeed Risen from the dead.
Do you, conqueror and King, have mercy on us.
Amen. Alleluia.

Christians, to the Paschal Victim
Offer your thankful praises!
A lamb, the sheep redeems: Christ who only is sinless,
Reconciles sinners to the Father.
Death and Life have contended in that combat stupendous:
The Prince of life, who died, reigns immortal.

Speak, Mary, declaring What you saw, wayfaring.
“The tomb of Christ, who is living,
The glory of Jesus' resurrection;
Bright angels attesting,
The shroud and napkin resting.
Yes, Christ my hope is Risen:
To Galilee He goes before you.”
Christ indeed from death is Risen, our new life obtaining.
Have mercy, victor King, ever reigning!
Amen. Alleluia.

1 CORINTHIANS 5:7b, 8a
℣. Alleluia
℟. Alleluia
℣. Christ, our Paschal Lamb, has been sacrificed. Let us, therefore, celebrate the festival in the LORD.
℟. Alleluia

JOHN 20:1-9
“He must rise from the dead.”

✠ A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to John.
¹ Now on the first day of the week Mary Mag'dalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. ² So she ran, and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him."

³ Peter then came out with the other disciple, and they went toward the tomb. ⁴ They both ran, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first; ⁵ and stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in.

⁶ Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; he saw the linen cloths lying, ⁷ and the napkin, which had been on his head, not lying with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself. ⁸ Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; ⁹ for as yet they did not know the scripture, that he must rise from the dead.

The Gospel of the LORD.

LUKE 24:1-12 (Year C)
“Why do you seek the living among the dead?”

✠ A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke.
¹ On the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices which they had prepared. ² And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, ³ but when they went in they did not find the body. ⁴ While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel; ⁵ and as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, "Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. ⁶ Remember how He told you, while He was still in Galilee, ⁷ that the Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise." ⁸ And they remembered His words, ⁹ and returning from the tomb they told all this to the Eleven and to all the rest. ¹⁰ Now it was Mary Mag'dalene and Jo-an'na and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told this to the apostles; ¹¹ but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. ¹² But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home wondering at what had happened.

The Gospel of the LORD.

Third Sunday of Easter, Year A
LUKE 24:13-35
“They recognised Him in the breaking of the bread.”

✠ A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke.
¹³ That very day [the first day of the week], two of the disciples of Jesus were going to a village named Emma'us, about seven miles from Jerusalem, ¹⁴ and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. ¹⁵ While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. ¹⁶ But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. ¹⁷ And he said to them, "What is this conversation which you are holding with each other as you walk?" And they stood still, looking sad. ¹⁸ Then one of them, named Cle'opas, answered him, "Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?" ¹⁹ And he said to them, "What things?" And they said to him, "Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, ²⁰ and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. ²¹ But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since this happened. ²² Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning ²³ and did not find his body; and they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. ²⁴ Some of those who were with us went to the tomb, and found it just as the women had said; but him they did not see." ²⁵ And he said to them, "O foolish men, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! ²⁶ Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?" ²⁷ And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. ²⁸ So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He appeared to be going further, ²⁹ but they constrained him, saying, "Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent." So he went in to stay with them. ³⁰ When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to them. ³¹ And their eyes were opened and they recognized him; and he vanished out of their sight. ³² They said to each other, "Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the scriptures?" ³³ And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven gathered together and those who were with them, ³⁴ who said, "The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!" ³⁵ Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.

The Gospel of the LORD.