Pr. DFD

Thursday, April 9, 2026

Friday prior to Easter 2

John 20:19–31—Faith in the Resurrected Lord – Faith with sight

Thomas believes at the appearance of the risen Christ

There are two appearances by the risen Christ in Sunday’s Gospel, each bringing us a great deal of comfort. In the first, Jesus establishes the Office of the Holy Ministry, and assures us that, in the words of the catechism, ‘when the called ministers of Christ deal with us by His divine command, in particular when they. . . absolve those who repent of their sins and want to do better, this is just as valid and certain, even in heaven, as if Christ, our dear Lord, dealt with us Himself.’

In the second appearance, our Lord appears to Thomas. Thomas wanted the certainty of seeing his risen Lord in the flesh, as the others had. When he beholds the wounds in the One who was crucified on our behalf, his faith is sure, and he confesses, ‘My Lord and My God!’ Thomas’s assurance is ours also. We need never doubt that our Lord is truly risen from the dead, ‘the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep.’ (1 Corinthians 15:20)

“Peace be with you,” was the salutation Jesus used each time he approached the Disciples. It is a gift of Christ. He gives it as a blessing. Peace is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. It is not a manufactured peace, but it comes as a by-product of a proper connection with God through Jesus Christ. Peace results from a satisfactory work as God and man are now I harmony. There is a wholeness, an oneness that eliminates tension or friction.

O God, in the paschal feast You restore all creation. Continue to send Your heavenly gifts upon Your people that they may walk in perfect freedom and receive eternal life.

Almighty God, by the glorious resurrection of Your Son, Jesus Christ, You destroyed death and brought life and immortality to light. Grant that we who have been raised with Him may abide in His presence and rejoice in the hope of eternal; [2]

Collect for Friday of the week of Easter 1: Eternal Father, you gave us the Easter mystery as our covenant of reconciliation. May the new birth we celebrate show its effects in the way we live. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen [3]

[1] Easter 2 Series A image © www.agnusday.org

Wednesday, April 8, 2026

Thursday prior to Easter 2

[1]

1 Peter 1:3–9— Faith in the Resurrected Lord – Faith without sight

Without seeing, the risen Jesus Christians love and believe in Him.

St Peter’s first epistle is a note of encouragement to Christians being persecuted for the faith. He reminds them of the inheritance they have in Christ Jesus due to His resurrection from the dead.

We who are in Christ will share in His resurrection and the blessings of everlasting life with God in heaven. Having our eyes fixed on this eternal reward gives us strength to bear with the burdens of this life, even persecution.

Peter delivers the basics of the Christian faith; which includes hope through the resurrection, v.3 faith, v.7 and love, v.8.

It is faith in the risen Christ who has never been seen. It is a faith that is tested by suffering for the faith. Through faith, salvation is received.

O God, for our redemption You gave Your only-begotten Son to the death of the cross and by His glorious resurrection delivered us from the power of the enemy. Grant that all our sin may be drowned through daily repentance and that day by day we may arise to live before You in righteousness and purity forever; [2]

Collect for Thursday of the week of Easter 1: Father, you gather the nations to praise your name. May all who are reborn in baptism be one in faith and love. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen[3]

[1] Easter 2 Series A image © www,agnusday.org

Tuesday, April 7, 2026

Wednesday prior to Easter 2

[1]

Acts 5:29–42— Faith in the Resurrected Lord – Faith that witnesses

Jesus was raised from the dead according to God’s plan and David’s prophecy.

The first readings for the Sundays after Easter are all taken from the Book of the Acts of the Apostles. Written by St Luke as a continuation of his Gospel, it is an account of the early Church, a snapshot. Like the Book of Acts itself, the readings will show how the Gospel was first preached in Jerusalem, and then, in ever-widening circles, throughout the world and down through history unto our day. The reading for next week has Peter and the other apostles being brought before the Jewish high council and questioned by the high priest for proclaiming the Gospel of Christ. Though they were beaten and charged not to speak in the name of Jesus, they rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for His name, and did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.

In his Pentecost sermon Peter blames the cross on men; “you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.” V.23 The Resurrection on the other hand, is the work of God. Vv.24, 32 Jesus did not rise on his own accord nor by his own power. The redemption of the world was the work of God. He used lawless men as instruments to put is Son of the cross. God in His overruling providence vindicates, glorifies, and exalts Jesus through the Resurrection. It was all in the plan and foreknowledge of God. V.23 Luke claims that David foretold the Resurrection in Psalm 16. Man does his worst to God, but God does his best for man.

Almighty God, through Your only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, You overcame death and opened to us the gate of everlasting life. We humbly pray that we may live before You in righteousness and purity forever; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.[2]

Collect for Wednesday of the week of Easter 1: God our Father, on this solemn feast you give us the joy of recalling the rising of Christ to new life. May the joy of our annual celebration bring us to the joy of eternal life. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son our Lord, who lives wand reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen [3]

[1] Easter 2 image © www.agnusday.org

[2] Collect for the Feast of the Resurrection of Our Lord

Monday, April 6, 2026

Tuesday Prior to Easter 2

[1]

Psalm 148—In Sunday’s psalm, the psalmist calls upon all of creation—those on the earth, those under the sea, and those in the heavens—to join in a chorus of praise to the Lord. Animate and inanimate, all of creation proclaims the glory of the Lord!

Psalm 148 – Let Heaven and Earth Praise the LORD

Psalm 148 calls upon all creation to praise Yahweh. What a wonderful song this is! Look over it again, and note the fact that there is no reference in it, from first to last, to the mercy, or pity, or compassion of God. That is because there is no reference to evil in any form.

Alexander Maclaren wrote that Psalm 148 continues “…a line of thought which runs through Scripture from its first page to its last – namely, that, as man’s sin subjected the creatures to ‘vanity,’ so his redemption shall be their glorifying.”

This call to all creation to praise Yahweh is not an empty wish. Revelation 5:11-13 tells us specifically that it will be fulfilled. “O what a hymn of praise is here! It is a universal chorus! All created nature have a share, and all perform their respective parts. [2]

Collect for Psalm 148: God Most High, by your Word, you created a wondrous universe, and through your Spirit, you breathed into it the breath of life. Accept creation’s hymn of praise from our lips, and let the praise that is sung in heaven resound in the heart of every creature on earth, to the glory of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen [3]

Collect for Tuesday of the week of Easter 1: Father, by this Easter mystery you touch our lives with the healing power of your love. You have given us the freedom of the sons of God. May we who now celebrate your gift find joy in it forever in heaven. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen [4]

[1] Easter 2 image © www.agnusday.org

[2]https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/psalm-148

[4] Ibid, Collect for Tuesday of the week of Easter 1

Sunday, April 5, 2026

Monday Prior to Easter 2

Psalm 105:1–5, 8; Antiphon, 1 Peter 2:2–3—The second Sunday of Easter is sometimes called Quasimodogeniti, Latin for the first words of the Introit, ‘Like newborn infants.’ Just as a baby eagerly suckles at its mother’s breast, so we, who have been given new life in Christ by His death and resurrection, also do eagerly desire the pure spiritual milk provided by our Lord for our nourishment and good growth. This He gives us through the preaching of His Word and the most blessed Sacrament of the Altar.

Psalm 105 – The LORD’s blessing upon His people

Whoever arranged and ordered the psalms placed Psalm 105 and Psalm 106 together purposefully. “This and the following psalm are companions. They reveal the two sides of the relation between God and His people during a long period. This one sings the song of His faithfulness and power; while the next tells the sad story of repeated failure and rebellion on the part of His people.

The first 15 verses of Psalm 105 are also found in 1 Chronicles 16:8-22 and presented there as a composition of David, written and sung for the bringing of the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem. We can therefore conclude that though this psalm is not here specifically attributed to King David, he is the author of it.[1]

Collect for Psalm 105: God our Father, through the death and resurrection of your Son you have fulfilled the promise to Abraham, Joseph, and Moses to redeem the world from slavery and to lead us into the Promised Land. Grant us living water from the rock and bread from heaven that we may survive our desert pilgrimage and praise you forever, through Jesus Christ our Lord.[2]

Christ Jesus Breathes His Spirit and His Life into Us by the
Ministry of the Gospel

The crucified and risen Lord Jesus establishes the Ministry of the Gospel, in order to bestow His life-giving Holy Spirit and His peace upon the Church. To those who are called and ordained to this Office, and to those whom they serve in His name, He grants the Holy Absolution of all sins. By the fruits of His Cross He replaces fear and doubt with peace and joy, and thus gives “repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins” (Acts 5:31). Through the preaching of His sent ones He calls us to believe that He “is the Christ, the Son of God,” so that by such faith we “may have life in His name” (John 20:31). In His resurrection, we have the “living hope” to which we have been “born again” and by which we are guarded “for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Pet. 1:3, 5). Until then, “though you have not seen Him, you love Him,” and by the mercies of God “you believe in Him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory” (1 Pet. 1:8).

Collect for Monday of the week of Easter 1:Father, you give your Church constant growth by adding new members to your family. Help us put into action in our lives the baptism we have received with faith. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen [3]

[1]https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/psalm-105

[3] Ibid, Collect for Monday of the week of Easter 1

Images: copyright www.agunsday.org

Ed Riojas, Higher Things

Saturday, April 4, 2026

Easter 2 notes

Acts 5:29–42

1 Peter 1:3–9

John 20:19–31

Christ Jesus Breathes His Spirit and His Life into Us by the Ministry of the Gospel

The crucified and risen Lord Jesus establishes the ministry of the Gospel in order to bestow His life-giving Holy Spirit and His peace upon the Church. To those who are called and ordained to this office, and to those whom they serve in His name, He grants the Holy Absolution of all sins. By the fruits of His cross, He replaces fear and doubt with peace and joy, and thus gives “repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins” (Acts 5:31). Through the preaching of His sent ones, He calls us to believe that He “is the Christ, the Son of God,” so that by such faith we “may have life in his name” (John 20:31). In His resurrection, we have the “living hope” to which we have been “born again” and by which we are guarded “for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Peter 1:3, 5). Until then, “though you have not seen him, you love him,” and by the mercies of God “you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory” (1 Peter 1:8).

Image copyright wwwagnusday.org