RCL: Acts 10:34-43 or Isaiah 65:17-25; Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24; 1 Corinthians 15:19-26 or Acts 10:34-43; John 20:1-18 or Luke 24:1-12 Isaiah 65:17-25 Here, Isaiah offers us a vision of God’s kingdom, both apart from and within the pain of exile and separation of which Isaiah’s context may have memory. This vision seems utopian in nature,…

Isaiah 65:17-25 When we think of the trappings of Easter—dying eggs, donning our Sunday best, singing triumphant hymns, and echoing sweet “Alleluias” to proclaim the Risen One—I doubt most of us would even consider the Old Testament lesson. In fact, Easter might be one of the Sundays of the year we pay the least amount…

Acts 10:34-43 “God shows no partiality… preaching peace by Jesus Christ.” Experiencing Holy Week can be tumultuous. It can be painful, uncomfortable, fear inducing, or even scary. It naturally sets up a dichotomy of those who persecute Jesus and those who follow Jesus. But in this passage from Acts, Peter, the rock of the Church,…

Isaiah 65:17-25 Our four readings from the lectionary for this Easter Day carry throughout the themes of victory, joy, gratitude and responsibility – all important lessons on this day when we celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord, and the passage from Isaiah sets the tone for the day. The reading comes from what is often…