Good morning.
Today is Monday,
April 5th,
2021.
Oh Lord,
Let my soul rise up to meet you as the day rises to meet the sun.
Glory to God,
The three in one,
Creator,
Redeemer and sustainer.
As it was in the beginning,
Is now and will be forever.
Amen.
Come,
Let us rejoice and worship.
Let us sing praises to God,
Our creator.
Remind yourself that you are in God's presence.
Notice how God may be speaking to you today.
Let yourself dwell on a word or a phrase that catches your attention or moves your heart and let your heart simply respond to God in prayer.
Please repeat these words.
Jesus,
You are the light of the world.
Open our eyes that we might see.
John chapter 20.
Early in the morning on the first day of the week,
While it was still dark,
Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw the stone had been taken away from the tomb.
She ran to Simon Peter and the other disciple,
The one whom Jesus loved,
And said,
They have taken the Lord from the tomb and we don't know where they have put him.
Peter and the other disciple left to go to the tomb.
They were running together,
But the other disciple ran faster than Peter and was the first to arrive at the tomb.
Bending down to take a look,
He saw the linen cloths lying there,
But he didn't go in.
Following him,
Simon Peter entered the tomb and saw the linen cloths lying there.
He also saw the face cloth that had been on Jesus' head.
It wasn't with the other clothes,
But was folded up in its own place.
Then the other disciple,
The one who arrived at the tomb first,
Also went inside.
He saw and believed.
They didn't yet understand the scripture that Jesus must rise from the dead.
Then the disciple returned to the place where they were staying.
Mary stood outside near the tomb,
Crying.
As she cried,
She bent down to look into the tomb.
She saw two angels dressed in white,
Seated where the body of Jesus had been,
One at the head and one at the foot.
The angels asked her,
Woman,
Why are you crying?
She replied,
They have taken away my Lord and I don't know where they've put him.
As soon as she had said this,
She turned around and saw Jesus standing there,
But she didn't know it was Jesus.
Jesus said to her,
Woman,
Why are you crying?
Who are you looking for?
Thinking he was the gardener,
She replied,
Sir,
If you have carried him away,
Tell me where you have put him and I will get him.
Jesus said to her,
Mary,
She turned and said to him in Aramaic,
Rabboni,
Which means teacher.
Jesus said to her,
Don't hold on to me for I haven't yet gone up to my father.
Go to my brothers and sisters and tell them I am going up to my father and your father,
To my God and your God.
Mary Magdalene left and announced to the disciples,
I've seen the Lord.
Then she told them what he said to her.
Please repeat these words.
Jesus,
You are the light of the world.
Open our eyes that we might see.
I invite you now to hold someone's name before God.
Whoever the Holy Spirit leads your mind to in this space,
Hold before God in prayer.
You can repeat the person's name over and over with your voice or in your mind,
Or just hold this person silently in your heart.
Don't worry about diagnosing the person's need or telling God what to do.
May the light of Christ go before you and behind you,
Beneath you and above you.
On your right and on your left,
When you rise and when you lie down,
May the light of Christ be with you.
May the light of Christ be in you.
