Blessed art Thou, O Lord, the God of our Fathers. For Thou art just in all Thou hast done to us.
-THE EPISTLE –
This is the day which the Lord hath made; let us rejoice and be glad therein. Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy endureth forever
[The Reading from the Acts of the Apostles (1:1-8).]
In the first book, O Theophilos, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commandment through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. To them he presented himself alive after his passion by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days, and speaking of the kingdom of God. And while staying with them he charged them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me, for John baptized with water, but before many days you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom of Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth.”
THE GOSPEL –
[The Reading of the Holy Gospel according to St. John (1:1-17).]
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God; all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came for testimony, to bear witness to the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but was to bear witness to the light. The true light that enlightens every man was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world knew him not. He came to his own, and his own received him not. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God; who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father. John bore witness to him, and cried, “This is he of whom I said, ‘he who comes after me ranks before me, for he was before me.’” And from his fullness have we all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous; praise is meet for the upright. Alleluia.
Bulletin April 16, 2023