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"Christ at the Pool of Bethesda," Artus Wolffort, 1581-1641, painting (detail). Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, Canada.

Theme of the Day

Visions abound in the readings for the sixth Sunday of Easter. Paul has a vision about what to do. John has a vision of what will be. Jesus provides visions of peace that surpasses human understanding and power beyond human imagination.

The Collect for Sunday

Bountiful God, you gather your people into your realm, and you promise us food from your tree of life. Nourish us with your word, that empowered by your Spirit we may love one another and the world you have made, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Prayer Intentions

The prayers of the church are offered especially:

  • for the joy and peace of the resurrection to fill the earth;
  • for the renewal of creation;
  • for peace in the world and especially for an end to the war in Ukraine;
  • for all refugees who flee war and violence;
  • for the needs of the world, especially at this time global pandemic;
  • for those who are particularly vulnerable to the COVID-19 virus;
  • for those who are sick and those awaiting surgeries postponed;
  • for those who are isolated and anxious;
  • for the healing of racial inequality, prejudice, bigotry, systemic racism, injustice, and hatred;
  • for all who grieve for lost children, for the survivors of Indian Residential Schools, and for generational healing;
  • for those who are homeless;
  • for all those who mourn, who are lonely, or suffer from depression;
  • for all those who work for reconciliation and the common good;
  • for Elizabeth our Queen and all those set in authority under her, for Justin, the Prime Minister of Canada and all members of parliament; Doug, the Premier of Ontario and all members of the legislature; Fred, the mayor of Hamilton and those who serve city council;
  • for the First Nations of this land, for elders, chiefs, and band councils; for all in civil authority and for all citizens that we might work together for the common good;
  • for the whole church: for Susan, our Diocesan Bishop; for David and Brian, our priests; for all bish­ops, priests and dea­cons; and for all the bap­tized: that God may accomplish God's work in and through us for the sake of the world;
  • for all for whom we have been asked to pray, especially Olga;
  • for those who are dying and all those who have departed from this life and are at rest. 

In our cycles of prayer:

  • With the worldwide Anglican Communion, we pray for the Church of the Province of South East Asia.
  • In our diocese, we pray for Christ Church, McNab, The Reverend Dorothy Hewlett, Rector and the people of that parish.
  • In our neighbourhood we pray for Melrose United Church, the Reverend Sonya Iverson and the people of that congregation.
  • In our parish cycle of prayer we pray for John, Carol, Scott, Laura, William, Christie, Bethany, Ed, Rebekah, Dave, Dhammika, Prasanthika, Anargi, and Liam. We pray also for our youth, our parish Youth Ministry and for all Youth Ministry Volunteers.

Prayer requests to be included on the following Sunday can be submitted here by the Thursday morning before.

The Readings for Sunday

First Reading: Acts 16:9-15

A vision compels Paul to move his ministry into Greece. There he meets Lydia, an important person in the business community, whose heart has been opened by God to receive the gospel. Her conversion and baptism provide the impetus for the founding of the church at Philippi.

9During the night Paul had a vision: there stood a man of Macedonia pleading with him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10When he had seen the vision, we immediately tried to cross over to Macedonia, being convinced that God had called us to proclaim the good news to them.
 11We set sail from Troas and took a straight course to Samothrace, the following day to Neapolis, 12and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city for some days. 13On the sabbath day we went outside the gate by the river, where we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down and spoke to the women who had gathered there. 14A certain woman named Lydia, a worshiper of God, was listening to us; she was from the city of Thyatira and a dealer in purple cloth. The Lord opened her heart to listen eagerly to what was said by Paul. 15When she and her household were baptized, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my home.” And she prevailed upon us.

Psalm: Psalm 67

Let the nations be glad and sing for joy. (Ps. 67:4)

 1May God be merciful to | us and bless us;
  may the light of God’s face | shine upon us.
 2Let your way be known | upon earth,
  your saving health a- | mong all nations.
 3Let the peoples praise | you, O God;
  let all the | peoples praise you.
 4Let the nations be glad and | sing for joy,
  for you judge the peoples with equity and guide all the na- | tions on earth. R
 5Let the peoples | praise you, O God;
  let all the | peoples praise you.
 6The earth has brought | forth its increase;
  God, our own | God, has blessed us.
 7May God | give us blessing,
  and may all the ends of the earth | stand in awe. R

Second Reading: Revelation 21:10, 22--22:5

John’s vision of a new Jerusalem coming out of heaven provides continuity with God’s past actions. Yet in this new city, God’s presence replaces the temple, and the glory of God and the Lamb supplants sun and moon.

10And in the spirit [one of the angels] carried me away to a great, high mountain and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God.
 22I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. 23And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb. 24The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. 25Its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. 26People will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. 27But nothing unclean will enter it, nor anyone who practices abomination or falsehood, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
 22:1Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2through the middle of the street of the city. On either side of the river is the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. 3Nothing accursed will be found there any more. But the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him; 4they will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5And there will be no more night; they need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.

Gospel: John 14:23-29

As Jesus talks of returning to the Father, he promises to send the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, who will teach Jesus’ followers and remind them of all that Jesus taught. Even more, those in whom God makes a home will experience a peace that overcomes fear.

23Jesus answered [Judas (not Iscariot),] “Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; and the word that you hear is not mine, but is from the Father who sent me.
 25“I have said these things to you while I am still with you. 26But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. 27Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. 28You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I am coming to you.’ If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I. 29And now I have told you this before it occurs, so that when it does occur, you may believe.”

Gospel (alternate): John 5:1-9

Jesus performs a healing miracle on the sabbath. In doing so he both reveals divine creative power and teaches a richer, deeper meaning for the sabbath as a healing and creative time.

1After this there was a festival of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
 2Now in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate there is a pool, called in Hebrew Beth-zatha, which has five porticoes. 3In these lay many invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed. 5One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. 6When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be made well?” 7The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; and while I am making my way, someone else steps down ahead of me.” 8Jesus said to him, “Stand up, take your mat and walk.” 9At once the man was made well, and he took up his mat and began to walk.
  Now that day was a sabbath.

This Week in Holy Time

  • Sunday (22): Sixth Sunday of Easter (The Lord's Day). 
  • Monday (23): Rogation Day, Victoria Day [Monarch's Official Birthday].
  • Tuesday (24): Rogation Day.
  • Wednesday (25): Rogation Day; Bede, Priest, Monk of Jarrow, Historian and Educator, 735 (Commemoration).
  • Thursday (26): Ascension of the Lord (Principal Feast). 
  • Friday (27): John Charles Roper, Archbishop of Ottawa, 1940 (Commemoration).
  • Saturday (28): Easter Feria; Eve of  Ascension Sunday.
  • Sunday (29): Ascension Sunday [Jerusalem Sunday in solidarity with the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem] (The Lord's Day). 

For readings appropriate to the day visit here.

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