Easter Evening
5 April 2015
It has happened again: after hearing three different sermons on Low Sunday last year which each failed completely to mention the Sacraments, I even more incredibly heard a sermon on the Emmaus account this Easter Evening that managed entirely to avoid speaking of the Eucharist. If the sacramental imagery in the other accounts – the touching, breathing, cooking, eating; the wounded side, source by water and blood of the new life in Christ and of the Church – could possibly be considered obscure in any way, that in the account of the Supper at Emmaus could not. For here Our Lord – after opening the Scriptures – took bread, blessed, broke, and gave it, and the astonished disciples later recounted how they recognized him in the breaking of the bread.
If a priest cannot see the Eucharist in this narrative, how are the people to do so? And if neither can see the Eucharist in this encounter with the Risen Christ, how will they see the Risen Christ when they encounter him in the Eucharist? And having failed to see him there, how will they ‘seek and serve Christ in all persons’, discern and cultivate the Word who dwells in each of our hearts?
Almighty, everlasting God, let our prayer in your sight be as incense, the lifting up of our hands as the evening sacrifice. Give us grace to behold you, present in your Word and Sacraments, and to recognize you in the lives of those around us. Stir up in us the flame of that love which burned in the heart of your Son as he bore his passion, and let it burn in us to eternal life and to the ages of ages.
Concluding prayer, Order for Evening
Concluding prayer, Order for Evening
O God, whose blessed Son did manifest himself to his disciples in the breaking of bread: Open, we pray thee, the eyes of our faith, that we may behold him in all his redeeming work; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth...
Collect for Wednesday in Easter Week
and the III. Sunday of Easter
Collect for Wednesday in Easter Week
and the III. Sunday of Easter
Lord Jesus, stay with us, for evening is at hand and the day is past; be our companion in the way, kindle our hearts, and awaken hope, that we may know you as you are revealed in Scripture and the breaking of bread. Grant this for the sake of your love.
Collect for the Presence of Christ
Collect for the Presence of Christ
Be present, be present, O Jesus, our great High Priest, as thou wast present with thy disciples, and be known to us in the breaking of bread; who live and reign...
Prayer before receiving Communion
Prayer before receiving Communion
God our Father, whose Son our Lord Jesus Christ in a wonderful Sacrament hath left unto us a memorial of his passion: Grant us so to venerate the sacred mysteries of his Body and Blood, that we may ever perceive within ourselves the fruit of his redemption; who liveth and reigneth...
Collect for the Mass of the Holy Eucharist;
cf. Prayer after receiving Communion
Collect for the Mass of the Holy Eucharist;
cf. Prayer after receiving Communion
[Addendum, Low Sunday]
Today’s preacher tried valiantly to make the connection between the Risen Body of Christ, the Eucharistic Body of Christ, and the ecclesial Body of Christ. But even on a day celebrating the completion of communion instruction for a group of children, the sense of mystical participation in the Body of Christ this preacher attempted to evoke was quickly domesticated in the parish notices to the notion of participating in parish programs and events; cf. the notice in the printed newsletter (note the order of appearance, betraying the unspoken order of importance):
Graduating Senior Sunday
with Baptisms
and Pentecost
at the 10:00 am Eucharist service
with Baptisms
and Pentecost
at the 10:00 am Eucharist service