St Giles’ Cathedral

 Midweek Devotion

Thursday April 13 2023

The Thursday of Easter Week

The Lord is risen; he is risen indeed.

Let us worship God

The lesson is 1 Cor 15: 12-14, 20-26

12Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say there is no resurrection of the dead? 13If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; 14and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been in vain. 

20But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died. 21For since death came through a human being, the resurrection of the dead has also come through a human being; 22for as all die in Adam, so all will be made alive in Christ. 23But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. 24Then comes the end, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father, after he has destroyed every ruler and every authority and power. 25For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.26The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

Reflection

Thine be the Glory, risen, conquering Son,

endless is the victory thou o’er death hast won.

So goes the great Easter hymn by Edmond Budry set to Handel’s unmistakable tune Maccabeus. Budry grasps the meaning of Easter – the meaning of the gospel – in that line.  

The traditions are over for another year – the church overflowing with flowers; the egg rolling; the kids (and adults!) feeling the effects of too much chocolate – but Easter is not over. Easter is ‘endless’ because each day we encounter the risen, living Spirit of God’s love in Christ – love which daily, and endlessly, forgives our failures and inspires our goodness. Love which daily, and endlessly, is victorious and overcomes the little deaths we cause and suffer – in our selves, our hopes, our relationships.

Easter is not really a day or a season. It is the new way we live – as a people healed forgiven and made whole - as an Easter people.

Christ is alive, let Christians sing.

The cross stands empty to the skies.

Amen

(From the hymn by Brian Wren)

Prayer

Son of God, source of life, we invoke your goodness upon us

and upon the entire human family.

Allow us to live by your life

and to walk as children of light in the joy of Easter.

Increase the faith of your church;

may it faithfully bear witness to your resurrection.

Give strength to the sick, O Lord, support the infirm

and reassure the dying by your saving presence.

O Lord hear our prayers for ourselves and others as we join together in the Lord’s Prayer:

Our Father,

which art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name.

Thy Kingdom come,

thy will be done

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread

and forgive us our trespasses

as we forgive those who trespass against us;

and lead us not into temptation

but deliver us from evil;

for thine is the kingdom,

the power and the glory

for ever and ever, Amen.

The Benediction

Be of good courage, render no-one evil for evil,

but hold fast to the good; honour all of God’s people,

and the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,

the love of God,

and the Communion of the Holy Spirit

be with you

and all whom you love

this day and for ever.

Organ Music

J.S.Bach Ach bleib bei uns BWV 649