Is there anyone who is a devout lover of God? Let them enjoy this beautiful bright festival!

Is there anyone who is a grateful servant? Let them rejoice and enter into the joy of their Lord!

Are there any weary with fasting? Let them now receive their wages!

If any have toiled from the first hour, let them receive their due reward;

If any have come after the third hour, let him with gratitude join in the Feast!

And he that arrived after the sixth hour, let him not doubt; for he too shall sustain no loss.

And if any delayed until the ninth hour, let him not hesitate; but let him come too.

And he who arrived only at the eleventh hour, let him not be afraid by reason of his delay.

For the Lord is gracious and receives the last even as the first. He gives rest to him that comes at the eleventh hour, as well as to him that toiled from the first.

To this one He gives, and upon another He bestows. He accepts the works as He greets the endeavor. The deed He honors and the intention He commends.

Let us all enter into the joy of the Lord!
First and last alike receive your reward;
rich and poor, rejoice together!
Sober and slothful, celebrate the day!

You that have kept the fast, and you that have not, rejoice today for the Table is richly laden! Feast royally on it, the calf is a fatted one. Let no one go away hungry.

Partake, all, of the cup of faith. Enjoy all the riches of His goodness!

Let no one grieve at his poverty, for the universal kingdom has been revealed.
Let no one mourn that he has fallen again and again; for forgiveness has risen from the grave. Let no one fear death, for the Death of our Savior has set us free. He has destroyed it by enduring it.

He destroyed Hades when He descended into it. He put it into an uproar even as it tasted of His flesh. Isaiah foretold this when he said, "You, O Hell, have been troubled by encountering Him below."

Hell was in an uproar because it was done away with. It was in an uproar because it is mocked.

It was in an uproar, for it is destroyed.
It is in an uproar, for it is annihilated.
It is in an uproar, for it is now made captive.

Hell took a body, and discovered God.
It took earth, and encountered Heaven.
It took what it saw, and was overcome by what it did not see.

O death, where is thy sting?
O Hades, where is thy victory?

Christ is Risen
and you, o death, are annihilated!

Christ is Risen,
and the evil ones are cast down!

Christ is Risen,
and the angels rejoice!

Christ is Risen,
and life is liberated!

Christ is Risen
and the tomb is emptied of its dead;
for Christ having risen from the dead,
is become the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep.

To Him be Glory and Power forever and ever. Amen!
-- St. John Chrysostom

Easter V

INTROIT. Psalm 98:1,3. O sing unto the Lord a new song, alleluia: for the Lord hath done marvelous things, alleluia: in the sight of the nations hath he showed his righteous judgments, alleluia, alleluia. Ps. 98:2. With his own right hand and with his holy arm: hath he gotten himself the victory. Glory be.... O sing....

COLLECT. O Almighty God, whom truly to know is everlâsting life: Grant us so perfectly to know thy Son Jesus Christ to be the way, the truth, and the lîfe, that we may steadfastly follow his steps in the way that leadeth to eternal life; through the same Jesus Christ our Lôrd, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, ône God, for ever and ever. Amen

The Lesson from the Acts of the Holy Apostles.

In those days, the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet. Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him. The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth: In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth. And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man? Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing. But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.

PSALM. 66:1-8. O BE joyful in God, all ye lands; sing praises unto the honour of his Name; make his praise to be glorious. Say unto God, O how wonderful art thou in thy works! Through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies bow down unto thee. For all the world shall worship thee, sing of thee, and praise thy Name. O come hither, and behold the works of God; how wonderful he is in his doing toward the children of men. He turned the sea into dry land, so that they went through the water on foot; there did we rejoice thereof. He ruleth with his power for ever; his eyes behold the nations: and such as will not believe shall not be able to exalt themselves. O praise our God, ye peoples, and make the voice of his praise to be heard; who holdeth our soul in life; and suffereth not our feet to slip.

The Lesson from the First Epistle of John.

My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. And this is his command-ment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

ALLELUIA, alleluia. Psalm 118:16. The right hand of the Lord bringeth mighty things to pass: the right hand of the Lord hath exalted me.

Alleluia. Romans 6:9. Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more: death hath no more dominion over him. Alleluia.

The Continuation of the Holy Gospel
according to John.

At that time, Jesus said to his disciples, If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. He that hath my command-ments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. The Creed is said.

OFFERTORY. Psalm 66:1,14. O be joyful in God, all ye lands; sing praises unto his Name: O come hither and hearken, all ye that fear God; and I will tell you what great things the Lord hath done for my soul, alleluia.

SECRET. O God, who by the wondrous operation of this sacrifice, hast made us partakers of thy glorious Godhead: grant, we beseech thee, that we which are taught the knowledge of thy truth, may in all our conversation walk worthily of the same. Through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

COMMUNION. John 15:5. I am the true vine and ye are the branches: he that abideth in me and I in him; the same bringeth forth much fruit, alleluia, alleluia.

POSTCOMMUNION. Assist us mercifully, O Lord our God: that we, which have in faithfulness received this holy Sacramênt, may thereby be cleansed from all our iniquities, and delivered from all dangers that beset us. Through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lôrd, who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever ône God, world without end. Amen.

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