Easter Day B

As We Gather

Today, we once again hear the story of Christ’s victory over death. We believe the glorious news that “He has risen! He is not here.” The women at Jesus’ tomb and the disciples heard the news and were afraid and confused. It’s no wonder: Isaiah tells us that the entire fallen world is veiled in a shroud—as for a funeral—“that covers all nations” and “enfolds all peoples.”

But Christ’s crucified and risen body and blood are given and poured out for us as a feast “for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine—the best of meats and the finest of wines,” a feast we enter through Holy Baptism. In this sacrament we were buried with Jesus and raised up with Him dressed in a white robe of His perfect righteousness. The Lord of hosts, the incarnate Son, Jesus Christ, has defeated death, removing its terrible pall and swallowing it up forever. Now He wipes away the tears from our faces, and He invites us to “rejoice and be glad in His salvation.” “This is what we preach,” writes Paul, “and this is what you believed.” On this good news we stand, and by this gospel we are saved!

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Prayer of the Day

O God, for our redemption You gave Your only-begotten son to the death of the cross and, by His glorious resurrection, delivered us from the power of the enemy. Grant that all our sin may be drowned through daily repentance and that day by day we may arise to live before You in righteousness and purity forever; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Isaiah 25:6–9

The Old Testament reading is from Isaiah, chapter twenty-five.

On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples,

a banquet of aged wine—

the best of meats and the finest of wines.

On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples,

the sheet that covers all nations;

he will swallow up death forever.

The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces;

he will remove his people’s disgrace from all the earth.

The Lord has spoken.

In that day they will say,

“Surely this is our God;

we trusted in him,

and he saved us.

This is the Lord,

we trusted in him;

let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.”

This is the word of the Lord.

1 Corinthians 15:1–11

The Epistle is from First Corinthians, chapter fifteen.

Now,

brothers and sisters,

I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you,

which you received

and on which you have taken your stand.

By this gospel you are saved,

if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you.

Otherwise,

you have believed in vain.

For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance:

that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,

that he was buried,

that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,

and that he appeared to Cephas,

and then to the Twelve.

After that,

he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time,

most of whom are still living,

though some have fallen asleep.

Then he appeared to James,

then to all the apostles,

and last of all he appeared to me also,

as to one abnormally born.

For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle,

because I persecuted the church of God.

But by the grace of God I am what I am,

and his grace to me was not without effect.

No,

I worked harder than all of them—

yet not I,

but the grace of God that was with me.

Whether,

then,

it is I or they,

this is what we preach,

and this is what you believed.

This is the word of the Lord.

Mark 16:1–8

The Holy Gospel according to St. Mark, the sixteenth chapter.

When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?” But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’” Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.

Psalm 16

P:
Preserve me, | O God,* for in you I take | refuge.
C:
I say to the Lord, “You | are my Lord;* I have no good a- | part from you.”

P:
As for the saints | in the land,* they are the excellent ones, in whom is all | my delight.
C:
The sorrows of those who run after another god shall | multiply;* their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out or take their names | on my lips.

P:
The Lord is my chosen portion | and my cup;* you | hold my lot.
C:
The lines have fallen for me in pleasant | places;* indeed, I have a beautiful in- | heritance.

P:
I bless the Lord who gives me | counsel;* in the night also my heart in- | structs me.
C:
I have set the Lord always be- | fore me;* because he is at my right hand, I shall not be | shaken.

P:
Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being re- | joices;* my flesh also | dwells secure.
C:
For you will not abandon my soul | to Sheol,* or let your holy one see cor- | ruption.

P:
You make known to me the | path of life;* in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures for- | evermore.
C:
Glory be to the Father and | to the Son* and to the Holy | Spirit;
as it was in the be- | ginning,* is now and will be forever. | Amen.