Eve of Easter 6

                                                     Psalm 23:4

     Though 

     I walk 

     through 

     the valley 

     of the 

     shadow 

     of death, 

     I shall 

     fear no 

     evil, for 

     you are 

     with me 

Today on the Episcopal calendar, meet Sarah Hale, 1788–1879, editor and prophetic witness.

                               Matthew 7:13 

       

       Enter 

       though 

       the 

       narrow 

       gate, 

       for 

       the 

       gate

       is 

       wide 

       and 

       the 

       road 

       easy 

       that 

       leads 

       to 

       destruction

 This amazing woman, who was left widowed just before the  birth of her fifth child, was an author  who the first woman to have an American novel published, and editor. She also wrote poetry, including  “Mary had a little lamb.” She was a champion of education for both he sexes: she helped found Vassar College. She  “dedicated mush energy to causes which could unite North and South across party lines” And it is thanks to her that Thanksgiving is a national holiday, proclaimed so by Abraham Lincoln.

                               There are a plethora of new people celebrated in the Episcopal book Holy Women, Holy Men and, as is high time, many of them are lay people living out their lives in the world. But I find it disappointing- and worrying - that there is oftentimes no explicit or  implicit reference to their faith. If we are going to celebrate them as examples of the Christian life, are we just celebrating that works? Do these works not spring from the Spring? And as we seek to remake, renew/reimagine/rethink the church in our own day, how do squeeze through that narrow gate between clericalism/authoritarianism/ churchiness and ... this new thing that is springing forth? We hope. 

Friday Evening Prayer

                      2 Thessalonians 2 16,17

Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself 

and God our Father, 

who loved us and through grace 

gave us eternal comfort & good hope, 

comfort our hearts &strengthen them 

           in every good work& word.

The inimitable Saint Catherine of Siena, 1380

                                                          Leviticus 23:22. 

When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap 

to the very edges of your field, 

or gather the gleanings of 

your harvest;

you shall leave them for the poor and for the alien. 

                   I am the Lord your God.

"To be the 

servant of God,

every place is 

the right place, 

and every time 

is the right time." 

   Catherine of Siena, 

A Collect at Thursday Evening Prayer

                                            BCP Page 124

    Lord Jesus, stay with us, 

                      for evening is at hand, 

                & the day is past…

Thursday noon

The 

Spirit 

of 

peace 

builds 

resting 

places 

on the 

road 

to 

peace, 

then 

as now. 

Such is the 

on-going sign  

of Easter among us.  

                    Fr James Wallace 

Thursday

                                           Psalm 71:5

~you have been my hope, O Lord, God; 

my confidence since I was young. 

Wednesday Evening Prayer

                    

                                               1  Thessalonians 5:12,13

Be 

at 

peace 

among 

yourselves…

rejoice always, 

pray without ceasing, 

give thanks in all circumstances...

Today we remember the Victorian poet, Christina Rossetti, 1830- 894

                                                 Matthew 6: 19, 21

Do 
not store up for your-selves treas-ures 

on earth, where moth ad rust consume, 

and where thieves break in and steal… 

for where your treasure is, there 
your heart will be also 

Help us to 

follow her 

example  

in giving 

our hearts 

to Christ, 

who is love… 

Collect

Tuesday

                                                     Matthew 6:7

    

    

    When 

    you are 

    praying, 

    do not 

    heap up empty phrases… 

Today we remember Robert Hunt, born around 1568 in England and died in 1607, Priest and first chaplain to the Jamestown Colony

                                     Easter Antiphon 

                                             on Psalm 62

Do
not 

let your 

hearts
be troubled, 

believe in me, hallelujah. 

Monday Evening

                                               Psalm 67:1

May God be mer-

ciful to us and  

bless us,  

show the light of his countenance 

                                and come to us.

St. Mark the Evangelist who wrote his Gospel narrative around the year 70, probably drawing from the teaching of Peter. The church of Alexandria in Egypt claims Mark as its first bishop.

                                                                                          Psalm 145:10–12

All your works 

praise you, 

O Lord, 

& your  faithful 

servants bless you. 

They make known 

the glory of your 

kingdom & speak 

of your power.

That the peoples 

may know of your power & 

the glorious splendor of your kingdom.

Grant, we pray, that we may so profit from his teaching as to  follow faithfully in the footsteps of Christ … 

The Roman Catholic 

collect of the day 

Sunday Evening

                                             Psalm 84:4  

       Happy 

       are

       they 

       whose 

       strength 

       is in you! 

        Whose 

         hearts 

           are set 

              on the pilgrim’s way.  

The Fifth Sunday of Easter

                                 * Pascha nostrum with antiphon

Alleluia. 

Alleluia. 

Alleluia. 

Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us, 

therefore let us keep the feast, Not 

with the old leaven, the leaven of 

malice and evil, but with the  

unleavened bread of 

sincerity & truth. 

Alleluia. 

                                                                   *Book of Common Prayer Page 83. 

                                                             Used at Sunday Morning Prayer in 

                                                       Eastertide rather than of the Venite 

                                                                   Spellcheck kept changing Pascha to pasta!

Saturday Evening Prayer

                                             Easter antiphon 

                                                  on Psalm 138

Though 

I walk 

in the 

midst of 

trouble, 

you keep 

me safe. 

Today we remember St George, soldier and martyr, c 304 and our old friend William Shakespeare who born 1584 and died on this date in 1616S

                               Easter antiphon: 

                                         Psalm 55

Cast your bur-den upon the Lord, and 

he will sustain you, hallelujah. 

George is the patron saint of England by declaration of King Edward II in 1347. Precious little is known about him except he gave his life in the persecution of the church in the fourth century. The legend of the slaying of the Dragon is from the 12th century and print probably from Greek 

                                  mythology. 

The St George Shield, 

a white Shield emblaz-

oned with the Red Cross, 

is the basis of the Episcopal 

Church flag and seal.

Evening Prayer

                                        General Intercession 

                                             at Evening Prayer 

Keep watch, dear Lord, with those who work or watch or weep this night, 

& give your angels charge 

over those who sleep…

                                       Keep watch