<![CDATA[“Jubilate”: 3rd Sunday after Easter]]>

<![CDATA[“Jubilate”: 3rd Sunday after Easter]]>Candles are burning, the table is set and we´re ready for church. The restrictions have been lifted so much, that we can celebrate publicly again and with all our members. That´s a wonderful “donum superadditum” (“überschüssige Zugabe”) over and above those gifts of grace we expect to receive from God´s bontiful goodness and mercy on this 3^rd Sunday after Easter: “Jubilate”.

Our Lord IX says: “I am the vine, You are the branches.”

Psalm 148 teaches us to sing, praise and pray:

Praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord from the sky.
Praise him in the heavens.
Praise him, all his angels.
Praise him, all his heavenly assembly.
Praise him, O sun and moon.
Praise him, all you shiny stars.
Praise him, O highest heaven,
and you waters above the sky.

Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for he gave the command and they came into existence.
He established them so they would endure;
he issued a decree that will not be revoked.

Praise the Lord from the earth,
you sea creatures and all you ocean depths,
O fire and hail, snow and clouds,
O stormy wind that carries out his orders,
you mountains and all you hills,
you fruit trees and all you cedars,
you animals and all you cattle,
you creeping things and birds,
you kings of the earth and all you nations,
you princes and all you leaderson the earth,
you young men and young women,
you elderly, along with you children.

Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for his name alone is exalted;
his majesty extends over the earth and sky.
He has made his people victorious,
and given all his loyal followers reason to praise—
the Israelites, the people who are close to him.
Praise the Lord!

The sermon on today´s gospel recorded by the holy apostle and evangelist St. John 15:1-8, where our Lord Jesus Christ proclaims: “I am the vine, You are the branches” puts the theme of today´s Sunday into perspective: “So then, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; what is old has passed away—look, what is newhas come!(2. Cor.5,17)

The Introit is from Psalm 66:1-9

Shout out praise to God, all the earth!
Sing praises about the majesty of his reputation.
Give him the honor he deserves!

Say to God: “How awesome are your deeds!
Because of your great power your enemies cower in fearbefore you.

All the earth worshipsyou
and sings praises to you.
They sing praises to your name.” (Selah)

Come and witnessGod’s exploits!
His acts on behalf of people are awesome.
He turned the sea into dry land;
they passed through the river on foot.
Let us rejoice in him there.

He rulesby his power forever;
he watchesthe nations.
Stubborn rebels should not exalt themselves. (Selah)

Praise our God, you nations.
Loudly proclaim his praise.
He preserves our lives
and does not allow our feet to slip.

The Old Testament lesson is on the creation as recorded in Genesis the first two chapters: 1,1-2,4a and the epistle proclaims St. Paul´s sermon on the Areopagus as recorded in Acts 17:22-34.

Well, we´ll rejoice and praise the Lord with Psalms, hymns, prayers and liturgies. Here´s one from George R. Woodward (1848-1934) for example:

This joyful Eastertide,
away with sin and sorrow!
My Love, the Crucified,
has sprung to life this morrow:

Refrain: Had Christ, who once was slain,
not burst His three-day prison,
our faith had been in vain;
but now has Christ arisen,
arisen, arisen; but now has Christ arisen!

2 Death’s flood has lost its chill
since Jesus crossed the river;
Lover of souls, from ill
my passing soul deliver: [Refrain]

3 My flesh in hope shall rest
and for a season slumber
till trump from east to west
shall wake the dead in number: [Refrain]