Opening Prayer
Almighty God, on this day you opened the way of eternal life to every race and nation by the promised gift of your Holy Spirit: Shed abroad this gift throughout the world by the preaching of the Gospel, that it may reach to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
-BCP
TEXT
John 21:20-25 TNIV
Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is going to betray you?”) When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?”
Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.” Because of this, the rumor spread among the believers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?”
This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true.
Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.”
Read
O God,
you have graciously brought us to this hour,
the time when you poured out your Holy Spirit
in tongues of fire upon your apostles,
filling them with the gift of your grace;
so, most wonderful Lord,
may we too receive this blessing;
and as we seek to praise you, merciful God,
in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,
may we share in your eternal kingdom.
For your name is worthy of all honor and majesty,
and you are to be glorified in hymns of blessing,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
now and forever, to the end of the ages. Amen.
— Eastern Orthodox Church, 5th century