READINGS: EASTER TUESDAY II

Invitatory Psalm & BACK


Psalm 37: Hebrew English     Then BACK

Χριστὸς ἐγερθεὶς ἐκ νεκρῶν οὐκέτι ἀποθνῄσκει, - Ἁλληλουϊά — θάνατος αὐτοῦ οὐκέτι κυριεύει - Ἁλληλουϊά.

Even Years: Acts 5:17-42 17 ἀναστὰς δὲ ὁ ἀρχιερεὺς καὶ πάντες οἱ σὺν αὐτῷ, ἡ οὖσα αἵρεσις τῶν σαδδουκαίων, ἐπλήσθησαν ζήλου 18 καὶ ἐπέβαλον τὰς χεῖρας ἐπὶ τοὺς ἀποστόλους καὶ ἔθεντο αὐτοὺς ἐν τηρήσει δημοσίᾳ. 19 ἄγγελος δὲ κυρίου διὰ νυκτὸς ἀνοίξας τὰς θύρας τῆς φυλακῆς ἐξαγαγών τε αὐτοὺς εἶπεν, 20 πορεύεσθε καὶ σταθέντες λαλεῖτε ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ τῷ λαῷ πάντα τὰ ῥήματα τῆς ζωῆς ταύτης. 21 ἀκούσαντες δὲ εἰσῆλθον ὑπὸ τὸν ὄρθρον εἰς τὸ ἱερὸν καὶ ἐδίδασκον. παραγενόμενος δὲ ὁ ἀρχιερεὺς καὶ οἱ σὺν αὐτῷ συνεκάλεσαν τὸ συνέδριον καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν γερουσίαν τῶν υἱῶν Ἰσραήλ, καὶ ἀπέστειλαν εἰς τὸ δεσμωτήριον ἀχθῆναι αὐτούς. 22 οἱ δὲ παραγενόμενοι ὑπηρέται οὐχ εὗρον αὐτοὺς ἐν τῇ φυλακῇ, ἀναστρέψαντες δὲ ἀπήγγειλαν 23 λέγοντες ὅτι τὸ δεσμωτήριον εὕρομεν κεκλεισμένον ἐν πάσῃ ἀσφαλείᾳ καὶ τοὺς φύλακας ἑστῶτας ἐπὶ τῶν θυρῶν, ἀνοίξαντες δὲ ἔσω, οὐδένα εὕρομεν. 24 ὡς δὲ ἤκουσαν τοὺς λόγους τούτους ὅ τε στρατηγὸς τοῦ ἱεροῦ καὶ οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς, διηπόρουν περὶ αὐτῶν τί ἂν γένοιτο τοῦτο. 25 παραγενόμενος δέ τις ἀπήγγειλεν αὐτοῖς ὅτι ἰδοὺ οἱ ἄνδρες οὓς ἔθεσθε ἐν τῇ φυλακῇ εἰσὶν ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ ἑστῶτες καὶ διδάσκοντες τὸν λαόν. 26 τότε ἀπελθὼν ὁ στρατηγὸς σὺν τοῖς ὑπηρέταις ἦγεν αὐτούς, οὐ μετὰ βίας, ἐφοβοῦντο γὰρ τὸν λαόν, μὴ λιθασθῶσιν. 27 ἀγαγόντες δὲ αὐτοὺς ἔστησαν ἐν τῷ συνεδρίῳ. καὶ ἐπηρώτησεν αὐτοὺς ὁ ἀρχιερεὺς 28 λέγων, [οὐ] παραγγελίᾳ παρηγγείλαμεν ὑμῖν μὴ διδάσκειν ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι τούτῳ; καὶ ἰδοὺ πεπληρώκατε τὴν Ἰερουσαλὴμ τῆς διδαχῆς ὑμῶν, καὶ βούλεσθε ἐπαγαγεῖν ἐφ' ἡμᾶς τὸ αἷμα τοῦ ἀνθρώπου τούτου. 29 ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ Πέτρος καὶ οἱ ἀπόστολοι εἶπαν, πειθαρχεῖν δεῖ θεῷ μᾶλλον ἢ ἀνθρώποις. 30 ὁ θεὸς τῶν πατέρων ἡμῶν ἤγειρεν Ἰησοῦν, ὃν ὑμεῖς διεχειρίσασθε κρεμάσαντες ἐπὶ ξύλου: 31 τοῦτον ὁ θεὸς ἀρχηγὸν καὶ σωτῆρα ὕψωσεν τῇ δεξιᾷ αὐτοῦ, [τοῦ] δοῦναι μετάνοιαν τῷ Ἰσραὴλ καὶ ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν. 32 καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐσμεν μάρτυρες τῶν ῥημάτων τούτων, καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον ὃ ἔδωκεν ὁ θεὸς τοῖς πειθαρχοῦσιν αὐτῷ. 33 οἱ δὲ ἀκούσαντες διεπρίοντο καὶ ἐβούλοντο ἀνελεῖν αὐτούς. 34 ἀναστὰς δέ τις ἐν τῷ συνεδρίῳ φαρισαῖος ὀνόματι γαμαλιήλ, νομοδιδάσκαλος τίμιος παντὶ τῷ λαῷ, ἐκέλευσεν ἔξω βραχὺ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ποιῆσαι, 35 εἶπέν τε πρὸς αὐτούς, ἄνδρες Ἰσραηλῖται, προσέχετε ἑαυτοῖς ἐπὶ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις τούτοις τί μέλλετε πράσσειν. 36 πρὸ γὰρ τούτων τῶν ἡμερῶν ἀνέστη θευδᾶς, λέγων εἶναί τινα ἑαυτόν, ᾧ προσεκλίθη ἀνδρῶν ἀριθμὸς ὡς τετρακοσίων: ὃς ἀνῃρέθη, καὶ πάντες ὅσοι ἐπείθοντο αὐτῷ διελύθησαν καὶ ἐγένοντο εἰς οὐδέν. 37 μετὰ τοῦτον ἀνέστη ἰούδας ὁ γαλιλαῖος ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις τῆς ἀπογραφῆς καὶ ἀπέστησεν λαὸν ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ: κἀκεῖνος ἀπώλετο, καὶ πάντες ὅσοι ἐπείθοντο αὐτῷ διεσκορπίσθησαν. 38 καὶ τὰ νῦν λέγω ὑμῖν, ἀπόστητε ἀπὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων τούτων καὶ ἄφετε αὐτούς: ὅτι ἐὰν ᾖ ἐξ ἀνθρώπων ἡ βουλὴ αὕτη ἢ τὸ ἔργον τοῦτο, καταλυθήσεται: 39 εἰ δὲ ἐκ θεοῦ ἐστιν, οὐ δυνήσεσθε καταλῦσαι αὐτούς — μήποτε καὶ θεομάχοι εὑρεθῆτε. ἐπείσθησαν δὲ αὐτῷ, 40 καὶ προσκαλεσάμενοι τοὺς ἀποστόλους δείραντες παρήγγειλαν μὴ λαλεῖν ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι τοῦ Ἰησοῦ καὶ ἀπέλυσαν. 41 οἱ μὲν οὖν ἐπορεύοντο χαίροντες ἀπὸ προσώπου τοῦ συνεδρίου ὅτι κατηξιώθησαν ὑπὲρ τοῦ ὀνόματος ἀτιμασθῆναι: 42 πᾶσάν τε ἡμέραν ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ καὶ κατ' οἶκον οὐκ ἐπαύοντο διδάσκοντες καὶ εὐαγγελιζόμενοι τὸν Χριστόν, Ἰησοῦν.

Odd Years: Revelation 2:1-11 τῷ ἀγγέλῳ τῆς ἐν Ἐφέσῳ ἐκκλησίας γράψον: τάδε λέγει ὁ κρατῶν τοὺς ἑπτὰ ἀστέρας ἐν τῇ δεξιᾷ αὐτοῦ, ὁ περιπατῶν ἐν μέσῳ τῶν ἑπτὰ λυχνιῶν τῶν χρυσῶν: οἶδα τὰ ἔργα σου καὶ τὸν κόπον καὶ τὴν ὑπομονήν σου, καὶ ὅτι οὐ δύνῃ βαστάσαι κακούς, καὶ ἐπείρασας τοὺς λέγοντας ἑαυτοὺς ἀποστόλους καὶ οὐκ εἰσίν, καὶ εὗρες αὐτοὺς ψευδεῖς: καὶ ὑπομονὴν ἔχεις, καὶ ἐβάστασας διὰ τὸ ὄνομά μου, καὶ οὐ κεκοπίακες. ἀλλὰ ἔχω κατὰ σοῦ ὅτι τὴν ἀγάπην σου τὴν πρώτην ἀφῆκες. μνημόνευε οὖν πόθεν πέπτωκας, καὶ μετανόησον καὶ τὰ πρῶτα ἔργα ποίησον: εἰ δὲ μή, ἔρχομαί σοι καὶ κινήσω τὴν λυχνίαν σου ἐκ τοῦ τόπου αὐτῆς, ἐὰν μὴ μετανοήσῃς. ἀλλὰ τοῦτο ἔχεις, ὅτι μισεῖς τὰ ἔργα τῶν Νικολαϊτῶν, ἃ κἀγὼ μισῶ. ὁ ἔχων οὖς ἀκουσάτω τί τὸ πνεῦμα λέγει ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις. τῷ νικῶντι δώσω αὐτῷ φαγεῖν ἐκ τοῦ ξύλου τῆς ζωῆς, ὅ ἐστιν ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ τοῦ θεοῦ. καὶ τῷ ἀγγέλῳ τῆς ἐν Σμύρνῃ ἐκκλησίας γράψον: τάδε λέγει ὁ πρῶτος καὶ ὁ ἔσχατος, ὃς ἐγένετο νεκρὸς καὶ ἔζησεν: οἶδά σου τὴν θλῖψιν καὶ τὴν πτωχείαν— ἀλλὰ πλούσιος εἶ— καὶ τὴν βλασφημίαν ἐκ τῶν λεγόντων ἰουδαίους εἶναι ἑαυτούς, καὶ οὐκ εἰσὶν ἀλλὰ συναγωγὴ τοῦ σατανᾶ. μηδὲν φοβοῦ ἃ μέλλεις πάσχειν. ἰδοὺ μέλλει βάλλειν ὁ διάβολος ἐξ ὑμῶν εἰς φυλακὴν ἵνα πειρασθῆτε, καὶ ἕξετε θλῖψιν ἡμερῶν δέκα. γίνου πιστὸς ἄχρι θανάτου, καὶ δώσω σοι τὸν στέφανον τῆς ζωῆς. ὁ ἔχων οὖς ἀκουσάτω τί τὸ πνεῦμα λέγει ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις. ὁ νικῶν οὐ μὴ ἀδικηθῇ ἐκ τοῦ θανάτου τοῦ δευτέρου.

Even Years: Athanasius (attributed), or Basil of Seleucia Easter homily, (PG 28, 1080-1082) Ἵνα γὰρ μηδεὶς ἔτι τῷ ᾅδῃ περιλειφθείη δεσμώτης, κάτεισιν αὐτὸς εἰς ᾅδου Χριστός· τῇ μὲν φορουμένῃ σαρκὶ δελεάζων τὸν ᾅδην, θεότητος δὲ δυνάμει καθαιρῶν αὐτοῦ τὰ βασίλεια, βραχεῖ χρόνῳ τὰ παλαιὰ τοῦ νόμου διατεμὼν χειρόγραφα, ἵνα ἀνθρώπους εἰς οὐρανοὺς ἀναγάγῃ· οὐρανοὺς, τὸ ἐλεύθερον τοῦ θανάτου χωρίον, ἀρθαρσίας καταγώγιον, δικαιοσύνης ἐργαστήριον. That no one might remain a prisoner in Hades, Christ himself descended into Hades, having baited Hades by his humanity, and by the power of his divinity wiped out its dominion. In one instant he destroyed all record of our ancient debt incurred under the Law, in order to lead us to heaven where there is no death but only eternal life and righteousness. Ἐν τούτοις ἐβαπτίσθης τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς, νεοφώτιστε· ἀῤῥαβών σοι γέγονεν ἀναστάσεως, νεοφώτιστε, ἡ τῆς χάριτος μύησις· ἐνέχυρον τῆς ἐν οὐρανῷ διαίτης ἔχεις τὸ βάπτισμα. Ἐμιμήσω τῇ καταδύσει τοῦ Δεσπότου τὸν τάφον· ἀλλὰ ἀνέδυς πάλιν ἐκεῖθεν, τὰ τῆς ἀναστάσεως ἔργα πρὸ τῶν ἔργων θεώμενος. Ὧν εἶδες τὰ σύμβολα, τούτων ἐποδέχου τὰ πράγματα. Δέχου μάρτυρα τῶν λεγομένων τὸν Παῦλον λέγοντα· Εἰ γὰρ σύμφυτοι γεγόναμεν τῷ ὁμοιώματι τοῦ θανάτου αὐτοῦ, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῆς ἀναστάσεως ἐσόμεθα. Καλῶς τὸ, σύμφυτοι· φυτεία τὰρ πρὸς ἀθανασίαν τὸ βάπτισμα, ἐν κολυμβήθρᾳ φυτευομένη, καὶ οὐρανῷ καρποφοροῦσα. Ἑκεῖ τοῦ Πνεύματος ἡ χάρις ἀποῤῥήτως ἐργάζεται· καὶ μὴ τῷ τῆς φύσεως συγγενεῖ ἀγνοήσης τὸ θαῦμα. Ὑπηρετεῖ πρὸς τὴν χρείαν τὸ ὕδωρ· δημιουργεῖ δὲ τῆν ἀναγέννησιν ἡ χάρις, ὡς ἐν μήτρᾳ τῇ κολυμβήθρᾳ τὸ ἐμβαλλόμενον ἀναπλάττει. Ὡς ἐν χωνευτηρίῳ τῷ ὕδατι τὸν κατιόντα ἀναχαλκεύει. Δίδωσιν αὐτῷ τῆς ἀθανασίας μυστήρια· ἀναστάσεως σφραγῖδα χαρίζεται. Τούτων σοι τῶν θαυμάτων, ὦ νεοφώτιστε, καὶ ἡ ἀμφίεσις φέρει τὰ σύμβολα. By the Baptism which you, the newly-enlightened, have just received, you now share in these blessings. Your initiation into the life of grace is the pledge of your resurrection. Your Baptism is the promise of the life of heaven. By your immersion you imitated the burial of the Lord, but when you came out of the water you were conscious only of the reality of the Resurrection. Believe in this reality, of which previously you saw only the outward signs. Accept the assurance of Paul when he says: If we have been united to Christ in a death like his, we shall be united to him also in a resurrection like his. Baptism is the planting of the seed of immortality, a planting which takes place in the font and bears fruit in heaven. The grace of the Spirit works in a mysterious way in the font, and the outward appearance must not obscure the wonder of it. Although water serves as the instrument, it is grace which gives rebirth. Grace transforms all who are placed in the font just as the seed is transformed in the womb. It refashions all who go down into the water as metal is recast in a furnace. It reveals to them the mysteries of immortality; it seals them with the pledge of resurrection These wonderful mysteries are symbolized for you, the newly-enlightened, even in the garments you wear. Ἀπόβλεψον εἰς ἑαυτὸν τὰς τῶν ἀγαθῶν εἰκόνας φοροῦντα. Λαμπρὰ μὲν γὰρ καὶ διαυγὴς ἡ ἐσθής σου τῆς ἀφθαρσίας ζωγραφοῦσα τὰ σύμβολα. Ὀθόνη σοι λευκὴ καθάπερ διάδημα τὴν κεφαλὴν διασφίγγει, τὴν ἐλευθερίαν κηρύττουσα. Ἡ γαρ τῆς κατὰ τοῦ διαβόλου νίκης περιφέρει τὰ μηνύματα. Ἔδειξε γάρ σε Χριστὸς ἐγειρόμενον· νῦν μὲν συμβόλοις, δείξει δὲ κατὰ μικρὸν ἐν τοῖς πράγμασιν, ἐὰν τὸν χιτῶνα τῆς πίστεως μὴ ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις ῥυπώσωμεν· ἐὰν τὴν λαμπάδα τῆς χάριτος ἀτόποις μὴ κατασβέσωμεν πράξεσιν· ἐὰν τὸν τοῦ Πνεύματος διαφυλάξωμεν στέφανον. Τότε σαφῶς ὁ Δεσπότης ἐξ οὐρανῶν μετὰ φοβερᾶς καὶ φιλανθρώπου βοῆς ἀναβοήσειε· Δεῦτε, οἱ εὐλογημένοι τοῦ Πατρός μου, κληρονομήσατε τῆν ἡτοιμασμένην ὑμῖν βασιλείαν ἀπὸ καταβολῆς κόσμου. Αὐτῷ ἡ δόξα, καὶ τὸ κράτος εἰς τοῦς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν. See how you are clothed in the outward signs of these blessings. The radiant brightness of your robe stands for incorruptibility. The white band encircling your head like a diadem proclaims your liberty. In your hand you hold the sign of your victory over the devil. Christ is showing you that you have risen from the dead. He does this now in a symbolic way, but soon he will reveal the full reality if we keep the garment of faith undefiled and do not let sin extinguish the lamp of grace. If we preserve the crown of the Spirit, the Lord will call from heaven in a voice of tremendous majesty, yet full of tenderness: Come, blessed of my Father, take possession of the kingdom prepared for you since the beginning of the world. To him be glory and power forever, through endless ages. Amen.

Odd Years: Fulgentius of Ruspe, To Monimus, Book 2, 11-12 (CCL 91, 46-48) Haec spiritalis aedificatio corporis Christi, quae fit in caritate (cum scilicet, secundum beati Petri sermonem, lapides vivi aedificantur in domum spiritalem, in sacerdotium sanctum, offerentes spiritales hostias, acceptabiles Deo per Iesum Christum), haec, inquam, aedificatio spiritalis, numquam opportunius petitur quam cum ab ipso Christi corpore (quod est Ecclesia) in sacramento panis et calicis ipsum Christi corpus et sanguis offertur: Calix enim, quem bibimus, communicatio sanguinis Christi est, et panis, quem frangimus, participatio corporis Domini est; quoniam unus panis, unum corpus multi sumus, omnesque de uno pane participamus. Et propterea petimus, ut scilicet ea gratia, qua factum est ut Ecclesia Christi corpus fieret, eadem gratia fiat ut omnia membra caritatis, manente compage, in unitate corporis perseverent. Hoc autem digne petimus illius in nobis dono Spiritus fieri, qui est unus Spiritus et Patris et Filii; quia sancta naturalis unitas et aequalitas et caritas Trinitas, quae unus solus et verus est Deus, unanimitate sanctificat, quos adoptat. Propter hoc dicitur: Quia caritas Dei diffusa est in cordibus nostris, per Spiritum Sanctum, qui datus est nobis. Spiritus quippe Sanctus, qui unus est Patris et Filii, hoc operatur in his, quibus gratiam tribuit adoptionis divinae, quod operatus est etiam in illis, qui in libro Actuum Apostolorum inveniuntur eundem Spiritum accepisse. De quibus dicitur: Multitudinis autem credentium erat cor unum et anima una; unum enim cor et animam fecerat multitudines credentium in Deo qui Patris et Filii unus est Spiritus, et cum patre ac Filio unus est Deus. Unde et Apostolus hanc spiritalem unitatem in vinculo pacis sollicite dicit esse servandam, sic Ephesios monens: Obsecro itaque vos ego vinctus in Domino, ut digne ambuletis vocatione qua vocati estis, cum omni humilitate et mansuetudine, cum patientia, supportantes invicem in caritate, solliciti servare unitatem spiritus in vinculo pacis, unum corpus et unus Spiritus. Deus enim, dum caritatem suam per Spiritum Sanctum diffusam in ea custodit, ipsam Ecclesiam sibi gratum sacrificium facit, quae ipsam semper possit gratiam spiritalis caritatis accipere, per quam se possit hostiam vivam, sanctam, Deo placentem iugiter exhibere.

Prayer