Easter Day (Year A)

First Reading - Acts 2.22-24,29-32,36

A reading from the Acts of the Apostles. Peter said, ‘People of Israel, you were all witnesses to the signs, wonders, and deeds of power, that God did amongst us through Jesus of Nazareth. And yet you had him crucified, at the hands of those outside the law. But God raised him up, setting him free from death, which could not hold him in its power. All this was in fulfilment of a plan that God formed long ago. King David died, and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. But as a prophet, King David knew that God would put one of his own descendants on his throne. When King David wrote that he would not be abandoned to death, he was writing of that descendant, the Messiah, and the resurrection of the Messiah. And now, we are all witnesses that God has raised up this Jesus from the dead. So let it be known, to all Israel, that God has made this Jesus - the one you crucified - to be both Messiah and Lord.’ This is the word of the Lord.

Second Reading - Colossians 3.1-4

A reading from the letter of Paul to the Colossians. Now that you have been raised up with Christ, seek the things that are above. Set your minds on the things of heaven, not on the things of earth. For you have died, and your new life, in the risen Christ, is secure, in the presence of God. And when Christ, who is your life, appears, you also will appear with him in glory. This is the word of the Lord.

Gospel - John 20.1-18

Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John. Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb, and saw that the stone had been removed. She hurried back to Simon Peter, and the disciple Jesus loved, and said, ‘They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.’ Peter and the other disciple set off running towards the tomb. The other disciple outran Peter, reaching the tomb first. Bending down to look in, he could see the linen wrappings, lying there, but did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings; and he saw the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, rolled up separately, in a place by itself. Then the other disciple also went in, and saw, and believed; (for until this point, they had not understood the scripture, that he must rise from the dead). When these two disciples returned to their homes, Mary stayed, weeping, outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels, in white robes, sitting one at the head, and one at the feet, of where the body of Jesus had been. The angels said to Mary, ‘Why are you weeping?’ Mary said, ‘They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.’ When she had said this, she turned around, and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus asked her, ‘Why are you weeping? Who is it that you are looking for?’ Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, ‘Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Mary.’ Mary turned, and said to him, ‘Teacher!’ Jesus said, ‘Do not hold me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go, and tell my brothers that I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God. Mary Magdalene went and said to the disciples, ‘I have seen the Lord’; and she told them the words the Lord had spoken to her. This is the Gospel of the Lord.