Fourth Sunday of Eastertide: Good Shepherd

The celebration continues with the Great Fifty Days called Eastertide. I hope you’re enjoying the Practice Resurrection series that began this past week. Hallelujah! Christ is risen!

Look: The Shepherd of Sandtown, Stephen Towns

Listen: “The Lord Is My Shepherd (Psalm 23)” on The North Coast Sessions, Keith & Kristyn Getty

Spotify | YouTube | Lyrics

Listen to my entire playlist on Spotify: Resurrection 2019. Add it to your account by clicking ‘Follow.’

Read:

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.

*

”Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me, but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”
— Psalm 23 * John 10:25-30 (ESV)

Sunday: Acts 9:36-43; Psalm 23; Revelation 7:9-1; John 10:22-30

Sunday Scripture readings are taken from the Revised Common Lectionary (Year C). Daily Scripture readings are taken from the Book of Common Prayer (Year 1), using the Psalm selections for Morning Prayer. This week’s readings include the Book of Wisdom from the Apocrypha so I’ve linked to the RSV. Here’s a helpful commentary If you’re wondering if Anglicans (or other Protestants) read the Apocrypha.

Pray:

“O God, whose Son Jesus is the good shepherd of your people; Grant that when we hear his voice we may know him who calls us each by name, and follow where he leads; who, with you and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.”
— Book of Common Prayer, Collect for Fourth Sunday in Eastertide

Do:

In previous years, we've celebrated the Great 50 Days between Easter Sunday and Pentecost Sunday (aka, Eastertide) with a series I've dubbed Practice Resurrection (after the Wendell Berry poem). It's one of my favorite series all year, and I'm excited to start again. I need your photos and captions to make it work. To help prime the pump, I thought you might enjoy the list of ideas I brainstormed for simple ways to practice resurrection.

Choose 1 idea or 50, but whatever you do, do it with gusto!

Here's how you can share your photo stories with me for the blog:

1. Add something to your day that helps you practice resurrection (one day or fifty days -doesn't matter).

2. Take a picture and write a description in 1-50 words. 

3. Share it with me via email, share on my Facebook page, or tag me on Instagram (you can tag me with @a_sacramental_life or use the #PracticeResurrection2019 hashtag.) 

I look forward to hearing from you!

(See all Eastertide posts from 2018 here.)

EastertideTamara Hill Murphy[Look.Listen.Pray.Do.], visual art, playlist, Collect, 50 Ways for 50 Days, Eastertide 2019