The BreadCast

(Acts 3:1-10; Ps.105:1-9; Lk.24:13-35) "The Lord is risen! It is true!" And how it is proven this day! The two disciples find their "hearts burning inside" as He "explain[s] the Scriptures" to them on the road to Emmaus, and then they come "to know Him in the breaking of bread." "The Eleven and the rest of the company" of disciples rejoice in Jerusalem because "He has appeared to Simon." And the crippled beggar at the Beautiful Gate is pulled up by Peter "in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarean," and he goes "into the temple with [Peter and John] – walking, jumping about, and praising God." "Rejoice, O hearts that seek the Lord!" Brothers and sisters, the Church is as this crippled beggar at the temple gate; it is as these confused disciples sojourning for answers to their deepest questions and fears – it is the whole company assembled and astounded and declaring with joy the truth of God's presence among us. To the beggar the Lord says with Peter, "Look at us!" To those on the road to Emmaus He says, "How slow you are to believe!" And to all He appears in the breaking of the bread. The beggar He heals; in the seeker He instills faith; and to us all He leaves His Blessed Sacrament, the greatest proof of His presence. "Sing to Him, sing His praise, proclaim all His wondrous deeds." And as great as His healing may be, as wonderful as His teaching is, the greatest of these is the table He sets before us and the Body and Blood with which He nourishes us. Here is His love most known, here where we "give thanks to the Lord" and "invoke His name." For in this we are healed, in this His teaching is made real – until the end of time this shall stand as proof of His presence… in this is ever declared, "The Lord is risen!" "He remembers His covenant which He made binding for a thousand generations." Never shall this blessing leave us, brothers and sisters. Always we have His Word at work within us, and always we share His Body and His Blood. Here He remains "powerful in word and deed in the eyes of God and all the people." Let us not fail to declare all He has done for us; let us never be afraid to proclaim His truth. For then all shall be "struck with astonishment"; then all shall know the Risen Lord. ******* O LORD, in our astonishment let us rejoice at Jesus' risen presence among us. YHWH, your Son has been raised and for this we praise you, for it means our salvation – we who were once crippled by sin, by His death and resurrection are made whole again, and so the words of your prophets are fulfilled. May we recognize Him each day in the breaking of the Bread, and may we live with Him now and forever. O LORD, let us invoke the Name of your only Son and we shall know His salvation, we shall know the grace and mercy that pour forth from His sacrifice. He had to suffer and die at the hands of His own people that His people and all who would come to Him might be saved from their sin. For this blessing He has imparted to us let us dance and sing on this holy day. Jesus is the One who sets all men free; dear LORD, let us know His risen presence in our midst this very hour and always.

O good teacher of the poor boys in your care, minister of the Lord to those most in need, with what humble affection you carried out your work in educating souls in the Gospel of Christ and guiding others to do the same – pray that we, too, shall give ourselves in sacrificial silence to the call the Lord has placed upon our souls, and especially that teachers of the young and disadvantaged will find grace and strength from our Lord to carry out in truth and love their work for Christ and His Church. May the Temple of God be built up on this earth in all poor souls washed in Christ's blood.

(Acts 2:36-41; Ps.33:4-5,18-20,22; Jn.20:11-18) "Let the whole house of Israel know beyond any doubt that God has made both Lord and Messiah this Jesus whom you crucified." Brothers and sisters, we are all as Mary Magdalene who "stood weeping beside the tomb," and like the Jews who were "deeply shaken" by the words of Peter. Though it is to the Chosen people "that the promise was made," it extends "to all those still far off whom the Lord our God calls." To all sinners, to all who ask His apostles, "What are we to do, brothers?" the Lord responds: "Reform and be baptized… in the name of Jesus Christ, that your sins may be forgiven"; indeed, then we "shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" – then our eyes shall be opened to His presence among us as we turn to Him in tears. "She turned around and caught sight of Jesus standing there," this greatest of sinners become most faithful disciple. And as He speaks the name of her who cares only for Him – "Mary!" – so He calls "each one" of us who come to Him in our desperation by name; so He cares for all sinners who love Him and seek Him with all their heart. And the same joy that she has known shall also be ours; we shall declare, "I have seen the Lord!" to all who wait to hear of Him. "Save yourselves from this generation which has gone astray," Peter urges his fellow Jews on Pentecost day, and "some three thousand" accepted his message and were baptized. Here is where the Church begins to grow, here among those who crucified the Lord – here among His own brothers in the flesh. And though the message is primarily to them this day, indeed it is for all who would be grafted to this tree of life, to this race of whom Jesus is come. For, indeed, it is so that all are sinners, that all bear the guilt of His crucifixion; and so to all who hear His call for repentance, forgiveness may come, and the Spirit follow. "The eyes of the Lord are upon those who fear Him… to deliver them from death." What was sung of under the Old Covenant is even more true today; and so let what was true of those faithful under the Old be so with us now. Let it be that "our soul waits for the Lord." Let us declare, "Upright is the word of the Lord," and the Word in its fullness shall be ours, and the tears we cry shall be answered quickly by our Lord and Savior who calls us each by name. ******* O LORD, let us ascend to where your Son is, far from this world of sin, even to your side. YHWH, baptized in tears we cry out to you that we might see your only Son, that we might know He is risen from the dead and sits now at your right hand. Leave us not alone in this world with our sins and weakness, but let your Word please strengthen us; in your mercy deliver us from death. We have crucified the Holy One; we have killed our Lord. The Messiah has come to save us from our sins, to reunite us with you, O God, and we have turned away from Him and laid Him in a tomb. And what are we to do now? What can save us now that our very life we have murdered? O LORD, let us be truly repentant of our sins and baptized in the Name of the One you have raised from the dead. To Him let us cling this day, to Him who has ascended on high. In Jesus may we be blessed to make our home, freed from the darkness of the tomb.

(Acts 2:14,22-33; Ps.16:1-2,5,7-11; Mt.28:8-15) "You will not abandon my soul to the netherworld, nor will you suffer your faithful one to undergo corruption." "It was impossible that death should keep its hold on Him." And so "the paths of life" we now walk; "joy in [His] presence" is ours – "in confidence" we abide forever. For God has "raised Him up again," this Jesus, our Lord. Let us be witnesses of His truth to the ends of the earth. Like Peter, our Holy Father, let us be faithful to the Word at work within us. As the women "ran to carry the good news to [Jesus'] disciples" that He, the Lord, was no longer in the tomb, in the belly of this earth, the guards ran to the chief priests, who concocted a lie. See how the ways diverge between truth and lie. And see today the power with which Peter, inspired by the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, stands up even amongst those who had Jesus crucified, and proclaims the truth of the risen Lord. And God is with Him. He has heard the Lord's words: "Peace!" and "Do not be afraid!" He knows full well that his soul will never be abandoned to the netherworld; he has life at work in him, the life that comes from "the resurrection of the Messiah." And so he witnesses in strength, as do our popes to this day. Let us "live on in hope," brothers and sisters, "half-overjoyed and half-fearful," though only with the fear of God which overwhelms our souls, and He will be before us always, speaking words of peace; and we will see Him walking in the places He was wont to walk on earth… and we will see Him walking everywhere we walk. For by our side will He be constantly in the power of the Spirit to lead and guide us always unto Life, the life that is already with us and will never leave us. The Lord is risen, alleluia! The powers of death and hell shall never touch us, for in Him alone do we "take refuge," He alone is our "allotted portion and cup" – in Him alone do we believe, and so we "shall not be disturbed" even by the darkness of night. The Light has dawned; in Him let our souls rejoice. ******* O LORD, let us take refuge in your Son, who was not abandoned to the nether world but lives and goes before us this day. YHWH, in your Son we find the path to life, the path upon which the Spirit guides us. In His resurrection we are preserved from death and take eternal refuge. Nothing shall disturb us now that Jesus has been raised from the dead, for death no longer has power over us. Let us have but faith in Him and in His reassuring presence among us. O LORD our God, our hope is in you and in the One who sits upon your throne. He is the Son of David who has conquered death and in whom there is no corruption. And if we believe that He is the One, to the grave we shall not come. For in Him we enter life. The lies of this world let us leave far behind, O LORD. In truth alone let us make our home and the Spirit of Truth will be upon us to free us from death's bitter pangs. He has died that we might live; let us find our peace in Him.

O great preacher who taught so well the love of God and the precepts of the Church, who worked with such zeal to repair the breach within the Church in a time of corruption – pray that now the Word may again go forth to the ends of the earth, that all might hear the voice of the Spirit speaking in their hearts and turn resolutely from their sins to the grace of the Lord; and pray, too, there will be priests to preach God's Word with that same loving zeal you had for the Church and every soul.

(Acts 10:34a,37-43; Ps.118:1-2,16-17,22-24; Col.3:1-4 or 1Cor.5:6b-8; Jn.20:1-9 or Lk.24:13-35) "Everyone who believes in Him will receive forgiveness of sins through His name." "His mercy endures forever," brothers and sisters, and it is for us to "declare the works of the Lord": that Jesus was "raised on the third day," that He lives, that He still is "healing all those oppressed by the devil." With Peter and the apostles we must "preach to the people and testify" that "the right hand of the Lord is exalted." Yes, "they put Him to death by hanging Him on a tree," but "the stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone." Yes, we all bear guilt for the death of the Son, but in His rising He brings about the death of our sin. Brothers and sisters, "you were raised with Christ" and should have nothing more to do with sin. "Christ is seated at the right hand of God," and we must be seated there with Him. To Him should we raise our eyes for our "life is hidden with Christ in God." "Therefore, let us celebrate the feast, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth." No more should sin find place in us or grow within us unto death, but now that new life has come, we should find our place with Him. Peter and John ran to the tomb upon hearing the news that Jesus was not there. Upon entering, they "saw and believed," they "understood the Scripture that He had to rise from the dead." Upon believing, death no longer held dominion over them; and soon they would proclaim to all the world the Gospel of life and peace. Soon the cornerstone of truth would take hold of all who heard their words, and grow in time unto heaven. And His kingdom shall not be removed. Brothers and sisters, each day the Lord opens the Scriptures to us as we gather as His children. Each day we recognize Him in the breaking of the bread. Each day we are called to make known the glory of the resurrection we hold in "our hearts burning within as He [speaks] to us on the way." Here at His table we receive Him each day in Word and in Sacrament. May all men know the gift of life that is ours through the forgiveness of sins He offers. Let us pray that all will believe. Written, read & chanted, and produced by James Kurt. Music: "Every Day Is Christmas" from All One, sixth album of Songs for Children of Light, by James Kurt. ******* O LORD, He whom we crucified has been raised; the tomb is empty and His Word now burns in our souls – Alleluia! YHWH, your Son has truly been raised. Alleluia! And this stone rejected by the builders has now become the cornerstone of your Church. Let us be built up in Him and come to His glory. Alleluia! Help us, O LORD, to keep our eyes fixed on Him and on the glory to which He leads us. In Him we find the forgiveness of our sins and so become new men. Let us not turn back as we walk on the road with Him; may His Word always burn in our hearts along our way to you, and may we partake always of His precious Body and Blood until we are present with Him in your eternal kingdom. O LORD, we praise you for your glory, for your grace that has come into our lives and leads us to union with you. O let us die and be raised with Christ! Let us humbly run to the empty tomb and declare with His disciples that He has been raised. Let all hear His Word and believe in Him, and so enter into His glory. Alleluia!

O learned man whose wisdom remained not only in the mind but found practice in the Church of God, you who read and studied Scripture not just for its own sake but that the Word might be implemented amongst your flock – pray we too might live with the Word of God, that we too might share the light He would impart to every soul. Pray God's grace touch our innermost minds, that the understanding our ear receives will penetrate to our heart; and pray, dear shepherd, that God's Word permeate His Church as a whole, led by servants as learned as you in the way of love and truth.

(Gn.1:1-2:2; Ps.104:1-2,5-6,10,12-14,24,35 or Ps.33:4-7,12-13,20-22; Gn.22:1-18; Ps.16:5,8-11; Ex.14:15-15:1; Ex.15:1-6,17-18; Is.54:5-14; Ps.30:2,4-6,11-13; Is.55:1-11; Is.12:2-6; Bar.3:9-15,32-4:4; Ps.19:8-11; Ez.36:16-17a,18-28; Ps.42:3,5,43:3,4; Rom.6:3-11; Ps.118:1-2,16-17,22-23; Mt.28:1-10 or Mk.16:1-7 or Lk.24:1-12) "He is not here." The women come faithfully to the tomb early Easter morning. What do they find but that the stone is rolled back from its gaping mouth; and angel(s) in white deliver unto them the message of the ages: "He has been raised." This night, this early morning, we are led through salvation history, through our own history as human beings made in the image of God here upon the face of the earth, souls coming unto heaven. "Our soul waits for the Lord, who is our help and our shield," is the song of the Old Testament. From the beginning of Creation our hearts are set on Him. Along the way "Abraham took the wood for the holocaust and laid it on his son Isaac's shoulders," prefiguring the Father's own sacrifice of His Son for our sins and our salvation. Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt, out of the land of sin, through the Red Sea, "with the water like a wall to their right and to their left," prefiguring our Baptism as Christians; and they "sing to the Lord for He is gloriously triumphant," prefiguring our own joy. Always we are reminded by the prophets of old: "The Lord calls you back, like a wife forsaken and grieved in spirit." And he who heard the call even then sang, "O Lord, you brought me up from the netherworld; you preserved me from those going down into the pit." Yes, repeatedly the Lord calls out through His prophets: "Come to the water!… Come, without paying and without cost, drink wine and milk!" He promises, "With joy you will draw water at the fountain of salvation." We who "have forsaken the fountain of wisdom" by the sin that plagues our inheritance are called back to "the One who established the earth for all time… before whom the stars at their posts shine and rejoice"; we are called to cling to the Word of God, to Wisdom: "Turn, O Jacob, and receive her: walk by her light toward splendor." For the sake of His Name, the Lord who "scattered them among the nations" now beckons His children home. And those of faith sing with David, "Send forth your light and your fidelity; they shall lead me on and bring me to your holy mountain, to your dwelling place." Brothers and sisters, we know that "we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death," the death to sin. And having been "buried with Him," we are also raised with Him this night, this morning, that "we too might live in newness of life." Now His holy dwelling place is here among us with the purest of light that rises this day. Let us be children of this holy Light. No longer in the tomb let us dwell. Written, read & chanted, and produced by James Kurt. Music: "Removing the Log from My Eye" (third part) from Listening to the Lamp, ninth album of Songs for Children of Light, by James Kurt. ******* O LORD, from the tomb your Son has been raised, and we shall be raised with Him. YHWH, your Son is no longer in the tomb, and we have escaped with Him. It is the third day and He has been raised, just as He said. The stone is rolled away and so now all souls may leave the darkness of this world behind and come with Jesus to the light of Heaven. You have led us to this day, O LORD, throughout all our history, it has always been your intention to save our souls and raise us to you, even from the time of Creation. And so you called Abraham to sacrifice his son; and so you led the Israelites out of Egypt. Your Wisdom has been upon your people every step of our way that we might be wed to you in your eternal kingdom. And now in the death and resurrection of your Son you fulfill your will among us. And now we who are baptized into His death are raised to glory with Him. Let it be declared to all, LORD, that the Christ is no longer in the tomb, but awaits us all in new life.

(Is.52:13-53:12; Ps.31:2,6,12-13,15-17,25,Lk.23:46; Heb.4:14-16,5:7-9; Jn.18:1-19:42) "He shall be raised high and greatly exalted." Here is your king: "Jesus the Nazarene, the King of the Jews," Pilate has written upon His cross. Here He is lifted up, where "many were amazed at Him – so marred was His look beyond human semblance and His appearance beyond the sons of man." Yet "shall He startle many nations; because of Him kings shall stand speechless." The Scripture passage is fulfilled: "They will look upon Him whom they have pierced." And there they shall see that He who "was spurned and avoided by people… one of those from whom people hide their faces," held in "no esteem" as He was… this same "lamb led to the slaughter" "shall divide the spoils with the mighty"; for as He has been lifted up on the cross, debased beyond all others, so He shall be raised on high in His kingdom, one with the Father in heaven. Here they "wove a crown out of thorns and placed it on His head." Here they "clothed Him in a purple cloak, and they came to Him and said, 'Hail, King of the Jews.' And they struck Him repeatedly." But there no mockery shall He know; there all shall see that He is the Son of God. Brothers and sisters, "we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God." Our weaknesses He has known in full, and now He brings us "light in fullness of days." Though on earth "He offered prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears," now has He become "the source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him." For all the tears He shed, all the scourging He underwent, all the humiliation He experienced and the death He knew, were all for our sake. "It was our infirmities that He bore, our sufferings that He endured." And having suffered in our stead for the sins of those by whom He is condemned, now He has come unto what is His own, and invites us there as well. "He shall take away the sins of many, and win pardon for their offenses." The guilt of the nations is removed by Him who had "no guilt in Him," and is known by all who "take refuge" in His wounds. And so, "take courage and be stouthearted, all you who hope in the Lord"; though we, too, may be "an object of reproach" in this world of sin, He awaits us all in His heavenly kingdom. And for this we call this Friday "good." Written, read & chanted, and produced by James Kurt. Music: "My God, My God, Why Hast Thou Forsaken Me?" (second half) from Bearing the Birth Pangs, tenth album of Songs for Children of Light, by James Kurt. ******* O LORD, on this day we killed your only Son – may we look upon Him whom we have pierced that our sins might be forgiven. YHWH, your Son suffers a violent death at the hands of wicked men that our sins might be taken away. All our offenses you lay upon His shoulders, and this innocent Lamb becomes expiation for our transgression. Only by His bearing the Cross will we be freed; only by His shedding of blood will we be washed clean – only by looking upon Him lifted high on the Tree will we come to realize how we have separated ourselves from you who are Life, how we have wrought our own death. And so Jesus takes upon Himself the guilt of us all; and so by His stripes we are healed. This broken, beaten Man whose divinity none can see startles all souls as He enters into His glory. O LORD, may we take our refuge in Him! There is no salvation apart from the Christ; there is no sacrifice that could atone for our sins except that made by this High Priest. LORD our God, let us know that He is One with you, and let us worship Him as our only King.

O little one, holy and true, who wanted no more than to leave the world that you might draw closer to Christ but who was followed by the world and called to teach the world of the way of holiness in our blessed Lord – pray we shall follow His path of Passion and death, death to self and all animosity, all hatred, finding thereby His peace, peace in His Spirit and light. O that we might be sanctified! our hearts converted to God, following your example, which leads to the Cross and so the resurrection of our humble Jesus.