Third Sunday of Easter

We pray the Third Sunday of Easter and make a full offering of our day to Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary. We then listen to St Justin Martyr describe the Eucharist and the Sunday assembly, ending with Easter hope and a simple invitation to keep growing in faith. 
• opening prayers and the daily offering for our intentions 
• St Justin Martyr on who may receive the Eucharist 
• the Real Presence and why the Eucharist is not ordinary food 
• a 2nd-century outline of Sunday worship with readings, exhortation, prayers, and Communion 
• care for the poor through voluntary giving for widows, orphans, prisoners, and the sick 
• why Christians gather on Sunday for creation and the Resurrection 
If you found this time of prayer and reflection fruitful and would like more opportunities to grow in your faith, consider joining the Cristeros and purchasing our publications now available on Amazon.com. The Cristeros app is available on the Apple app and Google Play Store. More information on the Cristeros can be found at theCristeros.org.

Transcript

St Justin On The Eucharist

How Christians Worship On Sunday

Christ’s Memorial And Closing Prayers

Invitation To Join The Cristeros

SPEAKER_00 0:02

The third Sunday of Easter. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. O God, come to my assistance. O Lord, make haste to help me. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. O my Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer you my prayers, works, joys, and sufferings of this day, in union with the holy sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world, for the remission of my sins, for the intentions of my family and friends, and in particular for the intentions of the Holy Father. Amen. From the first Apology in Defense of the Christians by St. Justin Martyr. No one may share the Eucharist with us unless he believes that what we teach is true, unless he is washed in the regenerating waters of baptism for the remission of his sins, and unless he lives in accordance with the principles given us by Christ. We do not consume the Eucharistic bread and wine as if it were ordinary food and drink. For we have been taught that as Jesus Christ our Savior became a man of flesh and blood by the power of the Word of God, so also the food that our flesh and blood assimilates for its nourishment becomes the flesh and blood of the incarnate Jesus, by the power of his own words contained in the prayer of thanksgiving. The apostles, in their recollections, which are called Gospels, handed down to us what Jesus commanded them to do. They tell us that He took bread, gave thanks, and said, Do this in memory of me. This is my body. In the same way He took the cup, he gave thanks and said, This is my blood. The Lord gave this commandment to them alone. Ever since then, we have constantly reminded one another of these things. The rich among us help the poor, and we are always united. For all that we receive, we praise the Creator of the universe, through his Son, Jesus Christ, and through the Holy Spirit. On Sunday, we have a common assembly of all our members, whether they live in the city or the outlying districts. The recollections of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read as long as there is time. When the reader has finished, the President of the Assembly speaks to us. He urges everyone to imitate the examples of virtue we have heard in the readings. Then we all stand up together and pray. On the conclusion of our prayer, bread and wine and water are brought forward. The President offers prayers and gives thanks to the best of his ability, and the people give assent by saying, Amen. The Eucharist is distributed, everyone present communicates, and the deacons take it to those who are absent. The wealthy, if they wish, may make a contribution, and they themselves decide the amount. The collection is placed in the custody of the President, who uses it to help the orphans and widows, and all who for any reason are in distress, whether because they are sick, in prison, or away from home. In a word, he takes care of all who are in need. We hold our communion assembly on Sunday, because it is the first day of the week, the day on which God put darkness and chaos to flight and created the world. And because on that same day our Savior Jesus Christ rose from the dead, for he was crucified on Friday, and on Sunday He appeared to his apostles and disciples, and taught them the things that we have passed on for your consideration. When he was about to pass from this world to the Father, Jesus established a memorial of his death. And he said, Do this in memory of me. He gave us the sacrament of his body and blood. May your people exult forever, O God, in renewed youthfulness of spirit, so that rejoicing now in the restored glory of our adoption, we may look forward in confident hope to the rejoicing of the day of resurrection, through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever. Amen. Let us praise the Lord and give him thanks. All that I have and all that I am, I give to your hands, Jesus, through the heart of Mary, your blessed mother. Amen. Sacred heart of Jesus, have mercy on us. Immaculate heart of Mary, pray for us. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. If you found this time of prayer and reflection fruitful and would like more opportunities to grow in your faith, consider joining the Christeros and purchasing our publications now available on Amazon.com. The Christeros app is available on the Apple app and Google Play Store. More information on the Cristeros can be found at theChristeros.org.