The Second Sunday of Easter 2025: Peace Be With You

“Peace be with you.” The joy of Easter continues at St. John the Divine Episcopal Church in Burlington, Wisconsin! We warmly invite you to worship with us on Sunday, April 27, 2025, at 9:00 AM, the Second Sunday of Easter 2025. You are welcome to join us in person at 116 E Chandler Blvd. or through our live stream, video, or podcast—just as you are.

Join us electronically for the Second Sunday of Easter 2025.

We understand that you may not be able to join us in person or during our service time, so we offer ways for you to join us whenever and wherever you are able.

Live Stream / Playback

If you are able, join us this Sunday at 9 AM (Central). You can participate live, or if that is not possible, you can watch the playback anytime after the service ends.

Podcast

We offer a podcast that allows you to listen to the service, starting from the opening hymn and continuing to the sharing of the Peace. This week, the podcast will be released on Monday morning.

Our podcast is available on all major podcast platforms, and we invite you to follow or subscribe so you get alerted when it goes live. We also encourage you to check out some of our past podcast episodes.

The Collect for the Second Sunday of Easter 2025:

Almighty and everlasting God, who in the Paschal mystery established the new covenant of reconciliation: Grant that all who have been reborn into the fellowship of Christ’s Body may show forth in their lives what they profess by their faith; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Readings for the Second Sunday of Easter 2025 (Year C):

First Lesson: Acts 5:27-32

²⁷When they had brought them, they had them stand before the council. The high priest questioned them, ²⁸saying, “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and you are determined to bring this man’s blood on us.” ²⁹But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than any human authority. ³⁰The God of our ancestors raised up Jesus, whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. ³¹God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior that he might give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. ³²And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.”

Psalm: Psalm 118:14-29 or Psalm 150

¹⁴ The Lord is my strength and my song, *
       and he has become my salvation.
¹⁵ There is a sound of exultation and victory *
       in the tents of the righteous:
¹⁶ “The right hand of the Lord has triumphed! *
       the right hand of the Lord is exalted!
       the right hand of the Lord has triumphed!”
¹⁷ I shall not die, but live, *
       and declare the works of the Lord.
¹⁸ The Lord has punished me sorely, *
       but he did not hand me over to death.
¹⁹ Open for me the gates of righteousness; *
       I will enter them;
       I will offer thanks to the Lord.
²⁰ “This is the gate of the Lord; *
       he who is righteous may enter.”
²¹ I will give thanks to you, for you answered me *
       and have become my salvation.
²² The same stone which the builders rejected *
       has become the chief cornerstone.
²³ This is the Lord’s doing, *
       and it is marvelous in our eyes.
²⁴ On this day the Lord has acted; *
       we will rejoice and be glad in it.
²⁵ Hosannah, Lord, hosannah! *
       Lord, send us now success.
²⁶ Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord; *
       we bless you from the house of the Lord.
²⁷ God is the Lord; he has shined upon us; *
       form a procession with branches up to the horns of the altar.
²⁸ “You are my God, and I will thank you; *
       you are my God, and I will exalt you.”
²⁹ Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; *
       his mercy endures for ever.

or

¹ Hallelujah!
Praise God in his holy temple; *
      praise him in the firmament of his power.
² Praise him for his mighty acts; *
      praise him for his excellent greatness.
³ Praise him with the blast of the ram’s-horn; *
      praise him with lyre and harp.
⁴ Praise him with timbrel and dance; *
      praise him with strings and pipe.
⁵ Praise him with resounding cymbals; *
      praise him with loud-clanging cymbals.
⁶ Let everything that has breath *
      praise the Lord.
      Hallelujah!

Epistle: Revelation 1:4-8

⁴John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, ⁵and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood, ⁶and made us to be a kingdom, priests serving his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. ⁷Look! He is coming with the clouds; every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and on his account all the tribes of the earth will wail. So it is to be. Amen. ⁸“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.

Gospel: John 20:19-31

¹⁹When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” ²⁰After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. ²¹Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”²²When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. ²³If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” ²⁴But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.²⁵So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.”

²⁶A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” ²⁷Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.” ²⁸Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” ²⁹Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”³⁰Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. ³¹But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.

Reflection for the Second Sunday of Easter 2025

The Second Sunday of Easter is often associated with the story of Thomas, who is sometimes referred to as “Doubting Thomas.” However, the central message of this Gospel reading (John 20:19-31) is not merely about doubt; it also highlights Jesus’ greeting of peace: “Peace be with you.”

When the disciples were locked away out of fear, Jesus did not scold them. Instead, he met them in their situation, offering them peace and a sense of presence. When Thomas needed reassurance, Jesus responded with compassion by showing him his wounds and inviting him to believe.

This season teaches us that faith involves openness to encountering the risen Christ in our lives, even amid doubts and behind locked doors.

Join Us for the Second Sunday of Easter 2025

Whether you’ve been walking this road a long time or just beginning to explore faith, there is a place for you at St. John the Divine. We are an inclusive, welcoming community seeking to grow in God’s love and grace.

• In-Person Worship at 9:00 AM
• Livestream and Video Replay on YouTube.
• Podcast episodes will be uploaded every Sunday afternoon for listening anytime. However, this week, it will be released on Monday.

We look forward to celebrating the ongoing joy of the resurrection with you!