Wednesday in the Octave of Easter

Peter heals the cripple at the Beautiful Gate (silver and gold I have not); the Road to Emmaus - Scriptures opened, bread broken, hearts burning, Christ recognized.

Peter and John encounter the cripple at the Beautiful Gate. Peter says: silver and gold I have not, but what I do have I give you - in the name of Jesus Christ, rise and walk. The man leaps and praises God. In the Gospel, two disciples walk to Emmaus, downcast. Jesus joins them unrecognized, opens the Scriptures from Moses through the prophets. At table he breaks bread; their eyes open; he vanishes. Were not our hearts burning? They return to Jerusalem: the Lord has truly been raised!

DEACON/PRIEST: Lord Jesus, you walked with the Emmaus disciples when they could not recognize you, and you opened the Scriptures to their burning hearts. PEOPLE: Lord, have mercy.

DEACON/PRIEST: Christ Jesus, you are the name through which the crippled rise and walk - the power that needs no silver or gold. PEOPLE: Christ, have mercy.

DEACON/PRIEST: Lord Jesus, you revealed yourself in the breaking of bread and then vanished, leaving us to seek you at every table. PEOPLE: Lord, have mercy.

PRIEST: Rejoice, O hearts that seek the Lord. With hearts still burning from the Easter encounter, let us bring our needs before the one who walks beside us.

DEACON/LECTOR:

1. That the Church's preaching would set hearts on fire the way Jesus set the Emmaus road ablaze - not with cleverness but with the power of the Scriptures opened, we pray to the Lord.

2. For the neophytes who received the Eucharist for the first time at the Vigil: that every Communion would be an Emmaus moment - bread broken, eyes opened, Christ recognized, we pray to the Lord.

3. For the sick, the disabled, and all who beg at the gates of life for healing: that in the name of Jesus Christ they would find not silver and gold but something far greater - the power to rise, we pray to the Lord.

4. For those walking away from faith - their posture past tense, their hope exhausted: that the Risen Christ would fall into step beside them before they reach the end of the wrong road, we pray to the Lord.

5. For this parish: that our liturgy would burn hearts, that our Eucharist would open eyes, and that everyone who leaves this church would run back to the community saying "the Lord has truly been raised," we pray to the Lord.

6. For the faithful who have completed their earthly pilgrimage: that the Lord who walked with them on every road would welcome them to the table that never ends, we pray to the Lord.

PRIEST: Lord of the journey, you walked with us when we did not know it was you. Open our eyes at this table today, and send us running to tell others what we have seen. Through Christ our Lord. Alleluia! Amen.