Easter Sunday 2026: April 5

Alleluia! Christ is risen! The stone has been rolled away, the tomb is empty, and death has lost its hold. On Easter Sunday 2026, Rev. Shanley-Roberts will lead us in the principal feast of the Christian year—the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. We gather to proclaim, along with Mary Magdalene and the other Mary, that the one who was crucified is not here; he has been raised, just as he said.

Join us for worship as we celebrate the resurrection that transforms everything and rejoice together in the light of Christ risen.

Join us for worship in the way that suits you best! You can worship with us in person, via Live Stream, Video Replay, or Podcast.

If You Cannot Join Us In Person for Easter Sunday 2026!

We understand that you may not always be able to attend in person; that’s why we offer several virtual options.

Livestream/Playback

Join us live at 8:50 AM for the organ prelude, followed by the service at 9 AM. After the livestream ends, you can watch the video replay anytime.

Podcast

Did you know that we are available on all major platforms? Our podcast covers everything from the opening hymn to the sharing of the peace.

The Collect for Easter Sunday 2026

Almighty God, who through your only-begotten Son Jesus Christ overcame death and opened to us the gate of everlasting life: Grant that we, who celebrate with joy the day of the Lord’s resurrection, may be raised from the death of sin by your life-giving Spirit; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

The Readings for Easter Sunday 2026

First Reading: Acts 10:34–43

34 Then Peter began to speak to them: “I truly understand that God shows no partiality, 35 but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. 36 You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all. 37 That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. 39 We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; 40 but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear, 41 not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 He commanded us to preach to him to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead. 43 All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

Psalm 118:1–2, 14–24

The Epistle: Colossians 3:1–4

1 So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth, 3 for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory.

The Gospel: Matthew 28:1–10

1 After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. 2 And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. 4 For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men. 5 But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.’ This is my message for you.” 8 So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 Suddenly Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came to him, took hold of his feet, and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

Reflection on the Readings for Easter Sunday 2026

He Is Not Here; He Has Been Raised!

Old Testament – Acts 10:34–43

On Easter Sunday, the first reading comes not from the Old Testament but from Acts — Peter’s proclamation of the resurrection to the household of Cornelius, a Gentile. This is itself a resurrection moment: the good news breaking out beyond every boundary that might have contained it. Peter’s sermon is a compact summary of the Gospel — Jesus of Nazareth, anointed with the Holy Spirit, going about doing good, put to death on a tree, raised by God on the third day, and now witnessed by those who ate and drank with him after he rose.

Two key points stand out. First, Peter’s opening declaration: “God shows no partiality.” This means that the resurrection is not exclusive to any single people or nation; it is good news for everyone, in every nation, who respects God and acts justly. Second, there is an emphasis on witnesses. The focus is on individuals who saw the risen Jesus, spoke with him, and shared meals with him, rather than just visions or personal impressions. The resurrection is presented as a public, historical event, not merely a private spiritual experience. We are still its witnesses today.

Psalm 118:1–2, 14–24

Psalm 118 is often considered the great Easter psalm, and its words resonate profoundly on this day in a way that the original singer may not have fully anticipated. “I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord.” “The same stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.” “This is the day that the Lord has acted; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” Each of these lines takes on a deeper meaning on Easter morning.

The psalm was likely one of those sung by Jesus and his disciples at the end of the Last Supper, part of the Hallel psalms that concluded the Passover meal. Now, on the other side of the crucifixion and the empty tomb, the Church sings it once more. The one who was rejected and handed over to death has become the cornerstone of a new creation. This is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes.

Epistle – Colossians 3:1–4

Paul’s message to the Colossians is concise yet rich in meaning. He urges them, because they have been raised with Christ, to align their entire lives with this truth. They should seek what is above and focus their minds on heavenly matters. This is not a call to escape reality or become distant from the world. Instead, it is an invitation to live in the truth of the resurrection, rather than being overwhelmed by the anxieties and distractions that often capture our attention.

The logic is compelling: you have already experienced a death — your old self and your former life are gone. Your true life is now hidden with Christ in God. This hiddenness is not permanent. When Christ is revealed at the end of time, you will be revealed with him in glory. Easter is not just a past event to be remembered; it is a future reality already beginning to manifest in the present. We now live in the light of what is to come.

Gospel – Matthew 28:1–10

Matthew’s account of the resurrection is notably dramatic. As Mary Magdalene and the other Mary approach the tomb at dawn on the first day of the week, a great earthquake occurs — the second in Matthew’s Passion narrative, the first having happened at Jesus’ death. An angel descends, rolls back the stone, and sits on it with an air of casual authority. The guards, who were carefully posted by Pilate and the chief priests, shake with fear and collapse like dead men. The irony is sharp: the living become like the dead, while the dead are raised to life.

The angel’s message is clear and straightforward: “Do not be afraid. He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said.” The women are invited to see the empty tomb and then urgently sent to tell the disciples. They leave, filled with both fear and great joy, which is the appropriate response to the miraculous event. Before they can even deliver the message, Jesus himself encounters them on the road. “Greetings,” he says, a word that in Greek also means “rejoice.” They grasp his feet and worship him. He instructs them to go to Galilee, where they will see him.

Easter begins not with a press release or theological treatise, but with two women running and a risen Lord meeting them along the way.

Easter Sunday 2026 Reflection Wrap-Up

The readings from Easter Sunday convey a powerful and transformative message: the tomb is empty, and the one who was crucified has risen. Peter shares this news with a household of Gentiles, declaring that God shows no favoritism—this message is meant for everyone. The psalmist celebrates how the stone that was rejected has become the cornerstone, marking a day when the Lord acted in a unique way. Paul encourages us to live in the light of the resurrection, urging us to focus on the reality of the risen Christ rather than on the world’s fleeting worries. Meanwhile, Matthew introduces two devoted women, an earthquake, an angel, and a risen Lord who encounters them on their journey and tells them, “Rejoice, do not be afraid; go and tell.”

Holy Week has concluded. The stone has been rolled away—not so that Jesus could exit, but so that we can look in and see that He is already gone, already ahead of us, and already waiting in Galilee. The resurrection does not bring Jesus back to where He was; instead, it sends Him—and us—forward into something new.

Alleluia! Christ is risen. The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia!