welcome to canterbury cathedral on this morning of the wednesday of easter week it's the 15th of april and it reminds me that last year we were watching with horror as our sister cathedral of notre dame in paris was blazing it seemed as though that whole beautiful holy place will be destroyed in fact now of course it's being recreated with great beauty and care at the same time we remember the dangers and difficulties of this year a very different easter week as the whole world combats the threat of coronavirus we say our morning prayers together oh lord open our lips and our mouth shall proclaim your praise in your resurrection o christ let heaven and earth rejoice alleluia blessed are you lord god of our salvation to you be praise and glory forever as once you ransomed your people from egypt and led them to freedom in the promised land so now you have delivered us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of your risen son may we the first fruits of your new creation rejoice in this new day you have made and praise you for your mighty acts blessed be god father son and holy spirit blessed be god forever we read some verses known as the easter anthems taken from the letters of saint paul christ our passover has been sacrificed for us so let us celebrate the feast not with the old leaven of corruption and wickedness but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth christ once raised from the dead dies no more death has no more dominion over him in dying he died to sin once for all in living he lives to god see yourselves therefore as dead to sin and alive to god in jesus christ our lord christ has been raised from the dead the first fruits of those who sleep at this time of year one of the lessons that we read an old testament lesson is taken from what is known as the song of songs or the song of solomon that song is a love song and it speaks of the spring coming of the flowers blooming of turtle doves singing but also some verses of enormous hope about the flowering and possibilities and power of love set me as a seal upon your heart as a seal upon your arm for love is strong as death jealousy is fierce as the grave its flashes are flashes of fire the very flame of the lord many waters cannot quench love neither can floods drown it a wonderful image before we read our lesson for today which is taken from the 24th chapter of the gospel of saint luke day by day we're reading passages from the narratives the stories of the first easter week as the realization of new life in jesus and resurrection dawns this is just the beginning of a story we heard read in full on sunday evening it's called the road to emmaus but we'll think about what that beginning means luke chapter 24 verse 13 that very day two of them were going to a village named emmaus about seven miles from jerusalem and they were talking with each other about all things that had happened and while they were talking and discussing together jesus himself drew near and went with them but their eyes were kept from recognizing him and he said to them what is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk and they stood still looking sad then one of them named cleopas answered him are you the only visitor to jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days conversations along the way and what can happen on a journey we shall tell the rest of that story as the week proceeds but for the moment let's think of them setting out in sadness and then something happens to cheer them which they will never forget and which opens their minds to new vision on april the 15th 1802 william wordsworth and his sister dorothy went on a walk along the side of lake elswater in the lake district near to their cottage and at first it was an ordinary morning and then something happened which would stay in their minds as long as they live and which would make wordsworth write something that most of us know fairly well when we hear it i wandered lonely as a cloud that floats on high or veils and hills and all at once i saw a crowd a host of golden daffodils he didn't write it down at once later on a couple of years later it was the entry for that day in his sister's diary that caused him to remember that vision and given give it to us in that well-loved poem so many things happen to us that later on we think about and realize their true meaning that is happening all the way through easter week but it's only a beginning since then the events of that week and also the events leading up to it in the three-year ministry of jesus right up to the cross have been pondered reflected on and giving new vision to millions and millions of people this morning this lovely april morning we take the cue of the journey to emmaus of those two disciples cleopas and the other we don't even know the gender of the other walking along to their home and as we continue that story through the rest of the week we shall ponder the many lessons it gives to us but for this morning we say our prayers and in this place as always we remember the provinces and dioceses of our anglican communion this morning on this 15th of april we remember the diocese of missouri in the episcopal church of the united states and bishop wayne smith and his people and the diocese of western mexico and bishop ricardo osnea and his people there here we pray for justin our archbishop for rose bishop of dover for tim bishop atlantis and today for the parish here in this diocese of canterbury of broad stars holy trinity and pray for dominic fenton the priest there and his ministry in broad stairs with all his people so also we remember all those who today will have hard decisions to make those who also are suffering through sickness those combating with medical skills the spread of the coronavirus throughout the world and also those who will spend this day sometimes at dangerous costs to their own lives bringing resources and help to others god of all in whom we live and move and have our being breathe upon us all throughout this day your holy spirit the spirit of wisdom and understanding the spirit of counsel and of might the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the lord that through your guidance we may direct our steps in the ways of safety and wisdom and hope and love for each other through jesus christ our lord amen lord of all life and power who through the mighty resurrection of your son overcame the old order of sin and death to make all things new in him grant that we being dead to sin and alive to you in jesus christ may reign with him in glory to whom with you in the holy spirit be praise and honor glory and might now and in all eternity amen so we pray each in our own language in our own way the prayer our savior taught us our father who art in heaven hallowed be thy name thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil for thine is the kingdom the power and the glory forever and ever amen moment of silence we make our own prayers for this day so may the god of peace who brought again from the dead our lord jesus that great shepherd of the sheep by the blood of the eternal covenant make you perfect in every good work to do his will working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight and the blessing of god almighty the father the son and the holy spirit be upon you and upon all whom you love and would pray for this day and always amen