Fifth Sunday of Easter

3rd May 2026

Reflection with readings below

The season of Easter lasts 40 days (if you count Ascension tide as a separate season) or 50 days if you see Pentecost as the culmination of Easter. But it seems hard – either way – to maintain that joy and freshness of Easter Day.

What is the ongoing impact of Easter and the resurrection on our lives? Is it that in Jesus whom we know both as someone who has experienced the fullness of human life – including death and what lays beyond that – and who has a full experience of divinity? Is it that Jesus invites us to be an intimate part of his life – to share in his vision of the world? 

At times it can be hard to grasp what this means – and perhaps especially the both human and divine aspects of Jesus. Is this perhaps what we see underlying the conversations in today’s gospel reading?  The disciples are struggling to see in the human Jesus the totality of the divine. Equally there is a tension that we experience in Christianity today as to whether we should be focused on worshipping God as part of our journey to heaven, or whether we should  be focused on taking action – doing things – to transform this life so that it is heaven on earth?

Jesus says, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life”. He also says that it is through his works – and if we follow Jesus, through our works – that God the Father can be seen.

So maybe the season of Easter is about our ongoing journey following Jesus, following his example both in how we relate to God and how we relate to our neighbours. To love God and to love our neighbour is to be active. In the current global climate that is to be active in consoling those who are distressed, to support those who feel marginalised, to stand up for those being abused, and to seek peace and justice for all. If we can bring to that the joy and freshness of Easter so much the better! 

And remember that half of the command we sometimes forget, to love our neighbour as ourself. Being aware of our shortcomings and our need for love – from God and from our neighbours – will equip us better  in following Jesus. 

Acts 7:55-60

Filled with the Holy Spirit, Stephen gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. “Look,” he said, “I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” But they covered their ears, and with a loud shout all rushed together against him. Then they dragged him out of the city and began to stone him; and the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he died. 

Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16

1 In you, O Lord, have I taken refuge;
let me never be put to shame; *
deliver me in your righteousness.

2 Incline your ear to me; *
make haste to deliver me.

3 Be my strong rock, a castle to keep me safe,
for you are my crag and my stronghold; *
for the sake of your Name, lead me and guide me.

4 Take me out of the net that they have secretly set for me, *
for you are my tower of strength.

5 Into your hands I commend my spirit, *
for you have redeemed me,
O Lord, O God of truth.

15 My times are in your hand; *
rescue me from the hand of my enemies,
and from those who persecute me.

16 Make your face to shine upon your servant, *
and in your loving-kindness save me.

1 Peter 2:2-10

Like newborn infants, long for the pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

Come to him, a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God’s sight, and like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in scripture:

“See, I am laying in Zion a stone,
a cornerstone chosen and precious;

and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”

To you then who believe, he is precious; but for those who do not believe,

“The stone that the builders rejected
has become the very head of the corner”,

and

“A stone that makes them stumble,
and a rock that makes them fall.”

They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.

Once you were not a people,
but now you are God’s people;

once you had not received mercy,
but now you have received mercy.

John 14:1-14

Jesus said, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way to the place where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” 

Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves. Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.”