PRAYERS FOR EASTERTIDE
I.
O GOD OF GOOD FRIDAY AND EASTER,
OVERCOME OUR WILLINGNESS TO TAKE LIFE AS IT IS,
RATHER THAN SEARCH OUT ITS NEW POSSIBILITIES.
WE HAVE BEEN DEADENED BY HARD REALITY
AND COLD FACTS LONGER THAN WE CARE TO ADMIT.
GIVE US BACK THE LAUGHTER,
THE ENTHUSIASM,
THE OPTIMISM,
THE DREAMS,
THAT HELP US FIND SOMETHING TO BELIEVE IN ONCE AGAIN.
ROLL THE STONE AWAY FROM OUR COLD HEARTS
AND ENABLE US LOVE AND LIVE ONCE MORE.
HELP US TO SEE OURSELVES AS YOU SEE US
AND TO BE FULLY ALIVE TO THE NEW MORNING
THAT HAS BROKEN THIS DAY,
THROUGH JESUS CHRIST,
WHO HAS BECOME OUR SAVIOR.
AMEN
II.
O GOD, WE HAVE BEEN EASTER CHRISTIANS FOR TOO LONG.
WE JOINED THE PROCESSION
AND SHOUTED OUR HALLELUJAS FOR AWHILE,
BUT NOW WE SPEND TOO MUCH OF OUR TIME
AS BYSTANDERS AND ONLOOKERS.
FORGIVE US WHEN WE LOOK DOWN ON THOSE FIRST
FOLLOWERS WHO ABANDONED JESUS THE NEARER
HE GOT TO THE CROSS. WE ARE TOO MUCH LIKE THEM.
FORGIVE US FOR AVOIDING THE CROSSES AND
REACHING FOR THE CROWNS.
SHOW US, AGAIN, THAT FAITH CAN HANDLE BOTH.
AMEN.
III.
CREATOR GOD, WE TURN TO YOU IN OUR GRATITUDE AND PRAISE.
IN EVERY LEAF THERE IS THE WONDER OF CREATION.
IN EVERY SUNRISE THERE IS THE MYSTERY OF A NEW DAY.
WITH EVERY BREATH WE TAKE WE EXPERIENCE THE MIRACLE OF LIVING.
STOP US SOON ENOUGH AND QUIET US LONG ENOUGH
THAT OUR AWARENESS OF YOU MAY FLOW
INTO RIVERS OF GRATITUDE AND SONGS OF PRAISE.
OPEN OUR EARS TO THOSE WHO CAUTION US
THAT WE ARE ENDANGERING LIFE ON THIS PLANET.
WAR IS AN INADEQUATE ANSWER.
CARELESSNESS IS A POOR COMPANION.
OPEN OUR EYES TO SEE OPPORTUNITIES FOR POSITIVE CHANGE.
OPEN OUR LIVES TO LIVE CARINGLY,
SO THAT OUR CHILDREN AND OUR CHILDREN'S CHILDREN
WILL LIVE ON A BALANCED AND BOUNTIFUL EARTH.
IN THE NAME OF THE RISEN CHRIST,
AMEN.
IV.
O LORD, WE ARE THANKFUL FOR ALL THAT THE PAST HAS BEEN.
ITS MIXTURE OF JOY/SORROW, PAIN/HEALING, AND GUILT/FORGIVENESS
HAS MADE US WHAT WE ARE THIS DAY.
WHATEVER THE NIGHT MAY BRING,
WE HAVE LEARNED TO AWAIT THE NEW DAY
THAT COMES WITH THE BRIGHTNESS OF LIFE-GIVING LOVE.
HOWEVER LONG THE DROUGHT, NEW LIFE COMES TO US
AS THE SPRING RAINS THAT WATER THE EARTH.
FROM THE ALTARS OF THE PAST, O LORD, HELP US
ALWAYS TO TAKE THE FIRE AND NOT THE ASHES.
IN THE NAME OF THE ONE WHO SHOWED US THE WAY
FROM THE CROSS TO AN EMPTY TOMB
AND CHANGED SUNSET TO SUNRISE.
AMEN.
V.
ALMIGHTY GOD, WE CONFESS THAT WE HAVE NOT LOVED
AS WE HAVE BEEN LOVED, NOR HAVE WE GIVEN
AS FREELY AS WE HAVE RECEIVED.
WE HAVE HEARD YOUR CALL. WE HAVE SEEN YOUR WAY.
YOUR LIFE IS ALL AROUND US AND WITHIN US.
YET, THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES WHEN WE HAVE RESISTED YOUR SPIRIT.
WE HAVE BEEN SLOW TO LOVE. WE HAVE FORGOTTEN HOW TO BELIEVE.
FORGIVE WHAT WE HAVE BEEN. HELP US TO CHANGE WHAT WE ARE.
BY YOUR HOLY SPIRIT DIRECT WHAT WE SHALL BE,
THAT THROUGH JESUS CHRIST,
WE MAY BECOME THE PEOPLE YOU HAVE CALLED US TO BE:
YOUR BLESSED CHILDREN.
AMEN.
VI.
O GOD, HELP US TO SAY THE WORDS THAT JESUS SAID FROM THE CROSS,
"FATHER, INTO THY HANDS I COMMEND MY SPIRIT."
OTHERS HAD DONE VIOLENT THINGS TO HIS BODY,
AND THE CROSS IS A THREAT TO US ALL, O LORD.
EVEN HIS MIND HAD BEEN PRESSURED BY THE EXPERIENCE,
AND ALL OF US FEEL THE TENSION OF DECISION-MAKING
LIKE HE FELT IN GETHSEMANE.
BUT HIS SPIRIT WAS HIS OWN AND IN THE END
HE COMMITTED IT ANEW TO YOU,
WHO, ALONE, CAN LOVE US BACK TO LIFE.
MAY WE LEARN FROM THAT, O GOD.
WE, TOO, ARE BODY, MIND, AND SPIRIT.
NO ONE CAN TAKE OUR SPIRIT FROM US,
NOR CAN IT EVER BE DESTROYED.
WE THANK YOU FOR AN EASTER EXPERIENCE
THAT MAKES THAT CLEAR.
AMEN.
VII.
DEAR GOD, WE CONFESS THAT TOO OFTEN IN WORSHIP
WE CENTER ON OUR PETTY NEEDS AND SHALLOW HOPES
TO THE EXCLUSION OF MUCH THAT CAN STRENGTHEN OUR FAITH.
HELP US TO SEE OURSELVES THIS DAY
AS PART OF THE PEOPLE OF FAITH OF ALL AGES.
EVEN BEFORE THE TIME OF JESUS,
YOU WERE PREPARING FOR JUST SUCH A BODY OF FOLLOWERS
AS THE CHURCH, EVEN THIS CHURCH.
LONG AFTER WE ARE GONE, OTHERS WILL COME WILLINGLY
TO CARRY THE BANNER OF TRUTH.
MAY WE LIVE AS THOUGH WE KNOW OURSELVES
TO BE VITAL LINKS FROM ONE GENERATION TO THE NEXT
IN PRESERVING THE BONDS OF LOVE
THAT MAKE LIFE WORTH LIVING.
AMEN.
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AND NOW
PENTECOST
O GOD,
WE ARE YEARNING FOR THE RUSHING WIND OF THE SPIRIT
THAT WARMS OUR HEARTS AND GIVES US TONGUES OF FIRE.
WIND AND FIRE OFTEN MAKE US FEARFUL, THOUGH.
THEY CAN REQUIRE MORE OF US THAN WE HAVE TO GIVE.
WE CONFESS THAT TOO OFTEN
FEAR BREEDS ONLY PIOUS CHATTER;
TOO OFTEN
FEAR IS THE FIRE THAT BURNS.
TOO OFTEN
FEAR DEAFENS US TO THE PROMPTINGS OF THE SPIRIT.
RELIEVE US OF OUR PRETENSE.
GIVE US EARS THAT TRULY HEAR;
HEARTS THAT ARE TRULY OPEN.
MAY WE SENSE THAT THE RUSHING WIND OF YOUR SPIRIT
COMES ON WINGS OF LOVE;
THAT ITS FIRE WARMS, WITHOUT BURNING;
THAT IT CAN GIVE US A NEW HEART, A NEW HOPE, AND A NEW LIFE;
THAT THESE DRY BONES CAN LIVE ANEW;
THAT THE WIND AND FIRE OF YOUR SPIRIT
CAN RAISE US UP FROM DEATH ITSELF.
THROUGH CHRIST OUR LORD,
AMEN.
