Easter Prayer 2005

National City Christian Church

Rev. Arlene Franks

O God of life, God of love and laughter…we, your Easter people greet you this morning with glad hearts that dare to shout out boldly, “Alleluia, Christ has Risen!”

Yes, we are your Easter People, Lord, but we sometimes act as though we are a Palm Sunday people. We watch the triumphal parade go by—we may even participate and shout Hosanna! But then we go back to our lives and ignore the hard part—the living out of Christ’s mission here on earth.

Or we act like a Maundy Thursday people—remembering only the betrayal of our Lord or the time we ourselves were betrayed by a trusted friend.

Sometimes, God, we even act like a Good Friday people, as though we still stand in front of a cold, lifeless, empty tomb, wondering where the body is.

O God of strength and God of courage, let us truly be your Easter people!

Give to us the courage of Peter, who didn’t hesitate to run after you and seek you out in the cold, dark, hidden places, overcoming his own fears.

Let us be as faithful as Mary Magdalene who recognized herself as a precious child of God just in the speaking of her name and who carried Christ’s message to the others so that we all might believe.

Let us be as amazed as the other disciples who, although they needed a little more convincing, were struck with awe at the power and mystery of life’s victory over death.

O God, we know that “We serve a risen savior! (Christ) is in the world today!” You come to us in the daylight and the darkness, in the hard times and in the hopeful times, in the pain and in the promise of new life.

God, as we move from this place to serve you today, show us signs of resurrection and life in our world. But also shine your light on places in this world where your resurrection message must be shared.

Give us eyes to see you when you stand before us as a lonely neighbor in need of company and compassion.

Give us ears to hear you when you call to us in the cry of a child wracked with hunger.

Give us sensitivity to feel you when you brush against us as a stranger lost and looking for her way home.

And now, we recommit ourselves to be your Easter people as we pray again with renewed vigor, the prayer your son and our Christ taught us, saying, “Our Father…”