A Prayer for Easter
by Rachel Young
Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed! Alleluia!
Our alleluias are filled with sorrow, God, over a year lost to a global pandemic, over ongoing racial injustice and the violence of hate, over people killed in spas and grocery stores. This is our second Easter where worship is different. Many of us miss gathering in person with our church communities. Easter doesn’t feel “right,” being away from the triumphant music, the fragrant lilies and the hand-cut flowers decorating the cross.
And yet, our alleluias are also tinged with hope. Hope that soon this virus will be under control. Hope in the vaccine rollout. Hope that the racial reckoning of our nation will lead to lasting change that is just.
Even though death surrounds us on every side, we stand firm in the promise that Christ conquered death. Christ conquered the powers of sin and evil that pervade our world and infect our lives. It is Christ’s resurrection that gives us hope in the midst of stress, uncertainty, anger and sorrow.
You are restoring our world, Lord God, and you use us to do so. So, God our Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer, we grieve and we hope and we pray for you to act. Inspire us to act, for we are your Resurrection people.
In Jesus’ name we pray,
Amen.
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