Easter Prayer

Sunday March 31

Based on Luke 24:36-49

‘Peace be with you,’ you said,
To worn out wonderers filled with dread
To friends who swore that you were dead
Your first word to them was peace.

Startled; terrified
‘But He was dead! How is it that He stands before us?’
Amazed; joyful
‘I don’t believe it!’

By God, it’s true
By touch and taste
By that familiar smiling face
A voice serene that speaks this grace
‘Peace be with you.’

Jesus, let us hear your living voice
You see and hear how we are troubled
How doubts rise in our minds
How things once solid seem to melt
How shattering these days have felt
How locked in rooms we still remain
Whilst danger and confusion reign
Arrest us with your voice again
‘Peace be with you.’

Here we are confronted
With the resurrected Christ
A moment of reset.
Renewal. Revitalisation.
To open mouthed astonished friends
You say, ‘I told you so!’

Point us back again
To your Word
To recalibrate our expectations
To remember what you said

Point us forward again
To your world
To be sent in the power of the Spirit
To preach repentance and forgiveness of sins to all nations

LORD Jesus
Sometimes we do not hear you for fear
Sometimes we do not heed you for astonishment
Sometimes we do not see you for joy
Sometimes we do not obey you for amazement

But this Easter we pray
That we will hear you, heed you
See you, obey you
To receive from you the call ‘Go and make this known’
And to receive from you your first word to us – ‘Peace be with you.’

Easter reflection