Prayer

Eternal and ever-living God,

Today, we celebrate the joyous feast of Easter, a feast that commemorates both the victory of love over death and the beginning of God’s new creation. Through Jesus’ victory over death, you offer us the gift of eternal life and the freedom to live fully in the here and now. May the joy of this feast renew our hearts and lives and inspire us to live in the light of new life made possible by Jesus’ resurrection. We make this prayer through Christ our Risen Lord. Amen.

Prayer

God of those who mourn,

Yesterday, we commemorated the death of your son Jesus on the cross. The disciples of Jesus saw in the crucifixion an expression of defeat, of vanquished hopes. Far too many people in our world live in the shadow of death, live in despair of a new and better day. Transform our mourning into a desire to walk with the grieving and the hopeless. Open our hearts to your love that we might use our gifts to help turn the world’s sorrow into joy, the world’s despair into hope. In the name of our crucified God, we pray. Amen.

Prayer

Crucified God,

The irony at the heart of Jesus’ story is that he was killed because of his ability to give life, life to the full. On this Good Friday, as we recall the death of Jesus on the cross, fill us with a sense of profound gratitude for the gift of his sacrificial love. May our gratitude for the gift of God’s saving love in Jesus expressed in and through his cross and in all the crosses erected throughout history, stir within our hearts a desire to take up our cross each day in the service of building the reign of God which Jesus proclaimed and for which he died. We make this prayer through Christ our crucified Lord. Amen.

Prayer

God of goodness and truth,

On the night before he died, your son Jesus washed the feet of his disciples, giving us a timeless example of leadership and love. May our celebration of the Lord’s Supper fill us with greater love for you and with a profound desire to live by his example. Open our minds to the wisdom of his example that life is not about titles, power, riches, and authority but the gift of self in loving service. Bless us with the courage we need to embody the model he has given us, that we might, each in our own way, transform the world. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Prayer

God of justice,

Your son Jesus came to bring glad tidings to the poor, to proclaim liberty to captives, and to announce and embody a kingdom in which all were welcome. Today, we celebrate Cesar Chavez Day. Along with Dolores Huerta, Chavez founded the United Farm Workers union and was a tireless activist on behalf of farm workers and Latino American civil rights. May his dedication to the cause of equality and freedom through non-violent action inspire us to dedicate ourselves to promoting the dignity of all and contributing to the construction of a world of goodness and truth, stewardship and integrity. Amen.

Prayer

God of care,

Perhaps more than ever, this year has taught us a profound appreciation for doctors, for those who practice the art of medicine. Despite the risk to self, so many physicians have stood vigilant on the front lines to combat a virus that has devastated so many lives in our nation and around the world. Continue to bless doctors with a kind and compassionate heart, with the courage to care and heal, and with the knowledge that they possess the gratitude of so many. May we never take our doctors for granted and may their courage and skill inspire us to reach out with compassion to others. With gratitude, we pray in God’s name. Amen.

Prayer

God of all,

As we come to the conclusion of our celebration of Women’s History Month, fill us with a deep and abiding appreciation for the gifts and contributions of women the world over. May their courage and sacrifice inspire us all to give of ourselves in the construction of a world of justice, equality, and freedom. May the lives and example of women be a constant source of inspiration and strength. In confidence, we pray. Amen.