God of us all,
Love lives again. Love triumphs over the hate, pain, and death.
You were there at the very beginning of time and gave us the beauty of this world: gorgeous flowers and trees, oceans, and mountains, galaxies we will never comprehend.
Yet, you still knew we needed your love.
You gave us everything and yet you also gave your beloved son Jesus.
Death, where is your sting? We glorify you, as you give us life through the power of your love.
As we come to you this blessed Holy Week, remind us, God – as we sit at table with you, as we journey to the cross – remind us that you know our fears, our pain, our hurt, and you cover our wounds with the healing power of your love.
We witness again, the Marys going to the tomb to grieve, to care for the body of Jesus, to do what we all do when we have lost someone we love.
But God, you also turn the world upside down. Love lives again. Love has come again. You have rolled away the stone again for each of us, and you call us to sit at Jesus’ feet as the women did that very first seemingly ordinary morning.
God, reveal your love in our hurting, pained world.
- We pray for the 147 victims of the recent terrorist attack at a concert hall in Moscow, Russia. As we witness this tragic event, one of the deadliest in history, highlighting the fragility of innocent lives everywhere, may the departed rest in peace, and may their families and the injured find solace in God’s love.
- We pray for the victims of the deadly bridge collapse in Baltimore, Maryland, U.S., where at least six people lost their lives. We pray for those left behind, and give thanks for the first responders who so quickly blocked the bridge to allow for fewer lives lost.
- We lift up the tensions between the U.S. and Israeli governments. May you ease the tensions and help resolutions to be made to stop the extreme loss of Palestinian life, and Israeli hostage lives, in Gaza. We pray that all involved in this conflict may know themselves to be your beloved children. We for an end to the massive pain inflicted in response to years, decades, centuries of massive pain, mutual fears and threats.
- As the extreme hunger crisis continues, and conflict and disease continue to grip Sudan, we pray for your presence in the face of unknown conditions for your beloved children.
- We give thanks that Thailand moved to legalize same-sex marriage. We are grateful that love will now be affirmed for all of your children there, as your love continues to grow in all our hearts.
God of love, may you continually live in our lives as we overcome the pain in our own lives. May your love always win in every piece of our lives, just as love won over death so long ago during that Holy Week.
Amen.