The Resurrection of the Lord, A, April 09, 2023
On this day, we join with Mary Magdalene, Simon Peter, and the disciple whom Jesus loved as we come together to seek the Lord and offer our prayers so that we may better understand the Scripture which declares that he had to rise from the dead.
- That we may be raised with Christ to seek what is above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God, not thinking of what is on earth.[1] We pray to the Lord.
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- That the whole Church will joyfully celebrate this feast, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.[2] We pray to the Lord.
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- That Jesus who overcame torture and death by his Resurrection will inspire world leaders and people of all nations to put aside hatred, persecution, and war instead searching to find ways to bring life and joy to their people. We pray to the Lord.
- That as Mary Magdalen went to the tomb in the dark seeking Jesus, we may also seek him in the dark moments of our lives, knowing that he is the light that dispels all darkness. We pray to the Lord.
- That we may see the signs of the presence of Jesus in our lives so that, as John who “saw and believed” upon entering the tomb, we too may grow in our belief in the risen Christ. We pray to the Lord.
- That we may be freed from the cloths that constrain so many aspects of our lives and roll them up in a separate place so that we may live more fully with the risen Jesus. We pray to the Lord.
- That those who mourn the death of loved ones during this celebration of new life may be at peace with the knowledge that Jesus’ resurrection offers life to those in the tomb. We pray to the Lord.
- That the newly baptized and confirmed will celebrate this day with hope and gratitude and will lead lives of great joy in the Church as they continue to grow in faith and in understanding of God’s generous love and mercy. We pray to the Lord.
- That none of us will take the rising of Jesus to life for granted or confine it to a single day of remembrance but will celebrate this greatest of all feasts and its importance in our lives throughout the seven weeks of the Easter season. We pray to the Lord.
- That those who are struggling in mind, body, or spirit may be inspired by the dignity of Jesus who was discouraged, beaten, and abused but overcame his suffering and was raised to new life. We pray to the Lord.
- That family and friends who have died, and those whose lives on earth have been forgotten, will have died with Christ and will live eternally with all the angels and saints in heaven. We pray to the Lord.
O God, by your answer to our prayers this day, may our hearts be filled with joy as we are reminded of your promise that evil is always overcome by your love for humanity. We make our prayers through Christ our Lord. Amen.
[1] This petition is based on Colossians 3:1-4 which is the first option for the second reading.
[2] This petition is based on1 Corinthians 5:6b-88 which is the second option for the second reading.
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