Easter Prayer--Rise Up!

From deep within our tombs we hear you call, O God: rise up!

Rise up from death into new life.

We have found new life in this spring season,

in children joyfully squirming among us,

in each deep breath we breathe.

We have found new life in people’s struggle for

just government around the globe,

and in nations’ continued support

following natural disasters.

From deep within our tombs we hear you call, O God: rise up!

Rise up from death into new life.

We follow your voice in our hope to overcome

illness, grief, addiction, fear.

We follow your voice in our hope to heal your creation,

make whole our connection to all that is.

Resurrecting God, you call to us to follow Christ,

to rise up from our tombs that hold us in death—but you do not expect us to do so alone.

It is you who fill us with life beyond all our daily deaths.

It is you who strengthen us to bring life to others.

It is you, Holy One, whom we hear call within our tombs: rise up!

And it is to you, O Mother, that we lift our voices as we pray together:  Our Father…