God of Easter Hope, we believe in the sun even when it’s not shining. We believe in love even when we don’t feel it. We believe in you, even when you are silent.
We believe, O God, in the empty tomb and the unconquerable power of life over death, even when darkness draws near.
So in these days that can feel very dark, O God, give us the courage to confront the darkness of our own making. Teach us to reject the dehumanization of entire populations of our brothers and sisters, and the normalization of outrageous, even blasphemous violence. Soften those with hardened hearts and minds, and lead us from war waging to real and sustained peacemaking. Help us recognize the hollow values of empire and to embrace instead the work of love befitting your kingdom.
Merciful God, lead us in the Way of Life that you have set before us again and again. This week we have seen images of your magnificent Creation from the distance of space, vivid reminders that we are one world, one ecosystem, one humanity. So we implore you to wake us up, O God. Open our eyes and correct our vision to finally see the world we’ve ignored as yours – a world teeming with your grace and made to incarnate your love. Let our lives speak your love for all life on this planet. Transform us to be faithful to the risen Christ who has entrusted us with the sacred imperative to care for the vulnerable, to see your image in every neighbor, and to love even our enemies.
As members of a nation at the crossroads, we pray for leaders who will tell the truth and govern with integrity, who will speak and act with wisdom, who will value and honor the human dignity and sacred worth of every person residing in this land, and in near or distant lands — especially in these precarious weeks — in Iran and the Middle East, in Ukraine, and in Cuba.
As members of this beloved community, we pray, too, for all those among us who are hurting or struggling in any way. Be near to the grieving and the broken hearted. Carry them, Lord, when the way ahead feels impossible.
For all experiencing illness, and for those closest to them, we pray for your healing touch, that you would be their strength when they are weary, their hope when the path forward is especially challenging, and their comfort when they are anxious. We pray for healthcare providers and caregivers, too, that you would guide their hands, minds, and hearts, every step of the way.
And we lift up those facing other forms of suffering and uncertainty. For those navigating relationships or systems that feel broken or destructive, we pray for discernment and safety and supportive networks who can help.
We pray for those facing economic hardship, those who have lost jobs, or who are at risk of losing them and who feel the burden of great anxiety. For these, we pray for strength, wisdom, open doors, and new opportunities. Provide for their needs, O God, and help them to know that their true worth is found in you.
For every good gift, and for life itself, we give you unending thanks. In all things, spoken and unspoken, we turn to you. So hear us now, Gracious One, as we pray together the prayer Jesus taught his disciples, saying:
“Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done; on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from the evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.”