Easter Prayer

Eternal God, our Father, everything seems so different on this Resurrection Day - and we praise Thee that it is so. The world itself is different, bursting into the new life of spring. Church seems different: the choir sings Alleluia! and your presence is so near and so real. Life itself is different because the glory of Jesus' resurrection throws its light on our pathway here and we know that life is real, life is earnest and the grave is the grave of those we have loved and know they are not there - they are at home with you. We live in the hope of his resurrection.
And so we come with only one word on our lips: Hallelujah, for the Lord God omnipotent reigheth! Our minds cannot understand or explain the resurrection. Our science is not sufficient for it. The pomp and glory of the world does not hold a candle to the power and glory of it. Today, when we hear the good news proclaimed again, "He is not here, He is risen", we can only fall down and worship, and say with the redeemed multitudes, "Worthy is the lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!"
Come, O Lord, and give us the resurrection faith if we do not know it. We confess our slowness to believe. We remember that when Mary Magdalene and the other Mary heard the glad news of the resurrection, they departed from the tomb full of fear, yet with great joy. But their fear turned into complete joy as the risen Lord came to them. Come to us, O Lord, in your risen power, drive out our fear and confirm our faith in your resurrection.
Then let us live the resurrection life in the world. May we hear clearly the words of exhortation, "If you are risen with Christ, seek those things which are above...." May our old life of selfishness die today and the new life in Christ rise in us until we can say with Paul, "I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ lives in me." So, O Lord, as everything seems different today, may we be made different to live in your world, until we are called to live with you forever.
We ask it in His name, Amen.