- Easter Day Intercession
- Easter Confession
- Prayers for Easter Day
- Good Friday Confession
- Prayer for Good Friday in Canberra
Easter Day Intercession
There will be pauses with space for you to make your own prayers in silence.
God of love and life, we bring our prayers today. We think about those who were there on that day when Jesus Christ rose from death. We feel that we know them because they are just like us. So we pray for each other and for our world.
We think of Peter, who was broken by grief and shame. He had denied knowing his Lord. He had failed. He thought that it was too late to say sorry. Jesus, speak your word of forgiveness to those who are ashamed and truly broken-hearted because of their failure. Help them know that it is not too late to ask forgiveness, because you are alive and listening to their confession, ready to receive them to life and a new beginning.
In silence, pray for someone you know who is longing for forgiveness.
We think of Mary Magdalene, who did not recognise the risen Christ because she was blinded by her tears of grief. Jesus our Comforter, speak the names of those who today are grieving a loss that has already happened or that they know is coming. Help them to hear your voice speaking their name with love. Assure them that because you live, they and those they love will live also.
In silence, pray for someone known to you who is sad today.
We think of the two followers who walked home to Emmaus, confused, asking questions and trying to understand what has happened and what it means. Jesus who walks beside us, walk with those who are struggling with questions today. Even when they do not recognise you at first, stay close beside them on their journey. Receive their honest doubts and uncertainty and gently speak words of hope and encouragement in ways that they can understand.
In silence, pray for someone who has a lot of hard questions.
We think of the frightened disciples, hiding in an upstairs room, scared about the future. Living Jesus, come in your living presence into the lives of those who are afraid. We pray for those in countries where there is war and violence and famine and mothers and fathers fear that their children will die of hunger, or disease or wounds. We pray for those whose homes and livelihoods have been destroyed by cyclones, earthquakes, flood and bushfires. They are afraid for their future and don’t know what to do. Living Jesus, you understand danger and fear. Touch their lives with your peace, and touch the hearts of those who can offer help.
In silence, name before God a country or a community that is living with danger and despair today.
We think of the onlookers who had watched the horrors of crucifixion but did not really care one way or the other. Trauma and brutality and injustice were just accepted as ordinary and even normal. Lord of life, for so many in our community this is just a long weekend with lots of chocolate. Challenge us to confront the terrible things in our world and to see them for what they are. Strengthen us to be your voice, your hands, your heart in our community, pointing others to you as the risen living Lord who can transform this damaged world.
In silence, Ask God to show you the place where you can make a difference.
Living Lord Jesus, we too need forgiveness and comfort. We too search for answers and are fearful about our future. We pray for each other.
In silence, see Jesus Christ standing near you and speak in your heart to him. And speak to Jesus about the people sitting near you. You may not know their names, but he does.
Lord Jesus, help us to be your resurrection people, experiencing your risen life in our own lives, and like Mary Magdalene, running to share this hope with others.
In the name of the living Lord Jesus Christ,
Amen
Easter confession
Risen Jesus,
when our eyes are too full of tears
to see you in our grieving
Forgive us.
When all we can see is obstacles,
an immoveable stone across our path,
and fail to see an open door
Forgive us
When nothing makes sense
and we are blundering around in blind confusion
Forgive us
When you are right here with us
and we still don’t recognize you,
When we confuse you with someone else
because we don’t have the courage to believe
Forgive us.
Risen Jesus,
you stand here among us,
saying our names.
We feel your love and forgiveness.
Help us, like Mary, to tell our friends
“I have seen the Lord.”
Prayers for Easter Day (2013)
We come with our prayers for our world, our community, our church and ourselves.
Lord Jesus Christ, today we speak to you with confidence and hope. We believe that you conquered death and you are alive.
So we pray for those who are grieving today. We bring to you those who today come, like Mary Magdalene, with their eyes blinded by tears. They had heard that this is meant to be a day of rejoicing but they are sad. They weep for someone they love who is dying or has died. They weep for those who are suffering because of physical or mental illness, or from bad memories that have poisoned their lives. They weep over broken relationships. They weep because cruel war and conflict is destroying their nation and their community. Today we pray for the people of Syria, the people of Afghanistan and the people of North and South Korea.
On this Easter Day, bring them face to face with you, the living Jesus.
Please send into their situations people of the resurrection to offer comfort and hope.
We pray for those who are disillusioned today. We bring to you those who come, like the soldiers who witnessed the crucifixion and found themselves thinking ‘This really is the Son of God’. We pray for those whose new faith is challenged. They don’t understand what is going on and wonder whether perhaps Jesus was a fraud, or the Christian Church is a failure or their faith was a mistake.
On this Easter Day, bring them face to face with you, the living Jesus.
Please send into their lives people of the resurrection to offer reassurance and hope.
We pray for those who are afraid and confused today. We bring to those who come, like Peter and the other disciple, feeling that life is out of control, wanting to believe but not sure what to make of the evidence. We pray for those whose lives these days are in a mess, troubled by the past, puzzled by the mysteries of the future and just wanting to escape somewhere to hide from the worries of the present.
On this Easter Day, bring them face to face with you, the living Jesus.
Please send into their lives people of the resurrection to offer practical help and hope.
We pray for ourselves. Each of us comes with our own needs.
Bring us face to face with you, the living Jesus.
In silence, see Jesus Christ standing near you and speak in your heart to him. And speak to Jesus about the people sitting near you. You may not know their names, but he does.
Lord Jesus, help us to be your resurrection people, experiencing your risen life in our own lives, and like Mary Magdalene, running to share this hope with others. Amen
Good Friday Confession
Lord Jesus Christ, when we look into the faces of the people who surrounded you as you went to the cross, it is like looking in a mirror.
We confess that we too have failed you.
We confess that we have thought that we know best, even when we do not.
We have been guilty of terrible mistakes and stupid actions that have hurt others.
We have betrayed you and denied you.
We have laughed at you and raged at you.
We have ignored you and given up on you.
Even our best moments have their dark side.
Lord Jesus, how can you still love us?
We have made promises that we failed to keep.
We are so thankful that when you make promises, you keep them.
You have promised that, through your sacrifice on the cross, we can be forgiven.
Have mercy on us, Lord Jesus.
In silence we put ourselves in your hands, complete with our failures.
We are truly sorry.
So – hear and believe the good news: In Jesus Christ we are understood, we are loved, we are forgiven.
Thanks be to God. Amen
Prayer for Good Friday in Canberra
We come in awe today, standing at the foot of your cross, Lord Jesus Christ.
Your cross is among us. The shadow of your cross lies over our land and our lives.
For us, you travelled the way of pain and cruel dying, for our redemption.
Lord Jesus Christ, in this city, let us see your cross.
View of Canberra
For the people of this city, may the sign of the cross be more than an advertising logo or a memorial to a road accident.
May it remind them of your love and sacrifice, of redemption, of hurt and hope.
May it point them to you, Saviour Christ.
Flags
Lord Jesus Christ, in our world among the nations, let us see your cross.
For the nations of the world, may the sign of the cross be a sign of divine love,
God willing to suffer the humiliation and pain of a human death for the sake of humankind.
May it point the people of the nations to you, Saviour Christ.
Parliament House
Lord Jesus Christ, in the Parliament and other places of leadership in this country, let us see your cross.
For those with authority to lead and make wise decisions for this nation, may the sign of the cross remind them of the ways of righteousness and justice, of reconciliation and true peace.
May it point them to you, Saviour Christ.
Tree and grass paddock
Lord Jesus Christ, in our land, let us see your cross.
For those who care for the land and the environment, may the sign of the cross be a reminder of the fragility of life, and the damage that human failure can do. Help them to see hope beyond death, restoration beyond desolation.
May the cross point them to you, Saviour Christ.
Marketplace corner
Lord Jesus Christ, in our community, let us see your cross.
For those who walk up and down this street, each with their own questions and coming to their own crossroads, may the sign of the cross remind them that they are loved with a love so profound that you were willing to face death for their redemption.
Help them to discover healing in distress, forgiveness in brokenness, hope in despair.
May the cross point them to you, Saviour Christ.
[Local congregation]
Lord Jesus Christ, in our church, let us see your cross.
For all of us who worship in this place, whether we have been together for years or are new to this community, may the sign of your cross arrest us and confront us. Shake us with the reality of what you have done and what your death on this cross means.
Help us all to keep your cross before us, Saviour Christ. Amen.
Margaret Reeson 