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Easter Sunday

On a day like this, the Risen Christ met with his disciples by the lake shore; together they shared a breakfast of fish and bread. Then he asked Peter if he loved him …

Scripture readings: John 20: 1–2, John 21:1–14 

Prayer

We thought we had heard it all, dear God, 
we thought we knew!
The Bible stories; the words of our faith; 
the rules for living and the way to heaven; 
we thought, dear God, we knew!
But here, before the mystery again of a grave that is empty 
when it should be filled with a decaying corpse, 
we know we know nothing at all!
Lord, have mercy on us! 

We thought we had heard it all, dear God, 
we thought we knew! 
The great stories of the church; the ebb and flow of the faith; 
our place in the great scheme of things; 
we thought, dear God, we knew! 
But here, before the mystery again of death defeated, 
of broken folk made whole, 
and mighty powers quite broken down, 
we know we know nothing at all! 
Lord, have mercy on us! 

We thought we had heard it all, dear God, 
we thought we knew! 
The way of the world; the powers that be, 
and the powers that would be; 
the ebb and flow of armies and international finance; 
the endless tide of refugees, 
and the awful endlessness of hate; 
we thought, dear God, we knew! 
But here, before the mystery again of a word of love in a quiet garden, 
and the promise, suddenly, 
of a new order of creation 
in place of the old, tired, familiar scene, 
we know we know nothing at all! 
Lord, have mercy on us! 
Have mercy on your people, Lord. 

Take out our stony hearts –
our cynical, confident, controlling, 
careful, cautious hearts –
and give us again hearts of flesh, we pray; 
so that, knowing our own ignorance, 
we may be filled instead with your knowledge; 
filled with that saving knowledge 
which in the beginning made all things; 
that saving knowledge which in Jesus Christ, 
crucified, dead and risen, 
can make all things, even us, new again; 
that saving knowledge which will, 
in that same Christ, 
bring all things, in the end, 
to their completion. 
In his name we pray. 
Amen

Blessing

Go now before us, Risen Christ, 
into the world of your loving, 
the world of your living and dying, 
and there, help us to bear witness to your Risen Life. 
Christ be with us, 
Christ within us, 
Christ behind us, 
Christ before us, 
Christ to win us, 
Christ to comfort and restore us. 
Christ beneath us, 
Christ above us, 
Christ in quiet, 
Christ in danger, 
Christ in hearts of all who love us, 
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger. 
And the blessing of God, 
Creator, Son and Spirit, 
be with you, 
and among you, 
and go with you wherever you go, 
now and always. 
Amen

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Photo by Pisit Heng on Unsplash