Ascension Day

God of Life,

On that first Easter our Risen Lord appeared to Magdalene, who stood alone — weeping — beside a garden tomb; and to a pair of downcast disciples walking the Emmaus road; and to a band of fearful followers, huddled at home behind locked doors.

On that first Easter Christ came to those who loved him — not in some sacred shrine, filled with trumpet blasts and shouts of ‘Alleluia!’ — but in quiet, tucked-away places, where the faithful sought refuge from a death-dealing world.

Having cast aside his own grave clothes, Christ came to unburden his disciples: to wipe away their tears, to set their hearts ablaze, to offer the gift of peace.

And so you come to us this day, while the shroud of death hangs heavy, while your people scatter for safety’s sake. You come to us, meeting us in ordinary places — the backdrops of our ordinary lives — to whisper the most extraordinary news: Christ is risen!

You come to us, Living Lord, to wipe away our tears, to set our hearts ablaze, to offer us the gift of peace.

And so we lift joy-filled voices to proclaim again and for all time: He is risen, indeed! Even in this season of fear, when anxiety is a constant companion; even in this season of uncertainty, when chaos seems to reign; even in this season of grief, when the forces of death seem determined to triumph, we rejoice. Especially now, we rejoice. For you have shattered the power of the grave and opened the way to eternal life!

As you come among us this day, open our hearts to your presence among us and grant us faith to believe the good news. Faithful God, we lift before you all who feel trapped in a ‘Good Friday’ world, all who cannot glimpse the brightness of Easter morn. Bring comfort to those who feel death’s sharp sting, and hope to those entombed by despair. Breathe reassurance into the hearts of those who cannot yet imagine a day when mourning turns to dancing, and send whispers of resurrection through rooms where fear still holds sway. Wrap these sisters and brothers in the steadfastness of your love, and fill them with peace.

Resurrected One, we know that Easter is not the end of the story. Christ goes before us still, leading us into a world that is desperate for good news. Though today we cannot go to the ends of the earth, or even to the streets of our neighborhoods, you still commission us to bear witness to this good news of overwhelming joy. Breathe your Spirit upon us so that we might live as a resurrection people. As disciples of the crucified and risen Lord, give us compassion in the face of suffering, courage in the face of injustice, and hope in the face of despair. Empower us, we pray, so that we might live as those who have seen the Living Lord.

We lift this prayer in the name of Jesus Christ, our Risen Lord, who gave us words to pray: Our Father … 

My thanks to the Rev. Casey Wait, whose observations in a recent Facebook post regarding Jesus’ post-resurrection appearances were a source of inspiration for this prayer.