Prayer on Easter Sunday During Covid-19 Pandemic

Sunday April 12, 2020

Happy Easter on this Resurrection morning.

If we were in church today many of us would hear, “The Lord is risen” and we would respond, “He is risen indeed, Hallelujah.” Instead of the bare cross on Friday churches are filled with flower; music is joyful, people are celebrating. We get to revel in the wonder that God has power over all evil. The resurrection of Jesus proves that the power of God’s love is stronger than all of evil so anything challenging that happens in our lives – like the COVID-19 virus spread – is something we can bring to God and expect His power to make changes in us – not just in our bodies but in our souls and spirits as well.

We all know that even though we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus today, it’s being done in a quieter way since we cannot gather together. We have to maintain physical distancing and groups cannot meet together. Pastors and priests speak to rows of empty seats. Even the pictures from the Vatican of the pope and a small number of helpers are quite startling when compared to previous years. Small worship teams lead us in songs of praise and worship and we’re grateful for the wonderful job they do, but we miss the sound of a room full of the sounds of praising people as we together lift up God’s greatness.

I wonder if this year isn’t a little closer to the first Easter than how we usually celebrate.

It is true that the women went to the tomb and found the stone rolled away from the entrance and Jesus not in the tomb. It is true

that they ran back and told the others what they had seen. It is true that disciples like Peter and John went to the tomb and confirmed the women’s account. It is true that Jesus appeared to two friends walking along the road on the way home hearts full of sadness and confusion about the events of the day until Jesus not only spoke to them, but then sat down to dinner with them, and broke bread. They recognized Him and ran back to the others to tell them - Jesus loved ones and friends, who were hidden away behind locked doors, still shellshocked from what happened on Friday and not quite knowing what to do with what they are experiencing today. It is very hard to believe that Jesus could be alive. What is this new reality? How does it fit beside what was?

Aren’t we living in that kind of reality today? It’s Easter weekend

but each day feels like another. The sun’s out and the temperatures are warmer but we have to stay inside except for necessary exercising and shopping. It’s pretty much the same routine as every other day in this surreal time. We hear news that the virus curve is bending and that death rates in some areas are slowing down – good news – but what difference does it make to today and what’s still ahead? Even when we will get the green light on some activities outside our homes, will life ever feel the same as before this all started? Not likely.

Into this new normal God speaks to us loudly in the resurrection of Jesus. I love You. I am with You. I have the power You need to live well in love today and every day. Because Jesus is alive, we can live well today and every day in this life and the next. Listen to these inspiring words:

Let's Pray:

Heavenly Father on the basis of Your word and Your actions – like the raising of Jesus from the dead, we come to you today. We come with gratitude and celebration that You are alive and that because You live, we too shall live. So many things seem to challenge our

quality of life these days but You have told us so clearly in those words from the Bible that nothing can separate us from Your love – the love You have shown us in Jesus.

Even though our minds and emotions can’t seem to quite wrap themselves around all the ups and downs of the Easter story and the turmoil in our covid-19 world, we are going to hang on to what is certain – You are God and You love us. Nothing can separate us from Your love when we welcome that love into our hearts and lives.

Lord Jesus, we don’t want to waste what You earned for us on Good Friday and show so clearly to us today – that You can tackle any difficulty we and the whole world face every day of our lives no matter how disconcerting or overwhelming those events seem to us in the moment. We lose hope and we hide away in fear of what is and what might be, but You rise above it all and You call us to live in You and let You live in us.

Help us to move away from this Easter message as information and move into it as lived experience. God, bring Your love to life in us today. We trade in our sorrows, our anger, our fears, our frustrations, our uncertainties, our doubts, our burdens and on this Easter Sunday we welcome faith and hope and love. We trade in our self-will and sin and we surrender to You, Jesus. You have proven You are the Saviour with the power to change a human life

forever. Like the little kids used to sing, we echo the words: Into my heart. Into my heart. Come into my heart Lord Jesus. Come in today. Come in to stay. Come into my heart Lord Jesus.

Thank you for journeying with us and explaining things to us as we go. You did it for the two folks You walked with on the road on Easter night. You did it for Thomas when You invited Him to put his fingers into the nail print in Your hands so he could believe. You meet us where we are and help our faith and trust to grow in You. Jesus, whatever the rest of this day and the future hold, we want to journey with You. Show us the way in this new reality. Give us strength and wisdom to find our course in the new post covid-19 country. Fill us with courage and grace to meet each new challenge with peace and hope as we rely on You. I pray we will be so much more conscious of your living presence with us and so much more open to all You are offering to do in us and through us in these next days, weeks, and months.

Even though our hearts tremble a bit we will respond with the “Hallelujah” when the announcement rings out, “The Lord is risen. He is risen indeed!” Amen

Well, whatever your Easter dinner looks like today, however much chocolate you eat – and apparently Prince William plans to eat his fair share – I pray this will be a day of joy and celebration. Happy Easter friends!!! Have a wonderful day.

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