Lord God
Help us to realise the dynamism of the resurrection in the depths of our being.
If it is a seed with which we are associated and which awaits the support of our freedom in order to mature,
then let us be able to join your confidence on the first evening of creation: ‘All this is good’.
From the beginning, you wanted life to be good and abundant for everyone.
The resurrection of Jesus puts us back into your original plan.
Praise be to you, our God!
Jesus Lord,
The resurrection remains a mystery to us. It escapes our
reasoning and our imagination. But our hearts sense something of it every time we truly love.
Yes, we sense that we are helping life to win every
time we move from indifference to kindness.
Every time we move from routine to faithfulness,
we are helping life to win.
Every time we move from resentment to forgiveness, we help life to win.
Every time we move from self-centredness to service, we help life to win.
Every time we move from selfish consumption to concern for sharing and care for people and the earth, we help life to win.
Risen Jesus, you have shown us the way to fulfil the Father’s will, which is life in fullness, for all people, for all the world.
Grant that we may take up the relay and become
actors in humanity, working passionately for the advent of this new world where everyone
will know the love with which they are loved by you, who are our way, our truth and our life, for ever.
Risen Jesus, you say to us ‘Peace be with you’,
For the peoples of war and oppression, we stretch out our hands to you.
Risen Jesus, you say to us ‘Peace be with you’,
For the wounded of life, for those who are betrayed and despised, we stretch out our hands to you.
Risen Jesus, you say to us ‘Peace be with you’,
For those who are looking for meaning in their lives, who don’t know where to turn, we stretch out our hands to you.
Risen Jesus, you say to us ‘Peace be with you’,
For the artisans of justice who risk their lives fighting alongside the marginalised,
we stretch out our hands to you.
Risen Jesus, you say to us ‘Peace be with you’,
For your disciples who bear witness through their active faith that man is precious in your eyes and that you love him,
we stretch out our hands to you…
Risen Christ, we thank you because your presence brings us peace.
Not the peace that the world gives us, but the peace that you acquired by the gift of your life and that invites us to fight the evil and misfortune of our brothers and sisters.
We give you thanks because in your mercy you come to meet us.
If our doubts come from our pride or our complacency, or if we are scandalised by so much suffering and injustice, come and meet us. Reveal yourself to us, you, the Risen One who still bears the marks of suffering, send us your Spirit to comfort us and encourage us to recognise your presence in the gathered community, in the shared Bread and Word, and in our poorest sisters and brothers.
Jesus, Lord,
You wanted to announce your Risen Life to a woman, Mary of Magdala, so that she could bring the incredible news to your brothers and sisters. For your freedom, for the gentleness with which you met her in her sorrow and her love, we will always leap for joy!
Give each and every one of us the grace to hear her name in our hearts one day,
and may your Resurrection thus be transmitted, infinite news, irreversible life…
We thank you, Jesus, Rabboni, Son of the living God, our brother.
Christ,
Join our steps on the road,
follow in the footsteps of all those who still walk in sadness.
Come and awaken our hope.
And make us your allies
in each of our choices
so that with you we can serve life,
its fragile and astonishing growth.
And so that the work begun by your Resurrection
may continue in the power of the Spirit.
Christ the Saviour, cornerstone, chosen by God,
more precious than gold,
more solid than granite,
You are bread for the road,
shelter in the storm,
refreshment in the desert.
May your Spirit help us to keep your Word of life
burning in our hearts
so that we may live it every day,
so that we may grow in freedom
and in caring for the weakest,
so that your Kingdom of peace may come
where we can all sing
our eternal gratitude.
Once again, Jesus, the Risen One, you take the initiative.
You meet your disciples.
You stand among them.
You show them your presence freely.
You encourage and reassure them.
We too want to be close to you, listening to you.
Help us not to be afraid of suffering,
of human contradictions, of false accusations.
But may we always, by your side, advance along our life’s paths,
with uprightness, perseverance, trust,
until the eternal face to face
where your light will shine in all and for all.
God our Father, as you know, being a Christian following the dead and risen Christ is not always easy.
It is a path where wisdom, sobriety, charity, hospitality towards others, humility, service are the milestones that light our way. For this we implore the grace of your Spirit. May he come
to dwell in our hearts, we pray. May he guide us and transform us so that we may be
capable of allowing ourselves to be surprised by the presence of the Risen Christ in our lives and in our brothers and sisters.
And that in his Name we may form a great human family…
