Essential

Prayers

Essential Easterprayers_FORMAT 02.indd 1 10/26/20 1:38 PM Essential Easterprayers_FORMAT 02.indd 2 10/26/20 1:38 PM Essential

Prayers

PARACLETE PRESS

Paraclete Press BREWSTER, MASSACHUSETTS

Essential Easterprayers_FORMAT 02.indd 3 10/26/20 1:38 PM 2021 First Printing Essential Easter Prayers Copyright © 2021 by Paraclete Press, Inc.

ISBN 978-1-64060-660-9 Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. | Scripture quotations marked (niv) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.comThe “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™| Scripture quotations marked (msg) are taken from THE MESSAGE, copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress. All rights reserved. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers, a Division of Tyndale House Ministries. | Scripture quotations marked (rsvce) are taken from The Catholic Edition of the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1965, 1966 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The excerpts from published books shown in the text are published by Paraclete Press, Brewster, MA 02653. The Paraclete Press name and logo (dove on cross) are trademarks of Paraclete Press.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: Paraclete Press, editor. Title: Essential Easter prayers. Description: Brewster, Massachusetts : Paraclete Press, 2021. | Summary: “A companion book for anyone celebrating the season of Easter, prayers and practices from a variety of denominations and traditions”-- Provided by publisher. Identifiers: LCCN 2020036589 (print) | LCCN 2020036590 (ebook) | ISBN 9781640606609 | ISBN 9781640606616 (epub) | ISBN 9781640606623 (pdf) Subjects: LCSH: Eastertide--Prayers and devotions. Classification: LCC BV55 .E77 2021 (print) | LCC BV55 (ebook) | DDC 242.8--dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020036589 LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020036590

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All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in an electronic retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other—except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher.

Published by Paraclete Press Brewster, Massachusetts www.paracletepress.com

Printed in the United States of America

Essential Easterprayers_FORMAT 02.indd 4 10/26/20 1:38 PM “We are an Easter people and Alleluia is our song.”

—St. Pope John Paul II

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Dedication to the Resurrected Life 9

introduction 11

It’s Friday, But Sunday’s Coming 13

Easter Vigil Prayers 27

Pascha-themed Prayers 43

He Is Risen 55

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contributor biographies 91

Essential Easterprayers_FORMAT 02.indd 8 10/26/20 1:38 PM Dedication to the Resurrected Life

Christ has no body now, but yours. No hands, no feet on earth, but yours. Yours are the eyes through which Christ looks compassion into the world. Yours are the feet with which Christ walks to do good. Yours are the hands with which Christ blesses the world.

—St. Teresa of Avila

Essential Easterprayers_FORMAT 02.indd 9 10/26/20 1:38 PM Essential Easterprayers_FORMAT 02.indd 10 10/26/20 1:38 PM introduction

aster is a time of new birth, joy, and song. Following on the heels of Lent, when the church is made dark, and E when our lives are filled with introspection, refocus, and attention to fasting, penance, and prayer, Easter is by sudden and delightful contrast a time for celebration. Alleluia! The title of the first section of this book is inspired by a famous sermon preached by S. M. Lockridge, an African American pastor of the twentieth century, which was also made popular by Christian author and preacher Tony Campolo. Friday is the worst, saddest day in history for a disciple of Jesus; on that day, 2,000 some years ago, no one knew that Sunday was coming. But, then, what happened on Sunday?—the victory of the Resurrection. This is followed by Easter Vigil, or Holy Saturday, prayers. We often feel that the day between Good Friday and Easter is the strangest, most mysterious day on the Christian liturgical calendar. The horrific execution and suffering of our Lord on Friday is followed on Saturday by an even deeper expression of his love for us, his descent into hell. We won’t even attempt to unpack what this means in all of its nuance—theologians have long debated it—but the prayers in this section of the book will help you meet

Essential Easterprayers_FORMAT 02.indd 11 10/26/20 1:38 PM and understand Christ on this unusual day. Dedicate your Holy Saturday to prayer, if you can. “Pascha-themed Prayers” offers a reminder to us of how poorly the English word Easter communicates what the season of Easter is all about. In Greek and Latin, and many other languages around the world, the word for the season and feast of Easter is a word associated with Passover, indelibly linking the Christian and Jewish holidays. The prayers you will find in this section are most common in Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic churches where the Pascha theme is present. As you will see, in the recognition and celebration of Christ’s triumph over death, these prayers continue the themes of Holy Saturday. Then, “He Is Risen” and “Prayers for Eastertide” will focus you on what is supposed to happen in and through each of us, as a result of our identification with the Christ who suffered death and was buried, and then rose again, in accordance with the Scriptures. Throughout this season, as you use this little book, may your life be full of resurrection renewal and glory.

—The Editors at Paraclete Press

12 Essential EasterPrayers

Essential Easterprayers_FORMAT 02.indd 12 10/26/20 1:38 PM It’s Friday, But Sunday’s Coming

Essential Easterprayers_FORMAT 02.indd 13 10/26/20 1:38 PM Essential Easterprayers_FORMAT 02.indd 14 10/26/20 1:38 PM Pain and Joy

Dear God, With Julian of Norwich I lament the suffering of my Lord. “Of all pains that lead to salvation this is the most pain, to see thy Love suffer. How might any pain be more to me than to see Him that is all my life, all my bliss, and all my joy, suffer?” O Lord, dear God, thank You that Sunday is coming soon.

—A new prayer, using the words of Julian of Norwich adapted from The Complete Julian of Norwich

Essential Easterprayers_FORMAT 02.indd 15 10/26/20 1:38 PM Lord, Into Your Hands I Commit My Spirit

In you, Lord, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in your righteousness. Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, strong fortress to save me. Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me. Keep me free from the trap that is set for me, for you are my refuge. Into your hands I commit my spirit; deliver me, Lord, my faithful God.

—Psalm 31:1–5 (niv)

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Essential Easterprayers_FORMAT 02.indd 16 10/26/20 1:38 PM Franciscan Prayer for Walking the Via Dolorosa “Way of Suffering”

We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.

Because by your holy cross, you have redeemed the world.

The Via Dolorosa is a processional route in the Old City of Jerusalem—the path Jesus walked to the Crucifixion. There are fourteen stations along the way; this prayer is repeated fourteen times.

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Essential Easterprayers_FORMAT 02.indd 17 10/26/20 1:38 PM St. Paul’s Prayer

Dear God, “It is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

—Galatians 2:20

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Essential Easterprayers_FORMAT 02.indd 18 10/26/20 1:38 PM To the One Who Died on the Cross

O my Lord and Savior, in Thy arms I am safe; keep me and I have nothing to fear; give me up and I have nothing to hope for. I know not what will come upon me before I die. I know nothing about the future, but I rely upon Thee. I pray Thee to give me what is good for me; I pray Thee to take from me whatever may imperil my salvation; I pray Thee not to make me rich, I pray Thee not to make me very poor; but I leave it all to Thee, because Thou knowest and I do not. If Thou bringest pain or sorrow on me, give me grace to bear it well—keep me from fretfulness and selfishness. If Thou givest me health and strength and success in this world, keep me ever on my guard lest these great gifts carry me away from Thee. O Thou who didst die on the Cross for me, even for me, sinner as I am, give me to know Thee, to believe on Thee, to love Thee, to serve Thee; ever to aim at setting forth Thy glory; to live to and for Thee; to set a good example to all around me; give me to die just at that time and in that way which is most for Thy glory, and best for my salvation.

—St. John Henry Newman

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Essential Easterprayers_FORMAT 02.indd 19 10/26/20 1:38 PM Remind Me Today and Every Day

O Jesus, my Lord! Remind me today, and every day, how “Christ is Christ only as the suffering and rejected one, so the disciple is a disciple only as one who suffers and is rejected, as one crucified with Jesus.”

—A new prayer, incorporating words of Dietrich Bonhoeffer

20 Essential EasterPrayers

Essential Easterprayers_FORMAT 02.indd 20 10/26/20 1:38 PM When She Despairs (after Wendell Berry)

When she despairs, knowing how each thing she loves will one day end, she goes down to the river’s edge, lets otters remind her of play salmon of perseverance cormorant of stillness.

She watches how sun and water create gold and silver in a flash and forgets her worries, suddenly sees she is swan’s wings on a winter wind, bud on the blackthorn branch, ready to break into blossom.

—Christine Valters-Paintner, From The Wisdom of Wild Grace: Poems

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Essential Easterprayers_FORMAT 02.indd 21 10/26/20 1:38 PM Prayer of Abandonment

Father, I abandon myself into your hands, do with me what you will. Whatever you may do, I thank you. I am ready for all, I accept all. Let only your Will be done in me, and in all your creatures, I wish no more than this, O Lord. Into your hands I commend my soul. I offer it to you, with all the love of my heart, For I love you, and so need to give myself, to surrender myself into your hands without reserve, and with boundless confidence, for you are my Father.

—Bl. Charles de Foucauld

22 Essential EasterPrayers

Essential Easterprayers_FORMAT 02.indd 22 10/26/20 1:38 PM Devotion to the Black Nazarene

When you feel you are alone, and you have no one to hold on to . . . have faith. Hold on to Jesus. Jesus is carrying you. He will not let you astray, even if His shoulders are wounded. He is carrying you. He is holding you. And while He is holding you, He thanks God. You are not heavy. You are not a burden.

—Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle (January 9, 2015)

The Black Nazarene is a life-sized image of Christ, kneeling, carrying the cross. Devotion to Christ through this image is common in the Philippines.

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Essential Easterprayers_FORMAT 02.indd 23 10/26/20 1:38 PM Hold On

Bambelela. Hold on. Bambelela. Hold on. Bambelela. Hold on. Bambelela. Hold on.

Ku Jesu Bambelela. Hold on to Jesus. Ku Jesu Bambelela. Hold on to Jesus. Ku Jesu Bambelela. Hold on to Jesus. Ku Jesu Bambelela. Hold on to Jesus.

—A popular Zulu Gospel song in South Africa. With slight variants, also common in other Christian parts of Africa, especially Nigeria.

24 Essential EasterPrayers

Essential Easterprayers_FORMAT 02.indd 24 10/26/20 1:38 PM A Prayer for Faith and Courage

I’m going to hold steady on You, an’ You’ve got to see me through.

—Harriet Tubman

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