EASTER PRAYER SERVICE
INTRODUCTION
[ Procession will begin from the entrance, plates with new seeds, water, eggs, lighted candles, flowers, will be carried ]Christ has risen from the dead, he has risen to die no more.
All: Alleluia, Alleluia
All you nations, sing out your joy to the Lord.
All: Alleluia, Alleluia
Gloriously this new – born day now breaks with joy.
All: Alleluia, Alleluia
God reigns, the people proclaim with great joy.
All: Alleluia, Alleluia
Jesus is Lord of all the earth, he is the king of creation.
All: Alleluia, Alleluia
The stone which the builders rejected, has become the corner stone.
All: Alleluia, Alleluia
This is the day that the Lord has made.
All: Alleluia, Alleluia
Hearty welcome to all of you to part take in this Easter prayer service. Easter day is a gentle and genuine reminder to all of us that we are an Easter people. Every year we come together in the name of our resurrected Lord to celebrate our hope and joy of Easter. It is the day designed by the magnificent Lord to explore our happiness of new life in the resurrected Lord. As we enter into the sanctuary to witness today’s prayer service, may we all carry a heart of receptivity, mind of serenity and a soul of tranquility.
Easter song is played as we go in procession
LIGHTING OF THE LAMP
Now the heart of every creature
fills with hope and with gratitude
they rise resplendent from their bondage
for their Lord has set them free
from the power of death’s decree.
We are filled with an outstanding Easter joy. Our hearts are overwhelmed with the feelings of tremendous contentment because Jesus our divine master is risen forever. We have every reason and season to celebrate its victory from the slavery of death, fear, doubts and sin. Jesus our true light has vanished the darkness of anxiety, turmoil and tensions. Come let us experience the divine light, eradicate the symptoms of darkness by lighting up the lamp symbolically.
Psalm 145 [ 1-3 verses are recited together]
Lord, God of all holiness, remembering your holy words ” I’m the light of world ” we soulfully adore you for the treasure of this Easter morning where we manifest your divine light at this juncture. Your mere presence amidst us ever enriching and encouraging. And also it leads to ever transforming and sustaining. Your marvelous presence is an ever promising driving force for us to trade the path of truthfulness and heartfulness. Now I invite ———to light the first wick of the lamp.
Psalm 145 [ 4 – 7 verses are recited by all while lighting]
Lord, God of all goodness, re cherishing your life giving words ” I’m with you till the end of time ” we humbly venerate you for the gift of your friendship to each one of us. Your accompaniment always aspire us to become very vibrant in our mission of building up your kingdom on this planet. It always empowers and enlightens our will to walk in your path, our wish to follow you more fervently and our desire to embrace you at any cost. Now, I invite ——to light the second wick of the lamp.
Psalm 145 [ 8-12 verses are recited by all while lighting ]
Lord, God of all kindness, recalling your life changing words, ” You are the light of the world ” we lovingly venerate you for calling us all to join in the company of your beloved disciples. Your invitation to each one of us is not just a call but a promise of your covenantal relationship. It truly helps us to evolve from our fragile self to transform into an agile self to act promptly with zeal and zest. Your invitation is a life line for us to remain steadfast in your vineyard. Now I invite—–to light up the third wick of the lamp.
Psalm 145 [ 13 – 17 verses are recited by all while lighting ]
Lord, God of all praises and glory, recollecting your strengthening words ” Peace be with you ” we fondly pay our homage to your holy name. Your gift of peace always inspires us to indulge in establishing harmony, pushes us to involve in creating solidarity and urges us to proving fraternity. The gift of peace for which the whole world longs for and you have freely imparted it in our hands and we want to hold it very responsibly. Now I invite —- to light up the fourth wick of the lamp.
Psalm 145 [ 18- 21 verses are recited by all while lighting ]
Lord, God of all greatness, reflecting your encouraging words ” The Lord is my light and my salvation ” we fervently adore you for the unconditional love you have for us and the abundant graces you shower upon us. Lord, you not only show the way through your words but also you dispel the darkness in and around us so that we may walk towards you persistently. And, therefore we love to pave a way for the world towards easter and its promises. Now I invite —-to light up the fifth wick of the lamp.
Easter hymn is sung
HONOUR TO MOTHER MARY
Queen of heaven rejoice, alleluia, alleluia
for the son you were worthy to bear alleluia, alleluia
has now risen indeed as he said alleluia, alleluia
dearest mother, your gladness we share alleluia, alleluia.
It is very apt and fit to honor our blessed mother on this easter day. She was filled with holy spirit and she guided the disciples to receive the gifts of the holy spirit by gathering them to pray individually and collectively. She being a best and genuine disciple of God show a right and fruitful way to all the disciples even today. She silently journeyed along with Jesus on the way to Calvary, courageously stood under the foot of the cross and remarkably led the disciples to remain together in faith. Yes, she is an embodiment of faith, her receptivity is tangible and her fiat is effective. She showed her fidelity to God through her suffering. In her, we see total receptivity to God’s unfolding love and compassion and complete response of total surrender. To this great icon of this universe let us all stand and pay our tribute by honoring her through garlanding, crowning and by performing arathi.
HYMN TO MOTHER MARY
READING:
Let us listen to this reading where we find the easter experience by the disciples from the gospel of St. John
John 20 : 1-9
By sparing a moment of deep silence let us also re live the easter experience along with the disciples.
INTERCESSIONS WITH EASTER MEANING
[ Easter joy, Easter peace, Easter love, Easter freedom & Easter hope could be displayed ]After every intercessory prayer, the chorus of any easter hymn is sung or With joyful lips I.23
EASTER JOY:
“In Jesus, all our sorrow and in Jesus, all our joy.”
We are an Easter people and ours is an Easter joy is the message and prayer for us today. Let our joy be bloomed like the fresh flowers. We remember our universal church and all her faithful people. May she grow in the everlasting love of Jesus by the unwavering faith of the Shepherds and the flocks. May all of them continue to have an ardent love for God and His call. Through their selfless efforts, may the face of the world be renewed, henceforth the church becomes an instrument of Easter and its joy. Let us pray
EASTER LOVE:
” In Jesus, all our sufferings and in Jesus, all our love. ”
We are an Easter people and ours is an Easter love is the message and prayer for us today. Let our love be real and pure as the fresh water. We remember and pray for all the leaders of this universe and their service. May they all find solace by being sensitive to the poor and downtrodden. May all take selfless initiative to work for the underprivileged and make this world to experience and enjoy the true love and its impact. Let us pray
EASTER HOPE:
” In Jesus, all our anxieties and in Jesus, all our hope ”
We are an Easter people and ours is an Easter hope is the message and prayer for us today. Let our hope be profound and growing just like the new seeds. We with so much hope, remember and pray for all the people who lost their hope due to poverty, unemployment and loss of their beloved ones. May they all regain their hope to find a new meaning in life. Through the good sources, may they all be enlightened to come back to life, life in abundance. Let us pray
EASTER FREEDOM:
” In Jesus, all our mourning and in Jesus , all our freedom ”
We are an Easter people and ours is an Easter freedom is the message and prayer for us today. Let our freedom be known to the world just like a new chick comes out of an egg. We remember and pray for all those are imprisoned. May their cry for freedom be heard by our Lord and may they all enjoy justice and righteousness. May their constant try for the value of freedom be known and acknowledged by everyone in today’s scenario. Let us pray
EASTER PEACE:
” In Jesus, all our redemption and in Jesus, all our peace ”
We are an Easter people and ours is an Easter peace is the message and prayer for us today. Let our peace be reflected to the world just like the flames of lighted candles. We remember and pray for all the missionaries, all over the world. May their service for the Lord bear valuable fruits. May they find the support of the divine light in the midst of doubts, discouragement, oppressions and loneliness. Let us pray
Let us continue to pray in silence for the very many needs of our people around us.
OUR FATHER——
CONCLUDING PRAYER:
Now we are endowed with new life and endorsed with new journey. We are no longer aliens and strangers but people of God instead. God our universal parent, allow us to travel with you just like the disciples travelled with you on the way to Emmaus. So that our hearts and minds will be opened and our souls will rest and meaning in you, in you alone. Guide us all to become the torch bearer of your Easter promises and sharer of your vision and mission. Envelope us with the power of togetherness to remain together in prayer life, ensure us with the power of your mercy to forgive others, enrich us with the power of your graces to understand everyone and enable us with the power of your resurrection to create a world where the everlasting peace dominates. We make this prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen.
FINAL HYMN