Easter Prayers

We have collected some of the best Easter Prayers for protection and support to use in our request to God. May these prayers for safety bring you comfort and peace of mind. May these prayers for strength encourage your spirit and strengthen your faith.

Easter, also called Pascha or Resurrection Sunday, is a festival and holiday celebrating the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, described in the New Testament as having occurred on the third day of his burial after his crucifixion by the Romans at Calvary c. 30 AD. It is the culmination of the Passion of Jesus, preceded by Lent (or Great Lent), a forty-day period of fasting, prayer, and penance.

Most Christians refer to the week before Easter as “Holy Week“—it contains the days of the Easter Triduum, including Maundy Thursday, commemorating the Maundy and Last Supper, as well as Good Friday, commemorating the crucifixion and death of Jesus. In Western Christianity, Eastertide, or the Easter Season, begins on Easter Sunday and lasts seven weeks, ending with the coming of the fiftieth day, Pentecost Sunday. In Eastern Christianity, the season of Pascha begins on Pascha and ends with the coming of the fortieth day, the Feast of the Ascension.

Easter Morning

As the world sings triumphant cries to heaven over death that you conquered, help us, Lord, tomorrow as well, when the dresses are put away and the candy is all eaten and on with life we go let us not forget.

The celebration of your resurrection over death is a celebration of life that should continue well beyond the sunrise service and the music, rehearsed for days prior; it is beyond the sign of spring, beyond the lily, beyond new lambs grazing in open fields.

Resurrection is a daily celebration over fear; man’s greatest and most powerful enemy. Fear of tomorrow, fear of our yesterdays, fear of what shall become of our young our old our unborn. Resurrection is replacing fear with physical action.

This alone, the most touching and profound of your signs that fear is dead and belief in you brings, not just hope but life.
What better living parable could You have brought? All fear death. All. Even in the garden, You took on our fear if for only moments, it was as real as our fears can be real and You knew then that this single enemy must be destroyed.

And, You sacrificed your life, leaving those who had been comfort, and follower; You left them behind, to conquer fear.

I shall cling to this now, and the tomorrows given me.
Peace and thanksgiving lifted unto you.

Amen.

– Author Unknown

Death Be Not Proud

Death, be not proud, though some have called thee
Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so;
For those whom thou think’st thou dost overthrow,
Die not, poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me.
From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be,
Much pleasure; then from thee much more must flow,
And soonest, our best men with thee do go,
Rest of their bones, and soul’s delivery.
Thou art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men,
And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell;
And poppy or charms can make us sleep as well
And better than thy stroke; why swell’st thou then?
One short sleep past, we wake eternally,
And death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die.
– John Donne

Christ Resurrected

Christ, rising again from the dead
Dieth now no more:
Death shall no more have dominion over him;
For in that he died, he died once:
But in that he liveth, he liveth unto God,
Alleluia, alleluia.

Let the Jews now tell us,
How the soldiers,
Who guarded the sepulchre,
Lost the King,
Though they had placed a rock over him.
Why kept they not the Rock of Justice?
Either let them restore the buried One,
Or adore with us the risen One, saying:
But in that he liveth,
He liveth unto God,
Alleluia, alleluia.
– The Liturgical Year: Book 7

The Resurrected Christ Who Saves Us

O Jesus, King,
Receive my supplication,
And consider my supplication,
As a pledge to you.
For you, O living King,
Have gone forth and gone up,
Out of hell,
As conqueror.

Woe to those who have rejected you;
For, to evil spirits and demons,
You are sorrow,
To Satan and to Death,
You are pain,
To Sin and Hell,
You are mourning.

Yet, joy has come today,
For those who are born anew.
On this great day therefore,
We give great glory to You,
Who died and is now alive,
That to all you may give
Life and resurrection!
– St. Ephrem the Syrian

An Easter Prayer

Good and gracious God,
Our most glorious Creator,
As we greet the signs in nature around us:
Of Spring once again regaling us in bloom,
In the songs of returning birds and fields soon to be planted,
We give you praise for an even greater sign of new life: the resurrection of your Son,
Our Lord Jesus Christ, that we especially celebrate at this time.
The sadness and despair of his death has given way to the bright promise of immortality.
For the Resurrection is our guarantee that justice will triumph over treason, Light will overcome darkness, and love will conquer death.
As we celebrate, we also dare to ask for your grace that we may live the promise given to us,
By imitating the life of Jesus in reaching out to the poor, the marginalized, the least among us,
As we strive to be neighbor to all those we meet,
We ask your special blessings each and every day on our President.
Working with him may we strive to make this great country of ours a beacon of hope and justice in a world hungry for peace and so in need of your love.
We praise you in this Easter season. Change our lives, change our hearts to be messengers of Easter joy and hope.
We make our prayer through Jesus Christ, our risen Lord forever.

Amen.

• Fr. Larry Snyder, president of Catholic Charities USA, offered at the fourth annual White House Easter Prayer Breakfast on April 8, 2013

Easter Table Prayer

Creator God and Lord of Life,
You who call forth from the darkness of death
all those who love You,
we rejoice, on this Easter Sunday,
in the resurrection from the dead
of our Lord, Jesus Christ.
Visit our home and this table
with Your bright blessing of peace and life.
We pause in the midst of this prayer
to remember all the holy dead of our family
who live now in You and who await
the final and glorious resurrection of the dead.

Pause for silent reflection to remember those who have died.

May they and we,
because of our faith in You, our God,
taste in the victory of life over death.
May the Risen Christ, our Lord and Savior,
be our guest as we celebrate His resurrection
with this Easter Sunday dinner.
Bless those whose work to prepare this meal
has truly been a work of prayer,
and bless all of us who shall share it
with Easter love and joy.

May You, then, bless this table and this food, and each of us
in Your holy name. Amen.

– Edward Hays, “Prayers for the Domestic Church: A Handbook for Worship in the Home”

Easter Dinner Prayers

The Lord’s Prayer: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. — Author Unknown

As we gather together as family and friends we invite you once again into our lives. May the hope of your resurrection color our days. May the promise of your spirit working in us light up our lives. May the love you revealed to us shape our giving. May the truth in your word guide our journeys, and may the joy of your kingdom fill our homes. As we gather together underneath the banner of your life, we thank you for all the wonderful food that we can now enjoy, and celebrate your glorious resurrection.

Thank you Lord. Amen. — Author Unknown

Dear God, We thank you for all the good food and the opportunity to gather with loved ones in celebration of you! We pray that nobody on this beautiful planet goes on an empty stomach, and most of all, feels full with you in their hearts! As we sit here feasting on this Easter dinner with each other, let us not forget why it is that we are celebrating this day, and let us rejoice in you for all the days to come! Amen. — Author Unknown

Lord, our cups runneth over with your abundance. We thank you for the blessings of this bounty before us and pray that others experience your grace as we do today. We thank you for your sacrifice, and your triumph over death Lord. We don’t deserve the mercy you show, but thank you with every bit of us for it. This meal is in honor of you, and let us never forget that. Amen. — Author Unknown

Lord, as we all sit here in front of this generous blessing of food, may you be with us, may your love fill us, and your blessings surround us, and may our worries be none. May the truth in your word find us at every turn. We thank you as we enjoy our dinner in your name. Amen! — Author Unknown

Heavenly Father, We thank you for this delicious meal in a world where many sit in hunger, for our strong faith in you when many walk in fear, for friends and family when many are alone. Amen! — Author Unknown

This Joyous Time of Year

May the glory and the promise of this joyous time of year bring peace and happiness to you and those you hold most dear.

And may Christ, Our Risen Savior, always be there by your side to bless you most abundantly and be your loving guide.

— Author Unknown

We Are One with the Risen Christ

Lord, we lift our hearts to you. As the dawn breaks, may we carry the unity we share into every moment knowing that we are one with the risen Christ. Lord, we lift our eyes to you. As the sunrises, may this moment stay with us, reminding us to look for the beautiful colors of promise in your word. Lord, we lift our prayers to you. As the dew air falls, may we breathe this morning in and know that like the earth, you sustain us, keep us and work within us always. And so, we lift our voices to you. We celebrate the greatest day in history, when Jesus rose from death, defeated darkness and bathed the world in stunning resurrection light. May we ever live to praise you! Amen.

— Author Unknown

Your Victory Is My Victory

Lord Jesus Christ, I rejoice and rejoice continually in Your glorious and triumphant victory over death. For Your victory is my victory. Help me to live by it, in it, and for it. I am grateful to my depths—grateful forever. Amen.

— Selwyn Hughes

Let Us Have Hearts of Thankfulness

Lord God,

You loved this world so much,
That you gave your one and only Son,
That we might be called your children too.
Lord, help us to live in the gladness and grace
Of Easter Sunday, everyday.
Let us have hearts of thankfulness
For your sacrifice.

Let us have eyes that look upon
Your grace and rejoice in our salvation.
Help us to walk in that mighty grace
And tell your good news to the world.
All for your glory do we pray, Lord,
Amen.

— Rachel Marie Stone

Thank You for the Miracle of Life

Father, Thank You for the miracle of life—abundant life here, and eternal life with You in Heaven. Help me celebrate that life every day as I seek You and follow Your plan for my life. Today, I say with the Apostle Paul, “Where, O death is your victory? Where, O death is your sting?” In Jesus’ name, Amen.

— Mary Southerland

May I Always Find My Satisfaction in You

Dear Lord, may I realize afresh today what Your death and resurrection mean for me. Forgiveness, freedom, and the ability to walk with You through this fallen world into eternity. May I always find my satisfaction in You and Your willingness to offer Yourself to me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

— Rachel Olsen

Easter Grace Blessing

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with us this day.
May this meal be blessed as we gather to celebrate together.
May your love be shared amongst us as we enjoy the gift of fellowship.
May we remember to give out the grace and forgiveness that you have freely given us,
And may we always give thanks for your sacrificial love.
Amen.

— Author Unknown

Journey Into the Presence of God

Lord, death could not hold You. And because of You, the resurrection, we, too, can live. Thank You that the grave is only a journey into the presence of God. You have removed the sting of death and empowered this thing called life. Now I will live in Your presence forever. Amen.

— Rebecca Barlow Jordan

Easter Children’s Prayer

God made you and God made me,
He made the world for us to see.
God loves you and long ago,
He sent his Son to tell us so.
Jesus showed us many things,
To love and share and dance and sing.
To learn and pray, to help and care,
He promised he’d always be there.
He died but then came back to life,
Let’s celebrate for he’s alive!
Amen.

— Author Unknown

O Lord, we thank you for being our Father and always keeping your promises! Amen! — Author Unknown

Dear Jesus, we thank you for these eggs and all the special treats! We pray that everyone has a great day filled with special treats, too! Amen! — Author Unknown

Love Overcame

Love overcame
Emerging from a cold tomb
All the truth, majesty and creativity of a living God
Transforming a broken heart
Making a quiet return, in a still and sorrowful garden
The grave stone rolled away, to release redemptive love
Jesus resurrected and restored
Comforts a weeping woman
Speaks with travelers on a journey
Meets with his faithful friends
And they bow down before Christ alive
And acknowledged that the savior has arrived
That the word of God has come alive
And that the extraordinary transformation of heaven and earth is complete.

— Julie Palmer

The Brightest Light

The veil of darkness transformed to the brightest light. The most dreadful end became the most beautiful beginning. The depths of despair fade to reveal hope everlasting. The curse of death defeated by eternal life.

— Author Unknown

Your Radiant and Magnificent Resurrection

Dear Lord Jesus Christ, by Your radiant and magnificent resurrection, You broke the bonds of death and rose from the grave as a conqueror. You reconciled Heaven and earth. Our life had no hope of eternal happiness before You redeemed us. Your resurrection has washed away our sins, restored our innocence, and brought us joy. How inestimable is the tenderness of Your love!

— Saint Gregory the Great

Good Friday Prayer

Lord God, Jesus cried out to you on the cross, “Why have you forsaken me?” You seemed so far from his cry and from his distress. Those who stood at the foot of the cross wondered where you were, as they saw Jesus mocked and shamed and killed. Where were you then? Lord God, we, too, ask where you are, when there is trouble and suffering and death, and we cry out to you for help. Be near to us, and save us so that we may praise you for your deliverance. Lord God, we wait, on Friday, for the resurrection of Sunday and sometimes our lives seem a succession of Fridays and we cannot see what is “Good.” Teach us to call your name as Jesus did. Make us to trust in you like little children. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

— Rachel Marie Stone

Thank you for sending Jesus

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for sending Jesus to save me from my sins. Thank you that you loved me enough to send a perfect sacrifice, so that we could live together eternally. I confess that I am a sinner and need forgiveness. I ask you to come into my heart, and I commit to following Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

— Glynnis Whitwer

The Resurrection of Your Son

Lord, the resurrection of Your Son has given us new life and renewed hope. Help us to live as new people in pursuit of the Christian ideal. Grant us wisdom to know what we must do, the will to want to do it, the courage to undertake it, the perseverance to continue to do it, and the strength to complete it.

— New Saint Joseph People’s Prayer Book

How can I ever repay You

Lord Jesus,
How can I ever repay You for what You’ve done? Thank You for paying the debt for my life. Thank You for erasing my sin and calling me Your own. I am no longer a slave to sin or in debt to a holy God. I am a child of God. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

— Arlene Pellicane

Thank You for Your sacrifice

Lord, I thank You for Your sacrifice on the cross and I thank You for Your resurrection from the tomb, and God, I pray that this truth becomes alive in every person’s heart today, that people stand up and respond to Your truth, saying, ‘Jesus, I thank You for what You did. God, I lay down my old self, I step into my new self—resurrect me today.’

— Sadie Robertson Huff

A Prayer of Praise for the Victory

Lord God, as I celebrate Easter and the triumphant victory of Jesus Christ over death and hell and sin, I fall down before You and worship You. I cry with others around the world, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” All of creation bows before You, Lord Jesus, because You are the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords who has won the victory and conquered death!

— Becky Harling

Thank You for the resurrection of Your Son

Dear God,
Thank You for the resurrection of Your Son, Jesus. We want to celebrate Him every day of our lives. In a world that grows increasingly dark, help us hold up His light. Give us the courage to speak as boldly as Mary Magdalene did, and never be ashamed of proclaiming Your Good News. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

— Liz Curtis Higgs

Remembering the Hope of the Cross

Father, we praise You for sending Your Son to abide with us and be with us. Life can feel lonely, but the fact is, we are never alone. That is a truth we can cling to during the ugliest breakdowns. Thank you for giving us the grace to release our failed efforts and bottled-up emotions to You, free of judgment and full of healing love.

Forgive us for walking through life without the joy that Jesus died to fill our hearts with. Help us to find You in the hard moments of life, and remember the comfort and truth of Your promises during seasons of suffering.

Jesus, You never leave us, and always guide us. Who we are becoming is no secret to You, You who formed us in our mother’s womb. You came down to earth to save us, love us, and show us how to live. May we chase after You all of our days, and experience the rich and irreplaceable peace that allows us to overcome, to walk victorious, and to hold onto hope. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

— Meg Bucher

Christ at the cross

These times are frightening, Lord. Headlines daily deliver troubling news. If we dwell there, Father, we will lose all hope. Thank You for Your protection and the promises we have in Your word. Nothing can separate us from Your love and the victory achieved by Christ at the cross. He is our hope and ever present help in trouble. Thank You, Father. We have no need to fear. You will never leave nor forsake Your own!

— Judy Fussell

Easter Gratitude

God, we pause with such gratitude for the gift of your undeserved, unfailing, and unfathomably love. Thank you for walking around on this broken, dusty, and trouble-ridden planet for 33 years so that we might believe and have eternal life.

Thank you for communicating your love for us in a way that is so personal, so extravagant, and so gracious. Thank you for dying and then rising from the dead so we could have hope. Thank you for proving that you are real, you are powerful, and that only you give us the power to live our lives well through your incarnation, death, and resurrection.

Thank you for washing away our sins by offering yourself as the perfect and blameless sacrifice in our place. Thank you, Jesus, for all you have done for us. We offer our lives as a living sacrifice to you in gratitude for amazing grace. Amen.

—Amanda Idleman

I praise You for Your power

Almighty God,
I praise You for Your power, presence, and purpose in my life. I confess my unbelief and unwillingness to press on when hope seems dead. Oh Lord, please pour Your Spirit afresh on me. May Your resurrecting power shine forth in my life and the lives of my loved ones. In Jesus Christ’s Name, I pray, Amen.

— Carla Lake

Draw Us Forth

Draw us forth, God of all creation.
Draw us forward and away from limited certainty
into the immense world of your love.
Give us the capacity to even for a moment
taste the richness of the feast you give us.
Give us the peace to live with uncertainty,
with questions,
with doubts.
Help us to experience the resurrection anew
with open wonder and an increasing ability
to see you in the people of Easter.

– Author Unknown

Draw my thoughts

Dear Lord,
Draw my thoughts upward toward You every minute of every day, but especially this Easter. Help me resist the temptation to focus on the painful things of this earthly life and learn to control my thoughts so they don’t sink my faith or joy in You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

— Tracie Miles

Boldly Proclaim the Gospel

Father, we are living in a day unlike anything we have ever seen before. Chaos, confusion, and turmoil has been stirring in the hearts of so many people.

We trust that justice belongs in Your hand, but we also trust that You have a great plan for us to see hearts transformed and lives changed.

Jesus, thank you for Your mercy that was displayed upon the cross that has given those who call upon Your name and trust in you for forgiveness a new life. We want to be a part of Your great redemptive plan on the earth.

Help us fix our eyes on Christ when we are tempted to only look at the problems around us. We are asking that You would give us the boldness to proclaim the only solution to what our world is experiencing, and that is Your glorious Gospel! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

—Emily Massey

Easter Prayer of Saint Hippolytus

Christ is Risen: The world below lies desolate
Christ is Risen: The spirits of evil are fallen
Christ is Risen: The angels of God are rejoicing
Christ is Risen: The tombs of the dead are empty
Christ is Risen indeed from the dead,
the first of the sleepers,
Glory and power are his forever and ever.

– St. Hippolytus of Rome

Remembrance and Thanksgiving

Loving Lord, today we remember the veil of darkness transforming to the brightest light. The most dreadful end becoming the most beautiful beginning. We remember with trembling hearts the depths of despair fading to reveal hope everlasting. The curse of death defeated by eternal life. Today we remember with thankfulness your willingness to be pierced for our sins. We sing with abounding joy of your miraculous rise, from death’s tomb to resplendent life. Thank you for the promise of heaven and your generous invitation of eternal life for all. Amen.

—Julie Palmer

This Easter

Dear Jesus,

I plead for You to give me Your grief over the people who have missed You and rejected You. This Easter, remind me just how much I need You. Help me see Your grace. Grant me that divine combination of sorrow and tenderness that points people to the cross and to new Life. Dear God, give me Your heart for my world, to see the desperate need for salvation we all have. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

— Amy Carroll

Help me to understand that Your life

Help me to understand that Your life, death and resurrection were not in vain. Every time a negative thought begins to form in my mind, help me to instead, be grateful that You suffered unbearably, just for me. That You suffered so that I did not have to, means I can give all my worries and cares to You, while at the same time, move forward, because of Your resurrection power that brings dead things to life. I claim Your resurrection power on this day to cover my mind, body and soul, my health, my finances, my family, my friends and each and every area of our lives in Jesus’ name. I understand that by claiming Your resurrection power for my life daily, I am joyful, in Jesus’ name. I have all my needs met, in Jesus’ name. I am healthy, in Jesus’ name. I am made whole, in Jesus’s name. I am healed, delivered and set free, because I claim the power of Your resurrection for my life daily, in Jesus’ name. Help me to remember this as long as I live – that each new day is an opportunity to recognize and claim the power of Your resurrection. Thank You in advance, God, for all things. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

— Sheila Thomas

This Easter morning

Oh God, our gracious Heavenly Father, we come on this Easter morning, thanking Thee for revealing to us the ultimate meaning and the ultimate rationality of the universe. We thank You, this morning, for Your Son, Jesus, who came by to let us know that love is the most durable power in the world, who came by to let us know that death can’t defeat us, to take the sting out of the grave and death and make it possible for all of us to have eternal life. We thank You, oh God. And God grant that we will be grateful recipients of Thy eternal blessings. In the name and spirit of Jesus, we pray, Amen.

— Martin Luther King, Jr.

The resurrection of Jesus Christ

Father, what grace—grace that has made us who we are in Your eyes through the blood of Your Son. Father, what grace—to make us Your elect exiles who are born again to a living hope, hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Take us, we pray, all the way home in that hope by Your grace for the glory of Christ. Amen.

— Kathleen Nielson

The resurrection truth

Father, I thank You for the resurrection power of the Lord Jesus Christ. Father, it is good news, it is good news. We just take a moment right now to just thank You. Thank You, Lord Jesus, that You not only died on the cross for our sins, but You rose again from the dead so that we could have a victorious, overcoming, Christian life here on earth as it is in heaven. Father, let everyone walk in the power of that resurrection truth. I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

— Christine Caine

Thank You for the stunning wisdom

Lord, we thank You for the stunning wisdom that we find in Your Word. We wouldn’t know how to think were it not for the wisdom on its pages. But we thank You most of all for the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the center of the wisdom of Scripture. We thank You that He is, in this moment, in us and for us and with us, and that gives us a right here, right now, hope.

Lord, we again thank You for the majesty of Your Word. We thank You that You love us and You’re with us and You are for us and that in Your grace, You take the darkest things—things that are unthinkable to us, and You can do the most wonderful things in them.

— Paul Tripp

You rose from the grave

King Jesus, just as You rose from the grave, I too shall rise from the grave. Death could not keep You, it cannot keep me. The grave could not hold You, it cannot hold me. Your life is my life. Therefore, I shall rise from the grave of idolatry, unforgiveness, and selfishness. Your eternal life is mine. Your unceasing love is mine. Your unending grace is mine. Your hope-giving peace is mine. Your mission is mine. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

— Dr. Derwin L. Gray

Thank You for Your Son

Lord, I thank You for Yourself. Thank You for Your Son. Thank You for Your Spirit. I thank You that You are always pursuing us, You are always coming for us, You are always speaking to us, You are always providing for us, You are always being Yourself towards us, and I pray that You would open up our understanding and our heart to take hold of that truth.

— Jackie Hill Perry

Especially this Easter

Dear Lord, draw my thoughts upward toward You every minute of every day, but especially this Easter. Help me resist the temptation to focus on the painful things of this earthly life and learn to control my thoughts so they don’t sink my faith or joy in You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

— Traci Miles

We celebrate Easter today

God, as we celebrate Easter today, may we be reminded of the joy that we have in You, the hope that we have in You, the life that we have in You that only comes from You, that can’t be taken away because You killed death in Your death and You were raised to life that we might all be raised to life as well.

God, I pray for those of us who already call ourselves followers, that we would be surprised anew today that You are still rolling stones, that You are still working new life out of death, that You are working in dark places to bring about resurrection—not apart from death, but in the midst of it, that in the midst of darkness You are bringing light and life.

— Ike Miller

Thanks be to thee

Thanks be to thee, my Lord Jesus Christ, for all the benefits thou hast given me, for all the pains and insults thou hast borne for me. O most merciful redeemer, friend and brother, may I know thee more clearly, love thee more dearly, and follow thee more nearly, day by day. Amen.

— Saint Richard of Chichester

Thank You for Your love

Father, in the name of Jesus, thank You for gathering us in this place. Thank You for Your love which is better than life. Thank You for making all things new, including us. Lord, You simply ask us to say, ‘Yes,’ to deep down in our hearts say, ‘Lord, make me new.’ So, Lord, around this room, I pray that You would do that—for those of us who have never made a decision for Jesus, that we would be raised with You today, for those of us who have, that You would renew us, refresh us, restore us.

— Rich Villodas

Martin Luther’s Easter prayers

Almighty and eternal God, merciful Father, You gave Your Son for our sins, and raised him up again for our righteousness. Through him You have overcome death and have opened up for us the way to eternal life. Through Your Holy Spirit, grant that we may rely on this in true faith, that our bodies also will arise with Christ to eternal life, and that by remembering this comfort we may endure all kinds of sorrow in this life with patience through the power of the resurrection of Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who with You and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, forever and ever. Amen. — Martin Luther

Almighty God, through the death of Your Son, You destroyed sin and death, and restored innocence and eternal life through His resurrection, so that we might be saved from the power of the devil, and live in Your kingdom. Grant that we may believe this with all our heart, and in such steadfast faith continually praise You, and give thanks to You; through Your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen. — Martin Luther

We give You thanks, almighty Lord God, that You have refreshed us with this saving gift of Your Son’s body and blood. We pray, in Your mercy, that You would bless us with these for the strengthening our faith in You and for increasing the warmth of our love toward one another; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord. Amen. — Martin Luther

Dear God, through Jesus Christ give us Your Holy Spirit that we may rightly be comforted by Your resurrection, and day by day increase in such faith and certainty and hope, and finally be saved. Amen. — Martin Luther

John Calvin’s Easter prayers

Grant, Almighty God, that as thou appearest not now to us in shadows and types, as formerly to the holy fathers, but clearly and plainly in thy only-begotten Son, – O grant, that we may be wholly given to the contemplation of thine image, which thus shines before us; and that we may in such a manner be transformed into it, as to make increasing advances, until at length, having put off all the filth of our flesh, we be fully conformed to that pure and perfect holiness which dwells in Christ, as in him dwells the fulness of all blessings and thus obtain at last a participation of that glory which our Lord has procured for us by his resurrection. Amen. — John Calvin

Grant, Almighty God, that since thou hast once shone upon us by thy gospel, – O grant, that we may always be guided by this light, and so guided, that all our lusts may be restrained; and may the power of thy Spirit extinguish in us every sinful fervor, that we may not grow hot with our own perverse desires, but that all these being subdued, we may gather new fervor daily, that we may breathe after thee more and more: nor let the coldness of our flesh ever take possession of us, but may we continually advance in the way of piety, until at length we come to that blessed rest, to which thou invites us, and which has been obtained for us by the blood of thy only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. — John Calvin

Easter prayers from The Book of Common Prayer

How blessed is this day, when earth and heaven are joined and humankind is reconciled to God! — The Book of Common Prayer

O God of unchangeable power and eternal light: Look favorably on your whole Church, that wonderful and sacred mystery; by the effectual working of your providence, carry out in tranquillity the plan of salvation; let the whole world see and know that things which were cast down are being raised up, and things which had grown old are being made new, and that all things are being brought to their perfection by him through whom all things were made, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. — Book of Common Prayer

O God, who made this most holy night to shine with the glory of the Lord’s resurrection: Stir up in your Church that Spirit of adoption which is given to us in Baptism, that we, being renewed both in body and mind, may worship you in sincerity and truth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. — Book of Common Prayer

Almighty God, who for our redemption gave your only-begotten Son to the death of the cross, and by his glorious resurrection delivered us from the power of our enemy: Grant us so to die daily to sin, that we may evermore live with him in the joy of his resurrection; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. — Book of Common Prayer

Almighty God, who through your only-begotten Son Jesus Christ overcame death and opened to us the gate of everlasting life: Grant that we, who celebrate with joy the day of the Lord’s resurrection, may be raised from the death of sin by your life-giving Spirit; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. — Book of Common Prayer, 1979 version

Tim Keller’s Easter prayers

Lord, help us to take the gospel of the resurrected King, Jesus Christ, to the world, and lift it up in such a way that people are drawn to it because we are living representatives of that resurrected life ourselves. Do all this because it will glorify You. We pray this in Jesus’ name, Amen. — Tim Keller

Our Father, we thank You for giving us what we need to know which is that Your son rose from the dead, and that we can know Him personally, not just as a dead prophet or teacher, but as a living Savior and that we can hear His voice speaking to us, calling us by name, giving us His love. — Tim Keller

Our Father, we ask that You would help us to take this message of the resurrection to the world, that You would help us to always preach Christ when we preach because the resurrection has shown us that He is the meaning to the Scriptures. We pray that the resurrection would remind us that the truth is the truth whether we like it or not. But most of all, help us to remember that the resurrection shows us that Jesus is the King that our hearts have longed for. — Tim Keller

Father, we ask that You would help us now to understand the best way to appropriate these things for our life. Everybody in this room—some of us, intellectually, don’t believe in the resurrection. I pray that You would break through that barrier and You’d show them the search is over. Some people haven’t thought out the implications of it and even though they believe it in some way, they don’t understand and they certainly don’t have Jesus. I pray, Lord, that everybody in this room will be able to appropriate this great doctrine of Easter. We pray this in Jesus’ name, Amen. — Tim Keller

Father, we thank You that You’ve given us Your gospel and we ask that You would find us a way to be people who not only take the gospel into every part of our lives, but take the gospel in the very depths of our heart so that we can have our relationships to other races changed, our relationship to our work changed, our relationship to our money changed, our relationship to ourselves changed. Lord, we want the transforming power of the gospel to go out from us, not only into our lives but into the lives of our friends and our neighbors and our colleagues. — Tim Keller

Thank You, Father, for the new birth. Thank You that You did not call us simply to live in a particular way and hope that perhaps, at the end, we might make the cut and go to heaven. Thank You for giving us new life, new sensibility, and new identity now. Thank You for the power of Your future in our life now, for change. Thank You for the supernatural nature of our salvation. Thank You for the new birth. And I pray that everyone listening here will either have experienced it or will ask themselves the question, ‘What must I do?’ Help us all to look to You and be saved. We pray this in Jesus’ name, Amen. — Tim Keller

Our Father, we thank You for this remarkable, remarkable promise, and maybe we should say to the degree that we can boast in the cross, to that degree the world will be crucified to us and us to the world, and we will really be new creations. Now, Lord, the reality is we so often…we have an old self and a new self. We go back into the old ways of getting glory and honor. We go back. We don’t live my life for Yours. But we pray, Father, that because we’ve sat here and opened Your Word and Your Word has come home to us through the Holy Spirit, that more and more we can say, ‘In the cross of Christ I glory and I boast in nothing except that cross.’ Make us new creations thereby. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen. — Tim Keller

Jen Wilkin’s Easter prayers

We ask, Lord…that we would daily thank You for our salvation that was, that we would daily cry out to You for a salvation that is ongoing as we battle sin during this lifetime and strive to obey You out of gratitude and joy. — Jen Wilkin

Heavenly Father, we thank You for the beautiful gift of Your Word. Your Word made flesh, Jesus Christ, the incarnate One, in whom Your glory dwelt—the fullness of it, bodily. We pray, Lord, that we would be students of the character of Christ, that we would look to Your Word as the measure for where our hope can safely be stored. — Jen Wilkin

Heavenly Father, we thank You that You have given us, in Christ, the perfect representation of humanity. He is the perfect human. We pray, Lord, that we would desire to be like Him, our Brother…Help us to cry out to You, Lord, in our sin and say, ‘Change us—bring out the image of God in me in a way that is currently obscured by that fall and that terrible thing that happened in the garden. Lord, remake me back into the image-bearer that I was created to be, that I might accurately represent You to a world that desperately needs to know who You are.’ Father, thank You that we are stamped with Your image. May it be seen in us everywhere we go. This is the will of God for our lives. And we ask it in Your Son’s name, Amen. — Jen Wilkin

Short Easter Prayers

Glory and praise to you, Risen Savior, for you bring light to our darkness, joy to our sorrow, and the fullness of love to our reluctant hearts. — Author Unknown

Dear Lord, help me to tell of Your wondrous power and mighty acts to those generations that come after me. May I not let the season pass by without pondering the real meaning of Easter. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. — Karen Ehman

Heavenly Father, I thank you for this glorious day we call Easter, where we celebrate the resurrection of your Son, Jesus! Let us rejoice in you and not forget why we’re gathering on this Sunday. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen! — Author Unknown

Lord Jesus Christ, You were poor and in distress, a captive and forsaken as I am. You know all man’s troubles; You abide with me when all men fail me; You remember and seek me; it is Your will that I should know You and turn to You. Lord, I hear Your call and follow; help me. — Dietrich Bonhoeffer

O Jesus, I pray that anyone who has not accepted you as their Lord and Savior will see the importance in you today and come through to you, Jesus. It is because of you that we have such a beautiful day. In your name I pray, Amen. — Author Unknown

Lord of life, You defeated death to show that we can rise from all that binds us to the world—pride, envy, anger, fear—the debt of sin that holds us here. Christ the Lord is risen today! Alleluia!
— From FaithandWorkshop.com

Thank you, Lord, for _______! Amen! — Author Unknown

 Keep us earnest, that our lives would speak of victory. — Steffany Gretzinger

Lord, let your light surround those I love today and forevermore! Amen! — Author Unknown

Dear God, we thank you for showing Your love for us on the cross, giving us the chance to have this glorious day. Amen! — Author Unknown

Thank you, God, for Easter and this beautiful Spring day! Amen! — Author Unknown

Thank You Jesus. Thank You for Your sacrifice. Thank You for Your love. Thank You for overcoming death itself. We exalt You, You are worthy, and it is in Your name that we pray, Amen. — Sharon Hodde Miller

I have been crucified with Christ and yet I am alive; yet it is no longer I, but Christ living in me.
— Galatians 2:20

God, I needed You. I’ve been thirsty, but now I want what You have for me. I believe You lived and You died just for me, and today I make You my Lord and Savior. Change me, renew me, transform me, I’m Yours. In Jesus’ name, Amen. — Michael Todd

Thank You, Lord, that in Your life and death and glorious resurrection, the great enemy has been defeated—sin, death and evil. You have launched a new creation and we can be a part of it. — Dr. Derwin L. Gray

Lord, how can we ever thank You enough? You endured more pain, more shame, more sorrow, more grief than we can possibly fathom. Help us remember why You gave Your life. Because of love. Because of mercy. Because we desperately need them both. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. — Liz Curtis Higgs

Father God, I pray that your love surrounds those whom I love on Earth, and those who have left to spend their eternity with You. Amen! — Author Unknown

Lord, thank you for the gift of new life, the greatest gift of all! Amen! — Author Unknown

Christ the Lord is risen today. Alleluia!
Earth and heaven say, Alleluia!
Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!
Sing, you heavens, and earth reply, Alleluia! — Charles Wesley

Hail the Lord of earth and heaven, Alleluia! Praise to Thee by both be given, Alleluia! Thee we greet triumphant now, Alleluia! Hail the Resurrection, thou, Alleluia! King of glory, soul of bliss, Alleluia! Everlasting life is this, Alleluia! Thee to know, Thy power to prove, Alleluia! Thus to sing, and thus to love, Alleluia! — Charles Wesley

Lord, the resurrection of Your son has given us a new life and renewed hope. Help us to live as new people in pursuit of the Christian ideal. — New Saint Joseph People’s Prayer Book

Jesus, this morning, we celebrate the history-altering event of Your resurrection. After dying on the cross for each and every one of us, You were raised to life so that we might be raised to life. — Sharon Hodde Miller

Father, we acknowledge that by Your grace and Your goodness, You’ve redeemed us and called us by name. You’ve sent us on a mission for Your name’s sake. — Ed Stetzer

God, thank You, for sending Jesus and making a way in the middle just for me. Today, I give You my life. I turn from everything that’s not like You, and I turn to You. God, heal me, deliver me, change me from the inside out. — Michael Todd

Father, in the name of Jesus, I pray that we would experience that newness that is available to us because of Your resurrection—the resurrection of Your Son, Jesus…May Your kingdom come, may Your will be done. In Jesus’ name we pray. — Rich Villodas

He has risen.’ God, the fact that Jesus is risen should lift my head, my heart and my attitude. Help me to live today as if I really believe this with every part of my life. — Lysa TerKeurst

Lord, thank You for Your body and Your blood that is Your life that was given for me, for all of mankind, desiring all to be saved and all to be victorious. Thank You that we are now looking at an empty tomb because we have a living, risen Savior. — Tony Evans