Morning Prayer April 20-26, 2025
- leahosterkatz
- Apr 17
- 8 min read
Easter Resurrection – April 20
Opening Centering – Psalm 118:1-2, 23-24
O give thanks to the LORD, for God is good;
God’s steadfast love endures forever!
Let Israel say,
“God’s steadfast love endures forever.”
(Pause for reflection.)
You are my God, and I will give thanks to you;
you are my God; I will extol you.
O give thanks to the LORD, for God is good,
for God’s steadfast love endures forever.
Prayer of Thanksgiving
Halleluiah ! Christ is Risen! Christ is risen, indeed! People of faith, come and celebrate
the resurrection of Christ, alive within and among us. We raise our voices with faith
filled hope that Love Incarnate dwells with us and we give thanks for the many ways we
experience God’s amazing and merciful grace every day.
The Lord’s Prayer
Gospel Reading: Luke 24:1-12
Reflection Prompt
Reflect on the ways the Resurrected God amazes us every day.
Prayer of Intercession
We are invited into the story of the already and not yet. Jesus was not in the tomb. The
resurrected Christ appears to the women. Surprised and astonished they share the
good news. The resurrected Christ appears to us even in the midst of a broken world
and calls us to respond with compassion and mercy. Lord, help us to see the promise of
the empty tomb, we pray. We lift our prayers of concern for ourselves, family, friends,
strangers, and the world in need of your healing mercy. Resurrect us again and again in
your merciful love.
Amen.
Closing Prayer
May our lives be a prayer
May God work through our prayers
May our work be an answer
To God’s will working through us
May we rest in God’s love
May God’s rest feed our souls
May our table be open
May we welcome friends and foes
May the poor be our neighbors
May our neighbors be blessed.
Amen
Monday April 21
Prayer as a Rule of Life
Opening Centering – Psalm 118:1-2, 23-24
O give thanks to the LORD, for God is good;
God’s steadfast love endures forever!
Let Israel say,
“God’s steadfast love endures forever.”
(Pause for reflection.)
You are my God, and I will give thanks to you;
you are my God; I will extol you.
O give thanks to the LORD, for God is good,
for God’s steadfast love endures forever.
Prayer of Thanksgiving
Loving Christ,
Daily you set aside time to prayer – to be in conversation with God. We, too, set aside
time to offer our prayers of gratitude for the many ways we see you at work in the work.
Not only in this moment, but throughout the day may we pause often to simply say,
“Thank You!” May we recognize the many ways resurrection happens!
The Lord’s Prayer
Gospel Reading: Luke 24:1-12
Reflection Prompt
Reflect on the ways the Resurrected God amazes us every day.
Prayer of Intercession
In this week we celebrate the resurrection of Christ, may we remember the ultimate gift
of Jesus life and death was to bear witness to the brokenness of the world, to confront
injustice, and bring the healing tender mercy of God to all. We offer prayers today for
those who are suffering and in need of God’s healing touch.
Closing Prayer
May our lives be a prayer
May God work through our prayers
May our work be an answer
To God’s will working through us
May we rest in God’s love
May God’s rest feed our souls
May our table be open
May we welcome friends and foes
May the poor be our neighbors
May our neighbors be blessed.
Amen
Tuesday April 22
Work as a Rule of Life
Opening Centering - Psalm 118:1-2, 23-24
O give thanks to the LORD, for God is good;
God’s steadfast love endures forever!
Let Israel say,
“God’s steadfast love endures forever.”
(Pause for reflection.)
You are my God, and I will give thanks to you;
you are my God; I will extol you.
O give thanks to the LORD, for God is good,
for God’s steadfast love endures forever.
Prayer of Thanksgiving
We offer thanks today for the ability to work for the building up of the kin-dom in which
God longs for us to live in joy-filled peace. We pray that each task we do today be a gift
of grace. We pray for all who labor to make the communities in which they live beautiful
and just for all. We raise our celebrations and some of the examples we witness of
God’s just peace.
The Lord’s Prayer
Gospel Reading John 20:1-18
Reflection Prompt
Reflect on the work to which the resurrection of Christ calls us ?
Prayer of Intercession
Christ of the poor and the broken, we know we have work to do to bear witness to the
harm being done to our neighbors and to creation. Continue to raise our awareness of
injustice, grant us strength to bear witness, and to take action in the example of Jesus.
Today we raise our concerns for…
Closing Prayer
May our lives be a prayer
May God work through our prayers
May our work be an answer
To God’s will working through us
May we rest in God’s love
May God’s rest feed our souls
May our table be open
May we welcome friends and foes
May the poor be our neighbors
May our neighbors be blessed.
Amen.
Wednesday April 23
Table as a Rule of Life
Opening Centering – Psalm 118:1-2, 23-24
O give thanks to the LORD, for God is good;
God’s steadfast love endures forever!
Let Israel say,
“God’s steadfast love endures forever.”
(Pause for reflection.)
You are my God, and I will give thanks to you;
you are my God; I will extol you.
O give thanks to the LORD, for God is good,
for God’s steadfast love endures forever.
Prayer of Thanksgiving
Jesus showed us clearly the inclusive and welcoming table of God’s kin-dom – open to
all who choose to come. We are ever grateful for the promise this open table holds for
the world. The beauty of diversity and wonder of creation offered in the vastness of the
universe. We kneel in awe when we take the time to be aware of God’s amazing
hospitality, entrusting each of us to share the gifts of God’s loving kindness and merciful
grace.
The Lord’s Prayer
Epistle Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:19-26
Reflection Prompt
Reflect on the ways to set an open table in the midst of the fear and doubt prevalent in
the world today.
Prayer of Intercession
So often we falter and stumble God. We fail to live resurrected lives when we give in to
fear and despair. We need each other to walk together in community bearing witness
not only to the brokenness we see, but also to be able to see the possibilities for being
your presence offering healing and merciful grace. We offer our prayers for the
guidance, strength and courage of Christ in our midst.
Closing Prayer
May our lives be a prayer
May God work through our prayers
May our work be an answer
To God’s will working through us
May we rest in God’s love
May God’s rest feed our souls
May our table be open
May we welcome friends and foes
May the poor be our neighbors
May our neighbors be blessed.
Amen.
Thursday April 24
Neighbor as a Rule of Life
Opening Centering – Psalm 118:1-2, 23-24
O give thanks to the LORD, for God is good;
God’s steadfast love endures forever!
Let Israel say,
“God’s steadfast love endures forever.”
(Pause for reflection.)
You are my God, and I will give thanks to you;
you are my God; I will extol you.
O give thanks to the LORD, for God is good,
for God’s steadfast love endures forever.
Prayer of Thanksgiving
We give thanks to you, Creator of all, for the ways we see Christ in at work in our
neighbors near and far. We see simple loving acts of kindness and compassion that
bring hope to a weary world. May we remember to speak up and say “Thank You,” to
those in whom we witness your love by their actions of caring for others and your world.
The Lord’s Prayer
Epistle Reading: Acts 10:34-43
Reflection Prompt
Reflect on the ways community bears witness to the peace of Christ.
Prayer of Intercession
Help us, we pray O Redeemer. Draw us away from the temptation of giving in to
despair and the lure of worldly ways of greed, fear, and complacency. May we see the
brokenness through Christ eyes, looking deeply within to find the goodness of your
merciful grace in ourselves and in others. We pray for wisdom and courage. We pray for
ourselves and our neighbors to the broadest extent of inclusive Love.
Closing Prayer
May our lives be a prayer
May God work through our prayers
May our work be an answer
To God’s will working through us
May we rest in God’s love
May God’s rest feed our souls
May our table be open
May we welcome friends and foes
May the poor be our neighbors
May our neighbors be blessed.
Amen.
Friday April 25
Rest as a Rule of Life
Opening Centering – Psalm 118:1-2, 23-24
O give thanks to the LORD, for God is good;
God’s steadfast love endures forever!
Let Israel say,
“God’s steadfast love endures forever.”
(Pause for reflection.)
You are my God, and I will give thanks to you;
you are my God; I will extol you.
O give thanks to the LORD, for God is good,
for God’s steadfast love endures forever.
Prayer of Thanksgiving
Creator and Lover in Love with your children and your world, we give you thanks for the
beauty we see around us when we choose to see the wonders of the simplest of things.
The new growth of spring, butterflies dancing from blossom to blossom, delicate and
tender shoots of plants that will grow to produce healthy nourishment, and the pure
pleasure of walking in nature feeling the warm breeze on our face. Give us pause today
to pay attention, to be astonished and then to proclaim our gratefulness. In joy and
love, we pray. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
Hebrew Text Reading: Isaiah 65:17-25
Reflection Prompt
Reflect on the ways you witness the ongoing creation of a new heaven and a new earth.
Prayer of Intercession
Sometimes our labors feel in vain, we despair when we see the pain and uncertainty in
our world. We fear for our family, friends and neighbors when we watch the latest ever-
breaking news and our bodies, minds and spirits can stumble and falter. We grieve for
the losses and suffering of so many and feel helpless. Grant us the courage to face our
fears and to stand together with those suffering, doing what we can, even if that is
simply showing up and being present to one another. Lord, in your mercy, hear our
prayers.
Closing Prayer
May our lives be a prayer
May God work through our prayers
May our work be an answer
To God’s will working through us
May we rest in God’s love
May God’s rest feed our souls
May our table be open
May we welcome friends and foes
May the poor be our neighbors
May our neighbors be blessed.
Amen.
Saturday April 26
Celebration
Opening Centering – Psalm 118:1-2, 23-24
O give thanks to the LORD, for God is good;
God’s steadfast love endures forever!
Let Israel say,
“God’s steadfast love endures forever.”
(Pause for reflection.)
You are my God, and I will give thanks to you;
you are my God; I will extol you.
O give thanks to the LORD, for God is good,
for God’s steadfast love endures forever.
Prayer of Thanksgiving
Incarnate Love, we set aside time today to celebrate the many ways we have witnessed
your loving presence this past week. We celebrate the significance of the ongoing story
of your Resurrection in Christ. We pray with confident thanksgiving for the ways we
experience your presence in the continual unfolding of your kin-dom on earth that you
long for all.
The Lord’s Prayer
Gospel Reading: John 14:25-27
Reflection Prompt
Celebrate the words of assurance Jesus offers us as we are called to this kin-dom life
on earth that God desires for us.
Prayer of Intercession
Merciful God, it is so easy to be discouraged and afraid these days. Help us to look
beyond the despair to the hope you offer. Help us to move past our fears so we may
live in faith grounded in your compassion and forgiving grace. Help us to look beyond
ourselves and reach out to neighbor, friend and foe, to be light in the darkness. Grant
us wisdom, joy, and peace that passes all human understanding. Amen.
Closing Prayer
May our lives be a prayer
May God work through our prayers
May our work be an answer
To God’s will working through us
May we rest in God’s love
May God’s rest feed our souls
May our table be open
May we welcome friends and foes
May the poor be our neighbors
May our neighbors be blessed.
Amen.