PRAYER FOR THE PASCHAL SEASON

A CANTICLE OF RESURRECTION FROM SPIRITUAL DEATH - A paraphrase of Ephesians Chapter 5, 1-14

Response: Wake up, sleepers, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.

Let us be like God in everything we do, as dearly loved children let us walk in love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself over for us; let our lives also be an incense offering and sacrifice to God. Response

Let there be among us not even a hint of immorality, or impurity, or greed, because these are not worthy of God's holy people. Response

Let us forsake all obscenity, foolish talk and coarse joking. Let these give place to an offering of thanksgiving. Responsee

Of this we are sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Response

Let us not deceive one another with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath is coming down upon those have been disobedient. Response

Therefore we will no longer be partners with evildoers. We were once in darkness, but now we are light in the Lord. Response

Let us live as children of light for light produces fruits of goodness, justice and truth. Response

Let us have nothing to do with the corruption and barren deeds done in darkness, but rather let us expose and rebuke them. For it is wicked what the disobedient do in secret. Response

For everything exposed by the light becomes transparent, the light of Christ makes visible how truly evil these things are. Response

CANTICLE PRAYER FOR RELIGIOUS LEADERS

ResponseO God, awaken our religious leaders.

O God , awaken our religious leaders. Response

Awaken in them a spirit of humility and repentance for the sexual immorality and greed that have produced deeds of darkness even among the clergy. Response

Awaken in them a desire to bring to light all that is obscene, all that is foolish, all that is coarse, all that is shameful, all that has been done in secret. Response

Awaken in them a desire for the light of truth; let them abandon all partnership with darkness, and all desire to deceive with empty words. Response

Let them live as children of light, awakening our church and our society to the emotional, physical and sexual abuse of children. Response

Let them live as children of light, awakening our nation to the global problems of children, to the abuse of sweatshops and of child prostitution around the world. Response

O God, awaken our religious leaders. Response

Note: this prayer service is an adaptation for the Paschal Season of the Fifth Reading from the author's A Service of Nine Lessons for Childermas. See the January Vineyard for an overview.

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