Good Friday, March 29, 2013
Offered by John W. Vest, Associate Pastor

God of mystery and wonder,
because we know the ending of the story,
it’s tempting for us to ignore the darkness of this day.
It’s tempting for us to go about our business as usual.
It’s tempting for us to move too quickly
to the dawn of light on Easter morning.

But give us courage and strength on this day
to live for a while in the darkness,
to set aside comfort and pleasure,
to feel the darkness in which so many of your children dwell,
the darkness into which your Son Jesus entered.

As we reflect on the frailty of Christ,
remind us of the frailty of all life.
As we cringe at the suffering of Christ,
make us mindful of suffering throughout the world.
As we witness the death of Christ,
bring us back full circle to the beginning of Lent,
to the wisdom of Ash Wednesday:
the awareness of our mortality
and the mortality of those we love.

Gracious God,
deep in the human heart
is an unquenchable trust
that life does not end with death.
Like a seed that is buried
in order to bring forth life,
Christ goes to the tomb
to usher in new life.
We trust that we too will be raised to new life,
in this world, here and now,
and in the mystery of what lies beyond physical death.
We trust that the whole world will be born anew,
that your kingdom is coming
as a new heaven
and a new earth.

On this day of darkness,
it is for this kingdom that we boldly pray.

Our Father . . .

Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church