Prayer for the World April 8, 2026
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RESURRECTION
Introduction
Our Reading today is taken from an article by Sr. Nancy Sylvester, IHM entitled, “The Stubborn Hope of Resurrection.” In the introductory paragraph she tells how when their college, Marygrove, was closed, it’s fate was unknown. But with vision, hard work, good luck and the stubborn belief in, as the CEO told her, “good bones,” it has undertaken a new birth. The close-to-100-year-old structure that was “destroyed” or torn down and had been the dorms for the college, now houses Marygrove Conservancy administrative offices because of people with a vision who were stubborn enough to believe in its new life. Nancy uses this new birth and “good bones” image in the following article about Resurrection.
Song Alleluia! Love is Alive
People of God, see the morning is new
Rise from your sleeping and run to the tomb
Come and see! Come and see! He is alive!
A grave that is empty, a promise fulfilled
God who was with us is here with us still
He is here! He is here! He is alive! (CHORUS)
CHORUS: Alleluia! Love is alive
Conquered the grave and defeated the night
Alleluia! Love is alive
The Son has arisen for all
Your people sing alleluia!
People of God, let your fear fall away
Your chains have been broken; abandon your shame
Lift your hearts! Lift your hearts! He is alive!
Here now is mercy embracing your soul
Here, the fulfillment that once was foretold
It is true! It is true! He is alive! (CHORUS)
People of God now rejoicing in Christ
Carry your joy to the darkness of night
Tell the world! Tell the world! He is alive!
Hear the good news of this glorious day
Every heart singing as heaven proclaims
He is Lord! He is Lord! He is alive! (Chorus)
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Sarah Ruth Hart / Jesse Manibusan / Steven Joseph Angrisano
Alleluia! Love Is Alive lyrics © Spiritandsongcom Publishing
Reading
Throughout our evolutionary process we have experienced extinctions and mutations. We have seen evolution’s powers for destruction as well as creativity. Life forms disappear and new ones emerge in more complex and stronger forms. … I wonder what our time is telling us and asking of us in this evolutionary process? … The evolutionary process will continue long after we have left this world, and what we do now is critical to its ongoing emergence. Even as we hear the sounds of destruction we must tap into our stubborn hope to assess what are the good bones and begin the revisioning of what we have into what can be. …
We have to be stubborn about this and have hope. I invite you to reflect on what is happening today in light of resurrection. I don’t think of this as an easy fix... Rather, it is a deep belief that there is an underlying desire and trajectory within the universe and each life toward union and love.
Silent Prayer
Jesus died with nothing to show for it. There was no church or organized movement. Even most of his disciples deserted him, except for the women. However, Jesus’ words and life became the “good bones” that would evolve into the early Christian community.
How would they begin to enflesh those bones? In the midst of persecution, there were those who believed and were stubborn about it. The Acts of the Apostles 2:44-47 tells us: “Those who believed lived together, shared all things in common; they would sell their property and goods, sharing the proceeds with one another as each had need. They met in the Temple, and they broke bread together in their homes every day. With joyful and sincere hearts, they took their meals in common, praising God and winning the approval of all the people.” …
Jesus’ life puts forth the vision. The circumstances of our time provide the environment in which we choose to keep that vision alive and from where we discern the “good bones” we want to evolve as the future emerges. Resurrection is the invitation to keep that “stubborn hope” alive, to trust, to love one another as ourselves and to align with Divine Love permeating and embracing our evolutionary process toward a future in which we can know, love, serve and be with God forever.
Silent Prayer
Closing Prayer: Christ is risen from the dead, and with him, we too rise to new life!
May Christ’s Resurrection continue to nourish the seed of the promised victory within our spirit and throughout the course of history, we pray.
Like Mary Magdalene and the Apostles, may we discover that Jesus’ tomb is empty, and therefore in every death we experience there is also room for new life to arise, we pray.
Jesus Christ lives and remains with us, may he entrust our hearts to the hope that sustains us, we pray:
The day of Christ’s resurrection thus takes us back to that first day when God created the world, and at the same time proclaims that a new life, stronger than death, is now dawning for humanity. Strengthen our hope that a world of justice, peace and love is possible, in Jesus, our Risen Lord. Amen.
(Pope Leo XIV’s thoughts on Easter Sunday)
Song