kneel in wonder at heaven touching earth

Bring us out of the prison of our despair

The depths of despair are a terrible place. I thank God daily for bringing me through my own difficult times; and pray that I never go back there. I think the phrase “prison of our despair” is an incredibly apt description of what it feels like.

What must it have been like for those disciples after the crucifixion? They’d had so much hope; hope that Jesus was the promised Messiah, and all the hope that gave them for the future. But, for them, their hopes were dashed by the crucifixion. It’s no wonder they slunk away, tired and defeated people. They didn’t have what we have. They didn’t have Easter Day. The despair they felt must have been terrible. It’s hard enough to lose a loved one, but to lose them to such a barbaric death as crucifixion, to see the one they loved die in so much agony, must have been almost too much to bear. I wonder if they were left with any hope at all, and doubt really that they could have been.

Thank God we do have something the disciples didn’t have that first Good Friday and Holy Saturday; we do have Easter Day.

In the depths of our isolation
we cry to you, Lord God:
give light in our darkness
and bring us out of the prison of our despair;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Additional Collect for Easter Eve
is Copyright © The Archbishops Council

May we place at his feet all that we have and all that we are

On that first Good Friday, the day our Lord was crucified, he gave his all for us. “He opened wide his arms for us on the cross” (Eucharistic Prayer B, Common Worship). Jesus did so much for us — loves us so much that he was willing to do what he did for us — shouldn’t we, at least, give ourselves back to him. He doesn’t ask us to make the same sacrifice for him that he made for us, but he does want us to let him into our lives. And the place we do that, on Good Friday especially, is at the foot of the cross.

All that I am, and all that I have, I place at your feet Lord Jesus. Take them, and use them, to do your work, in whatever way pleases you. Your gift to me was your life on the cross, my gift to you is my life. Amen.

Eternal God,
in the cross of Jesus
we see the cross of our sin
and the depth of your love:
in humble hope and fear
may we place at his feet
all that we have and all that we are,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Additional Collect for Good Friday
is Copyright © The Archbishops Council