Bring us out of the prison of our despair

March 22, 2008 by ...paul
Filed under: Collects 
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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

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2 Responses to “Bring us out of the prison of our despair”
  1. Steve Hearn says:
    March 23, 2008 at 12:52 am

    The pain of such experience is difficult and I too have been through the ‘fire’. I expect it may well happen again. I would rather such times would not visit my life but even in the anguish of a dark time, His light will shine and at such strength that it melts your heart and you can only but thank Him for His love and even the pain of such a time. For it is in those dark corners that we can truly open ourselves to the truth about a real faith and how we can rely on His love for our daily existence. So do not be surprised Paul if you have to go through another time of anguish, when it comes, work through with the expectant faith that has to rely on God, more than you can ever imagine. Then at a point when you least expect it, He will shine forth in your heart and life in such a way that can only be described as ‘being in His presence’.

  2. ...paul says:
    March 23, 2008 at 9:08 am

    Thank you Steve; for sharing and for wise advice, both are very much appreciated.