As Easter approaches, Catholics and Christians around the world prepare to commemorate the most significant event in their faith—the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This sacred season is marked by a profound sense of joy, hope, and renewal, as believers reflect on the triumph of light over darkness and the victory of life over death. Central to the Easter celebration are prayers that express gratitude for the gift of salvation and reverence for the sacrificial love of Christ.
For Catholics and Christians, Easter prayers hold a special significance, serving as a means of deepening their spiritual connection to God and participating in the mystery of redemption. These prayers encompass a wide range of themes, from thanksgiving for the resurrection to petitions for spiritual growth and transformation. They offer believers an opportunity to express their faith, seek forgiveness for their shortcomings, and renew their commitment to living lives of love and service.
While it’s fun to hunt for colorful eggs and eat sugar-coated marshmallow chicks and other Easter candy, for Christians, it’s important to acknowledge and stay connected to Easter’s roots and rich history. These Easter prayers are a good place to start.
Easter Prayer for Community
“Loving God, bless all those gathered here today as we come together in friendship and fellowship. Thank you for the blessings of our individual and collective God-given gifts. Place in our hearts the desire to make a difference to our families, to our community, to our country, and to the many cultures and peoples worldwide. Give us balance in times of distraction and uncertainty.
Help us move towards our goals with determination and always with an abundant sense of humor. Thank you for food in a world where many know only hunger; For our faith in a world where many know fear; For friends in a world where many know only loneliness.
Please bless this food we are about to share, those who prepared it, those who serve it, and those who have worked to make today the special occasion that it is. For all of this, we give you thanks.”
— Izola White
This Message of the Resurrection
“Our Father, we ask that You would help us to take this message of the resurrection to the world, that You would help us to always preach Christ when we preach because the resurrection has shown us that He is the meaning to the Scriptures. We pray that the resurrection would remind us that the truth is the truth whether we like it or not. But most of all, help us to remember that the resurrection shows us that Jesus is the King that our hearts have longed for.”
— Tim Keller
Short Easter Prayer
“God, thank you, for sending Jesus and making a way in the middle, just for me. Today, I give you my life. I turn from everything that’s not like you, and I turn to you. God, heal me, deliver me, change me from the inside out. I accept the resurrection is now an interruption, and I give you my life, in Jesus name, Amen.”
— Michael Todd
Easter Prayers for Kids
In the weeks before Easter, chocolate, plastic Easter eggs, baskets, candy, cards and more fill the shelves of grocery stores.
However, if our children’s only experience of Easter is the Easter Bunny and the gifts it brings, they’ll completely miss the true meaning and importance of Easter.
You can celebrate Easter with baskets of treats and hearts filled with love of God. And it doesn’t require elaborate prayers. Pray one of these simple prayers with your kids to keep Jesus at the center of the day:
- Jelly Bean Prayer: Red is for the blood you gave, and black is for the empty grave. Yellow is for the shining sun, white is for the new life begun. Green is for the grass and trees and purple is for your majesty. Orange is for the edge of night, and pink is for the morning light. Amen!
- Jesus, thank You for your sacrifice. Jesus, thank You for my life. Today is Easter so we pray, That we’ll join you in heaven someday.
- Today is a very special Sunday. We thank you, God, for all the love You’ve given us and for the gift of Jesus. On this Easter, we pray in Your name. Amen.
- Bunnies remind us of all the animals You made, and all the beautiful things You created. We love you, God, more than any chocolate, candy or toy. We ask for Your Easter blessing on this special day. Amen.
A Catholic Prayer for Easter
Good and gracious God, Our most glorious Creator, As we greet the signs in nature around us: Of Spring once again regaling us in bloom, In the songs of returning birds and fields soon to be planted, We give you praise for an even greater sign of new life: the resurrection of your Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, that we especially celebrate at this time.
The sadness and despair of His death have given way to the bright promise of immortality. For the Resurrection is our guarantee that justice will triumph over treason, Light will overcome darkness, and love will conquer death.
As we celebrate, we also dare to ask for your grace so that we may live the promise given to us by imitating the life of Jesus and reaching out to the poor, the marginalized, and the least among us. As we strive to be neighbors to all those we meet, We praise you in this Easter season.
Change our lives, change our hearts to be messengers of Easter joy and hope. We make our prayer through Jesus Christ, our risen Lord forever. Amen.
– Fr. Larry Snyder, president of Catholic Charities USA
Easter Sunday Prayer
Heavenly Father,
On this blessed Easter Sunday, we come before you with hearts full of gratitude and joy. We rejoice in the resurrection of your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. As we gather with loved ones and fellow believers, we are reminded of the glorious victory over sin and death that He accomplished on the cross.
Lord, we thank you for the promise of new life and the hope that Easter brings. Your mercy and grace shine brightly on this day, illuminating our lives with the warmth of your love. May we never forget the incredible sacrifice of Jesus and the profound significance of His triumph over the grave.
On this sacred day, fill our hearts with the joy of the resurrection. Help us to experience the transformative power of your love, renewing our spirits and strengthening our faith. As we celebrate together, may the message of Easter resonate deeply within us, inspiring us to live as reflections of your grace and compassion.
As we rejoice in the miracle of Easter, we lift our prayers for those who may be struggling, lonely, or in despair. May your comforting presence be with them, bringing healing and hope. Use us, Lord, as instruments of your peace and vessels of your love in the world.
We dedicate this Easter Sunday to you, grateful for the promise of redemption and the assurance of your unfailing love. May our lives be a testament to the power of your resurrection as we seek to follow you faithfully.
In the precious name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.
The Easter Prayer of Saint Hippolytus
Christ is Risen: The world below lies desolate
Christ is Risen: The spirits of evil are fallen
Christ is Risen: The angels of God are rejoicing
Christ is Risen: The tombs of the dead are empty
Christ is Risen indeed from the dead,
the first of the sleepers,
Glory and power are his forever and ever.
– St. Hippolytus of Rome
Some scriptures for Easter Prayers.
Here are five scriptures often incorporated into Easter prayers:
- 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 (NIV): “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.”
- Romans 6:8-11 (NIV): “Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.”
- John 11:25-26 (NIV): “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?'”
- Luke 24:5-6 (NIV): “In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, ‘Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!'”
- Matthew 28:5-6 (NIV): “The angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.'”
These scriptures reflect the central themes of Easter: the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and the promise of new life and salvation for all who believe in Him. They are often included in Easter prayers to remind believers of the significance of Christ’s victory over sin and death.
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