Easter 2
Communion Liturgy
by Thom Shuman


L:  The Lord of Easter be with you.

P:    And also with you.

L:    People of the God of Joy,

       lift up your hearts.

P:    we lift them to the Lord of Laughter.

L:    This is the joyous Table of the 
       Lamb which is set before us.

P:    We rejoice, and feast on the gifts

       of grace and peace.



With joy in our hearts

we lift our praise to you,

Imaginative God.

You smiled,

and the sun burst

through the shadows of chaos;

you chuckled,

and the platypus frolicked;

you laughed,

and all that was given shape by you

celebrated the wonder of creation.

But we took ourselves too seriously,

believing we were too important

to join in your joy,

and so chose to feast on the pain

the world offered,

rather than picnicking with you in paradise.

Amused as you were at our poor decisions,

you could not delight in our sin

and so sent the prophets

to call us back to your presence.

We persisted in our despair

and so, you sent Jesus,

the Treasure of your heart,

to bring us home.



Therefore we join with the glad songs

of the heavenly choirs,

and with those of every place and in every time,

lifting our thanks and praise to you:



   vs. 1 of "Joy to the World"



Holy are you, Playful God,

and blessed is Jesus Christ,

your Joy, and our Lord and Savior.

He snickered at the feeble attempts of the Evil One,

showing us how to resist temptation;

he giggled at sin's desperate desire

to hold on to us,

releasing us by his love

demonstrated on the cross;

he howled with laughter

at death's belief

that the grave could hold him,

and bround new life to our despair,

striding into the new creation

as the stars pealed with joy.



As we remember how the laughter of heaven

rang in our ears that first Easter,

we joyously proclaim our faith:



   vs. 4 of "Joy to the World"



Sprinkle this bread with your

festive Spirit, O God,

and touch the cup with joy

which overflows into our hearts.

As you have brought us into new life,

may we delight in sharing it with others;

as you have given us the good news

which can never be taken away from us,

may we rejoice in offering it

to the broken, the sad, the lonely;

as you have fed us with grace,

may we give it to everyone we meet,

with laughter on our lips

and joy in our hearts.



Then bring us to the joyful feast

of all your people,

when we are gathered together

around your table in heaven:

one people, one heart,

one hope, one joy,

united with one God,

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,

Amen.

- - - - - -

(c) 2005  Thom M. Shuman


(Comments to Thom at tmshuman@fuse.net.)

http://www.occasionalsightings.blogspot.com
Greenhills Community Presbyterian Church, Cincinnati, Ohio