Gleaming Gold of Easter

                Dear Risen Lord, You fill my heart and soul with great joy. The weight of the Cross and the sadness of the Passion has melted away and the joy and love of the Resurrection gleams now in its place. This joy was there all along but it was temporarily clothed in the events of the Passion. Only You saw the beauty underneath it all. Only You could endure it so that Your great love and mercy could be revealed like gleaming gold and offered to us all. Your love and mercy are more than my feeble mind can fathom. Oh my dear Risen Lord, my heart leaps and my breath quickens as I think of You standing there transformed in holy glory with open arms waiting for us all. My soul longs to be with You forever. Thank You for the Mass which allows me to be intimately joined with You here on earth and provides a chance to glimpse heaven and our future together.

                Oh dear Risen Lord, soften the hearts of Your people that they might be able to recognize You in this world that turns away from You. May all people seek You earnestly and transform their lives to prepare for eternity with You. Oh dear Risen Lord, please restore the hearts and souls of all Your people and please uncover all the good in this world You created. Help me to be a good and faithful witness, sharing Your joy and love for all people. Help me to trust in You and Your great mercy and love, not just for me, but for the whole world. I know You created it with love for good and I know that ultimately, Your will will be done and good will triumph. Help me, therefore, to live each day with this faith and hope and to embrace the path to salvation with enthusiasm, love and joy, no matter how difficult the journey may be. Help me to see the gleaming gold underneath everything and everyone in this world and help me polish that gold in preparation for eternal life with You.