“God, the ruler of all creation:
You sent Jesus to reign over us
from a cross, not a throne,
with a crown of thorns, not one of gold.
By this you teach us that your reign
is unlike any we might invent or envision.
At times we wonder whether
your reign is even a remote possiblity,
for our world is filled with terrors;
so often you seem distant, even absent,
powerless against the forces that intimidate us.
Yet, as Christ burst forth from a sepulcher,
so also in your own good time
his astounding rule will have its way
over every evil force and impulse.
This we believe, but help our unbelief.
Accept our feeble trust in your faithful triumph.
Support us with your strength
until hope becomes sight
and your future is fulfilled in all things. Amen.”