Continue to celebrate Easter Sunday with these prayers in the morning and/or before for the First Meal of Easter with the following traditional blessing. A simple prayer space can be created with white/gold tablecloths, candles, crucifix, and/or plants and flowers; or the prayer could be moved to the table or kitchen, before the Easter Meal with at least some of the foods for the meal present, which remind us of this festive season and God’s bountiful love.
Introduction
Leader: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. (All make the Sign of the Cross together.) All: Amen. Leader: Let us praise God, who fills our hearts and home with peace. Blessed be God forever.
All: Blessed be God forever.  
Leader: Throughout Lent we prepared for Easter by prayer, fasting, and works of charity. When we gather during this feast of Easter, we remember it is the Risen Christ who now fills us with joy, for he has conquered death. Alleluia!
Scripture Reading John 20:1-9
Reading: A reading from the Holy Gospel according to John
On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they put him.” So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb first; he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in. When Simon Peter arrived after him, he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there, and the cloth that had covered his head, not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place. Then the other disciple also went in, the one who had arrived at the tomb first, and he saw and believed. For they did not yet understand the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead.
The Gospel of the Lord.
All: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Intercessions
Leader: The Son of God who invites us to the Easter feast stands ready to help. Let us call upon him in our need. Please respond: Lord, hear our prayer.
 Reader: That Easter may find us cleansed of sin and ready to live anew our Christian faith. Let us pray to the Lord. R:/
That the food we share may be a reminder of the bread of life we share in the Eucharist. Let us pray to the Lord. R:/
That we may be ready to give from our table to those who hunger and thirst. Let us pray to the Lord. R:/
That all who are sick may be strengthened by the Risen Christ to overcome their illness and those who care for them may be kept safe. Let us pray to the Lord. R:/
That we may one day enjoy the banquet of the Lord in the heavenly kingdom. Let us pray to Lord. R:/

Blessing of Food for the Easter Meal
Leader: Let us pray. God of glory the eyes of all turn to you as we celebrate Christ’s victory over sin and death. Bless this food of our first Easter meal. May we who gather at this table continue to celebrate the joy of his resurrection and be admitted finally to his heavenly banquet. Grant this through Christ our Lord. All: Amen. Conclusion Leader: Let us pray. God our Father, by raising Christ your Son you conquered the power of death and opened for us the way to eternal life. Let our celebration raise us up and renew our lives by the Spirit that is within us. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. All: Amen. Leader: May the Lord bless, protect us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life. All: Amen. (All make the Sign of the Cross together.)