Alleluia! Christ is risen!
The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia!
So begins our Easter celebration, starting with The Great Vigil of Easter on Saturday night, and continuing throughout the Easter season. We are people of the resurrection, and this is the most important season of the year for us and for all Christians.
Easter began with the firsthand experience of a small group of marginalized people in an occupied country far off the beaten track. It was an experience of seeing, and hearing, and touching the risen Christ. It was, importantly, an experience of complete and total surprise. Jesus lives! , as the hymn says.
Those who knew and loved Jesus then, and all of us who have followed in their footsteps, have both celebrated this incredible event and plumbed the depths of its meaning for two thousand years.
What does it mean? If you’re like me, you remember certain details of worship. I remember hymns. So what do they say?
Jesus Christ is ris’n today, our triumphant holy day.
Who did once upon the cross, suffer to redeem our loss.
Hymns of praise then let us sing, unto Christ, our heav’nly king,
who endured the cross and grave, sinners to redeem and save.
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Jesus suffered and died on our behalf. God has raised him from the dead. He is now King of the universe. Sin and death have been vanquished. Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
May this Easter season be a time of resurrection joy for you and those you love.
