Day of Resurrection
Luke 24:46-49
[Jesus] said to them, ‘Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.’
The Day of Resurrection! LBW 361
1 The day of resurrection! Earth, tell it out abroad,
the passover of gladness, the passover of God.
From death to life eternal, from sin’s dominion free,
our Christ has brought us over with hymns of victory.
2 Let hearts be purged of evil that we may see aright
the Lord in rays eternal of resurrection light,
and list’ning to his accents, may hear, so calm and plain,
his own “All hail!” and hearing, may raise the victor strain.
3 Now let the heav’ns be joyful, let earth its song begin,
let all the world keep triumph and all that is therein.
Let all things, seen and unseen, their notes of gladness blend;
for Christ the Lord has risen, our joy that has no end!
4 Then praise we God the Father, and praise we Christ his Son,
with them the Holy Spirit, eternal Three in One;
till all the ransomed number fall down before the throne,
and honor, pow’r, and glory ascribe to God alone!
Text: John of Damascus, c. 696-c. 754; tr. John M. Neale, 1818-1866, alt.
This hymn, written by St. John of Damascus, is one of the oldest hymns in our hymnal. It is said that he wrote it at the deathbed of a fellow monk before he actually died, as a message of hope to him and the other brothers awaiting his death. John was rehearsing it, when who but the monk he had written it for burst into the room and admonished him for making too much noise. He was briefly expelled from the monetary for raising a ruckus, but the abbot, realizing his gift for music, invited him to return. It was a good thing, as John’s career in music composition had barely begun! During his ministry, he collected all the great Greek hymns of the early church. He also wrote the “Golden Liturgy” – the great piece of music still in use today by the Greek Orthodox Church from which this hymn is taken. His work is still considered the greatest collection of sacred poetry in the Greek language!
Prayer for Grief and Loss: There is always an undercurrent of sadness in families of those afflicted by illness and disease. Families grieve as they watch illness steal the quality of life of the afflicted. And so today we pray that comfort and joys be daily experienced that can lift their spirit and give them hope. Amen.