Christ the Lord, is risen today, Alleluia!!
Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia!
Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!
Sing, ye heav'ns, and earth, reply, Alleluia!
Love's redeeming work is done, Alleluia!
Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia!
Death in vain forbids him rise, Alleluia!
Christ has opened paradise, Alleluia!
Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia!
Where, O death, is now thy sting, Alleluia!
Once He died, our souls to save, Alleluia!
Where thy victory, O grave? Alleluia!
Soar we now where Christ has led, Alleluia!
Following our exalted Head, Alleluia!
Made like Him, like Him we rise. Alleluia!
Ours the cross the grave, the skies, Alleluia!
Hail, the Lord of earth and heav'n, Alleluia!
Praise to Thee by both be giv'n. Alleluia!
Thee we greet triumphant now, Alleluia!
Hail, the Resurrection Thou, Alleluia!
--Charles Wesley
The beloved words to this hymn greeted me this Easter Sunday morning as I sat down at breakfast
to read the closing words of my Lenten Devotional. Each line in this hymn is overflowing with the richness that is mine as a follower of my risen Lord! Oh the far reaching magnitude of the life-giving power of my risen Christ! A power available to every solitary human being on the face of this earth. If we ever needed a risen and living LORD, it is now. The small corner of the world in which I live needs Christ. And the world spanning the globe is in need of this living Savior.
In Henri J. M. Nouwen's book , "The Road to Daybreak: A Spiritual Journey", he shares of an Easter Sunday morning at L'Arche Daybreak and reiterates the words expressed around the table that particular day, "We spoke together about the resurrection. Liz, who works with many anguished people, said, 'We have to keep rolling away the large stones that prevent people from coming out of their graves.'
This is the calling of Jesus into the lives of all of His who claim His Lordship. We are called to keep rolling away the large stones blocking the openings of the "graves"of the people around us.
"Oh grant me courage and wisdom to live out Your mission!"
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