Easter - from George Herbert's Easter
Rise heart; thy Lord is risen.
Sing his praise without delayes,
Who takes thee by the hand,
that thou likewise with him may'st rise;
That, as his death calcined thee to dust,
His life may make thee gold, and much more, just.
Awake, my lute, and struggle for thy part with all thy art.
The crosse taught all wood to resound his name, who bore the same.
His stretched sinews taught all strings, what key
Is the best to celebrate this most high day.
Consort both heart and lute, and twist a song pleasant and long;
Or since all musick is but three parts vied and multiplied.
O let thy blessed Spirit bear a part,
And make up our defects with his sweet art.
There is no other day like Easter!
Last night at the Great Vigil as the massive Paschal Candle came into view in the church, the Light once again overcame the darkness! Soon as the hundreds of individual candles were lit, the large space was filled with light. It called to mind that awesome moment in the Prologue to John’s Gospel: “The Light shines in the darkness and the darkness shall never overcome it.” Alleluia!
Jesus Christ is the light of the world.
The resurrection of Jesus testifies that nothing can separate us from the love of God – not hardships, calamities, illness, sin, poverty, spiritual trials; even death itself is powerless in the face of the resurrection. Again, at the Vigil, as the Exsultet was being sung we heard that awesome promise that through the resurrection of Jesus Christ “heaven is wedded to earth and humanity is reconciled to God.” Alleluia!
The joy of this magnificent day has been set to music in so many different ways. But, one interpretation in particular is near and dear to my heart. The Five Mystical Songs are a composition by Ralph Vaughan Williams, written between 1906 and 1911. The work sets four poems by George Herbert from his 1633 collection The Temple: Sacred Poems. While Herbert was a priest, Vaughan Williams himself was an agnostic. But that did not stop the composer from writing one of the most touching musical expressions concerning Easter and the call to sing God’s praise without delay.
Two options for you: the first is Thomas Allen, baritone, singing during The Proms at The Royal Albert Hall in London
The Second Option is taken from a liturgy at one of my favorite English Cathedrals – Southwark Cathedral in
Enjoy this day. Rejoice in the knowledge that Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!
Love One Another - Brian
Happy Easter Brian! - The Lisic's
ReplyDeleteHappy Easter to all! -Heather, John, & Henry
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