Christ the Lord Is Risen

From the dust of vainly traveled highways and the weariness of almost forgotten hopes: Lift up our eyes to thee, O Lord. From the mysteries of evil, and pain, and sorrow, and from the dark records of history and tradition: Lift up our eyes to thee, O Lord. From scenes of temporal power and splendor and from all evidences of human confidence in might, oppression, and the enslavement of mankind: Lift up our eyes to thee, O Lord. From the depths of our sin, the limitations of our vision, the failures of our will, the littleness of our experience in a vast and eternal world: Lift up our eyes to thee, O Lord.

From the sway of the dictator, the injustice of human systems, the transiency of the material, the apparent control of death and selfishness: Lift up our eyes to thee, O Lord. That we may know life with its eternal setting and background and become new creatures with minds set on things above: Grant us the victory, we pray. I0O That we may see fulfilled before our eyes the miracle of seed-growth and the recurring and symbolic miracles of nature: Grant us the victory, we pray.

That we may have the power to do greater things, to suffer even a cross, to die that we might no longer be holden of death through the spirit in us: Grant us the victory, we pray. That we may burst asunder all tombs of selfishness, pride, unbrotherhood, and unworthiness, and attain unto thy fullness through his power: Grant us the victory, we pray. That we may transform every defeat into triumph, every opposition into a way of help, every sacrifice into a means of new attainment: Grant us the victory, we pray.

That we may know life abundant and eternal, and face the mysteries beyond with radiant confidence and smiling hope unto the eternal day of brotherhood, peace, and fully spiritual living: Grant us the victory, we pray. Almighty and eternal God, who hast made us in thy image and breathed into us the breath of life: we thank thee for this day and for the assurance it brings of thy love and care. Especially do we thank thee for Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour, who conquered death and brought life and immortality to light.

May that light shine in our hearts today with such clearness that we shall never again doubt the deathlessness of truth and love and the immortality of the human soul. Forgive us that so often we have forgotten our heritage as sons of God and have lived as though this life were the only life. Forgive us our preoccupation with temporal things, our little faith, our sordid aims, our feverish efforts after material satisfactions, and our neglect of the things of the spirit.

Lift us to higher levels, our Father, and grant that, appreciating our divine destiny, we may henceforth seek the things that are above. Assured that truth and righteousness are eternal, may we not lose heart nor falter in the fight against evil. In the black hour when the battle goes against us may the remembrance of Calvary and Easter morn rekindle our faith and steady our courage until, by thy grace, victory is secure.

On this blessed Easter day we give thee solemn thanks for all those valiant souls who, believing in the power of an endless life, have fought the good fight, have finished the course, and now reign with thee. Especially do we rejoice ror in the triumph of those near and dear to us, the companions of our hearts in other days, whose ennobling memory abides with us, a constant strength and stay. As we think of them may we realize that life is ever lord of death, and love can never lose its own.

O God of the living universe and the loving heart, help us to believe that with thee there is no death, and that if we put our trust in thee and live for thee nothing in heaven or earth shall have power to separate us from thy love. In that faith and by that love help us to walk until faith becomes sight and we behold thee face to face, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Christ the Lord is risen today.

How quick we are to affirm it, to refute the blindness that released Barabbas, thinking that death could hold prisoner the gentle and divine spirit who, but for the shouts of the multitude and the cowardice of a ruler, might have been set free. We would say it again in the face of the authorities of this world who today would condemn him to exile and set in his place greed and suspicion and anger as rulers of the hearts of men. We would also say it to the crowds of the world, crowds bewildered by conflicting counsels, crowds wandering homeless, despoiled and spiritless across a world void of pity and reckless of life.

To them, as to ourselves we would cry with exultation, Christ the Lord is risen today: Alleluia. But this word is to be spoken and sung today not alone to lift our spirits from sorrow to joy, but also to rebuke our sin.

We have lifted our buildings until they seem to touch the sky; we have raised our stores of gold till our wealth towers above our wisdom to use it rightly; we have exalted our pride till we have forgot that we are the brothers of all men. Surely it is time that Christ the Lord be risen today, and by our several and united loyalties made to stand even higher than the achievements we have boasted. Do thou, eternal Spirit of God, the Father of all mankind, help us to make these words a recognition of our duty as well as a recollection of our Lord’s triumph, that in every heart the experience of resurrection may be made a living, creative experience.

Amen.