The Day God Sang Alleluia
Friday was the day for suffering, despair, and hopelessness.   Friday was the 'day when darkness was over the whole land'. (Mark 15.33)   Saturday was the time for quiet nothingness ... a complete vacuum of light and hope.   Can you hear the silence of this in-between-time?   Can you feel the overwhelming oppression of defeat? Yet, all this was simply prelude to God's song of Alleluia. In the midst of the early darkness of the first day of the week, Mary was compelled to come to the burial site to be near Jesus just one more time.   It must have been a beautiful dawn as the sun's glory crept over the horizon to bring new light streaming into the day.   God's radiance must have permeated that place as Mary tentatively made her way to the place where they had laid the body of Jesus.   As John tells of that morning, we see Mary move inexorably from the darkness of Friday's Cross to the Alleluia of Easter Morning.   Listen to her words describe that unexpected moment... First: 'They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him' Next: "Rabbouni!" Finally, Mary sings the song of the Easter Alleluia: 'I have seen the Lord!' On this most beautiful of mornings, Mary experienced the light of God's love in Christ and her life was transformed forever. Easter invites us to make Mary's journey to the empty tomb.   Easter invites us to sing the song of our faith so that we may be transformed in the risen and glorified Christ. 'On this day the Lord has acted, we will rejoice and be glad in it Alleluia Alleluia Alleluia' The Rt. Revd Robert F. Bennett Suffragan Bishop, Bishop of Norfolk Easter 2007		The Day God sang Alleluia O splendor of the Father's light That makes our daylight lucid, bright; O Light of light and sun of day, Now shine on us your brightest ray. True Sun, break out on earth and shine In radiance with your light divine; By dazzling of your Spirit's might, Oh, give our jaded senses light. The Father sends his Son, our Lord, To be his bright and shining word; Come, Lord, ride out your gleaming course And be our dawn, our light's true source. (Ambrose - 4th century)
Judging Rightly The Christian Ring How Did Jesus Die?
"The Resurrection" is a panel of the 11 panel polyptych made for the high alter of the Antonite monastery church at Isenheim, Alsace. It was painted c1511-1515 by Grunewald (Mathis Nithart Gothart)