“He is Risen, he is risen! Tell it out with joyful voice: He has burst his three days prison; Let the whole wide earth rejoice; Death is conquered, man is free, Christ has won the victory”.
I hope that you all have had a Blessed Easter, and have joined with your brothers and sisters in Christ in the Joy that is described in this verse from Hymn #90 in the 1940 Hymnal. In just a few words, the author of this hymn has concisely summed up the significance of this miraculous event and expressed the very intense emotional response of humanity. It is a cry of happiness; it is a cry of elation; it is the cry of a people who have waited, who have endured, who have persevered through darkness; it is the cry of a people who have now been given light.
As I write this letter, I am looking out from my office to observe all the new growth in the gardens here at St. James. The daffodils, crocus, and all the other Spring-time plants are positively bursting in their colorful splendor. And I am moved to think of this explosion of new growth in terms of the Glory of the Resurrection of Our Lord, and the words of Hymn #90.
Just as these plants have emerged from the gloom of winter, so too have we emerged from the darkness of sin. With the warming of the Spring-time sun, the flowers, grasses and bushes have broken from their frozen bonds; and by the Glorious Resurrection of Our Lord, the bonds of our sins have likewise been broken. In both cases, by God’s Grace, new life has burst forth; God’s Creation is renewed; WE are renewed; and life has gained the victory over death.
I pray that the Glory of the Resurrection of Our Lord will ever be bursting from your hearts. I also pray that you will likewise be inspired by this miracle to emerge from gloom and darkness to show the whole world the splendor of a people who have been freed from sin and death. Let the Resurrection of Christ renew your hearts and minds; so that others may see and believe and share in our cry of Joy; “He is Risen”!
With Blessings for a Holy Eastertide
Yours in Christ,
Daniel J. Jennings+