“Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. (Mar 16:6 NIV)

The joyous gospel of Easter is the theme for our lives in good and bad days. If this message is not fully recognized then the living lack the proper sanctity for their hallowed bodies and souls and the dying miss out on the comfort carrying them through death’s dark vale. Yet if the joyful proclamation of Easter is heard and taken to heart and has kindled faith there, then there’s courage to face death and profound peace in us too. Then we can depart from the deathbed of a fellow Christian as the disciples left the Mt. of Olives after their Lord’s glorious ascension with longing in their hearts for the eternal kingdom and promised homestead in heaven but with comforted faith and hope that they were to follow him where he would lead them until he would finally take them to where they would join up with him once again in the heavenly realms and eternal salvation. So we too can know that if once again a faithful brother or sister has preceded us to this glorious destination, we too can hang on here comforted and at peace with true joy that death no longer has cruel power over us, but rather that life and gladness have taken precedence thanks to the glorious resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ and that we too will follow him there – our dearest Lord and Saviour – even if we are still required to hang on for a while according to God’s most loving, merciful and gracious will. Our prayer now is that we don’t pass away before we have come to the true faith and trust in the gospel of Easter – the victorious resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from death and the grace conquering for us the powers of evil, sin and the devil forever – and thus have entered the new life in Jesus Christ. There’s lots we can miss out on without great loss in this life and even in death, but this one word: “The Lord is risen” – that’s vital and necessary. We can’t miss out on that one if we want access to life eternal with him and his holy Church.

O Lord Jesus Christ, you were dead and are alive again. You have the keys of death and hell. We sing our Hosannas and Hallelujahs for you. Have mercy on us in the hour of our passing, death and dying and also in our resurrection by the power of your death and because of your resurrection + Amen.

Good Christian friends, rejoice and sing!  Now is the triumph of our King! To all the world glad news we bring: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia! The Lord of life is ris’n this day; Bring flow’rs of song to strew His way; Let all the world rejoice and say: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia! Praise we in songs of victory That love, that life which cannot die, And sing with hearts uplifted high: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!  Your name we bless, O risen Lord, And sing today with one accord The life laid down, the life restored: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!  (Cyril A. Alington 1872-1944)

This is a rather free translation of Wilhelm Löhe’s devotion for the high Holiday of Easter. It is found on Pg. 159 in Lob sei Dir ewig, o Jesu!   (Eternal Praise to you o Jesus!) edited by A. Schuster and published in the Freimund Verlag, Neuendettelsau 1949.