Easter 2024

 

Easter Changes Everything!

Christ is Risen!

The Angel Rolling The Stone Away From the Sepulchre, William Blake, ca. 1808

Thine be the glory, risen, conquering Son;

endless is the victory, thou o'er death hast won;

angels in bright raiment rolled the stone away,

kept the folded grave clothes where thy body lay.

Refrain:

Thine be the glory, risen conquering Son,

Endless is the vict'ry, thou o'er death hast won.

Lo! Jesus meets us, risen from the tomb;

Lovingly he greets us, scatters fear and gloom;

let the Church with gladness, hymns of triumph sing;

for her Lord now liveth, death hath lost its sting.

No more we doubt thee, glorious Prince of life;

life is naught without thee; aid us in our strife;

make us more than conquerors, through thy deathless love:

bring us safe through Jordan to thy home above.

Christ As The Redeemer Of Man,  William Blake, ca. 1808

He is Risen indeed!

Brahms: Ein deutches Requiem, Part 6 For here have we no continuing city
(English translation follows the German text)

Denn wir haben hie keine bleibende Statt,

sondern die zukünftige suchen wir. 

Siehe, ich sage euch ein Geheimnis:  

Wir werden nicht alle entschlafen,

wir werden aber all verwandelt werden, 

und dasselbige plötzlich, in einem Augeblick, 

zu der Zeit der letzten Posaune. 

Denn es wird die Posaune schallen, 

und die Toten werden auferstehen unverweslich,

und wir werden verwandelt werden. 

Dann wird erfüllet werden das Wort, das geschrieben steht: 

Der Tod ist verschlungen in den Sieg. 

Tod, wo ist dein Stachel? 

Hölle, wo ist dein Sieg? 

Herr, du bist würdig zu nehmen Preis und Ehre und Kraft, 

denn du hast alle Dinge geschaffen, 

und durch deinen Willen haben sie das Wesen 

und sing geschaffen.

 

For here have we no continuing city,

but we seek one to come. 

Behold, I tell you a mystery: 

we shall not all sleep, 

but we shall all be changed in a moment, 

in the twinkling of an eye at the last trumpet. 

For the trumpet shall sound, 

and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, 

and we shall be changed. 

Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: 

Death is swallowed up in victory. 

O death, where is thy sting? 

O hell, where is the victory?

Thou are worthy, O Lord to receive glory and honour and power: 

for thou hast created all things 

and by thy will they are 

and were created.

Sources


Photos and Illustrations:
Blake images, collections.vam.ac.uk, Victoria and Albert Museum, London

Maundy Thursday: 2024

"Maundy" is an Anglo-French word derived from the Latin "mandatum," meaning "commandment." On this day , also known as Holy Thursday, Christians remember the Last Supper - likely a Passover meal - and the institution of Holy Communion, Jesus's command to his disciples to love one another as He loved them, His agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, and His betrayal by Judas Iscariot.

Detail, The Sacrament of the Last Supper Salvador Dali, 1953

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

                                                                           John 13:34 NIV

Go to dark Gethsemane,

Ye that feel the tempter's power;

Your Redeemer's conflict see;

Watch with him one bitter hour;

Turn not from his griefs away;

Learn of Jesus Christ to pray.

See him at the judgment hall,

Beaten, bound, reviled, arraigned;

See him meekly bearing all;

Love of man His soul sustained!

Shun not suffering, shame, or loss;

Learn of Christ to bear the cross.

In mainstream churches, as a symbol of Christ, the altar is stripped in remembrance of his abandonment by the disciples in Gathsemane, a garden at the foot of the Mount of Olives. This action prepares the congregation and chancel for Good Friday and the celebration of the day the world changed forever.

If you are interested in learning more about Salvador Dali's surreal Sacrament of the Last Supper, go here.




Sources

Photos and Illustrations: Dali painting, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

Easter 2023

Easter Changes Everything!

Christ is Risen!

The Angel Rolling The Stone Away From the Sepulchre                 William Blake, ca. 1808

Thine be the glory, risen, conquering Son;

endless is the victory, thou o'er death hast won;

angels in bright raiment rolled the stone away,

kept the folded grave clothes where thy body lay.

Refrain:

Thine be the glory, risen conquering Son,

Endless is the vict'ry, thou o'er death hast won.

Lo! Jesus meets us, risen from the tomb;

Lovingly he greets us, scatters fear and gloom;

let the Church with gladness, hymns of triumph sing;

for her Lord now liveth, death hath lost its sting.

No more we doubt thee, glorious Prince of life;

life is naught without thee; aid us in our strife;

make us more than conquerors, through thy deathless love:

bring us safe through Jordan to thy home above.

Christ As The Redeemer Of Man                 William Blake, ca. 1808

He is Risen indeed!

Sources


Photos and Illustrations:
Blake images, collections.vam.ac.uk, Victoria and Albert Museum, London

Maundy Thursday 2023

"Maundy" is an Anglo-French word derived from the Latin "mandatum," meaning "commandment." On this day , also known as Holy Thursday, Christians remember the Last Supper - likely a Passover meal - and the institution of Holy Communion, Jesus's command to his disciples to love one another as He loved them, His agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, and His betrayal by Judas Iscariot.

Detail, The Sacrament of the Last Supper       Salvador Dali, 1953

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

                                                         John 13:34 NIV

Go to dark Gethsemane,

Ye that feel the tempter's power;

Your Redeemer's conflict see;

Watch with him one bitter hour;

Turn not from his griefs away;

Learn of Jesus Christ to pray.

See him at the judgment hall,

Beaten, bound, reviled, arraigned;

See him meekly bearing all;

Love of man His soul sustained!

Shun not suffering, shame, or loss;

Learn of Christ to bear the cross.

If you are interested in learning more about Salvador Dali's surreal Sacrament of the Last Supper, go here.




Sources

Photos and Illustrations: Dali painting, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

Easter 2022

Easter Changes Everything!

Christ is Risen!

The Angel Rolling The Stone Away From the Sepulchre      William Blake, ca. 1808

Thine be the glory, risen, conquering Son;

endless is the victory, thou o'er death hast won;

angels in bright raiment rolled the stone away,

kept the folded grave clothes where thy body lay.

Refrain:

Thine be the glory, risen conquering Son,

Endless is the vict'ry, thou o'er death hast won.

Lo! Jesus meets us, risen from the tomb;

Lovingly he greets us, scatters fear and gloom;

let the Church with gladness, hymns of triumph sing;

for her Lord now liveth, death hath lost its sting.

No more we doubt thee, glorious Prince of life;

life is naught without thee; aid us in our strife;

make us more than conquerors, through thy deathless love:

bring us safe through Jordan to thy home above.

Christ As The Redeemer Of Man        William Blake, ca. 1808

He is Risen indeed!

Sources


Photos and Illustrations:

Blake images, collections.vam.ac.uk, Victoria and Albert Museum, London

Maundy Or Holy Thursday 2022

"Maundy" is an Anglo-French word derived from the Latin "mandatum," meaning "commandment." On this day Christians remember the Last Supper - likely a Passover meal - and the institution of Holy Communion, Jesus's command to his disciples to love one another as He loved them, His agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, and His betrayal by Judas Iscariot.

Detail, The Sacrament of the Last Supper Salvador Dali, 1953

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. John 13:34 NIV

Go to dark Gethsemane,

Ye that feel the tempter's power;

Your Redeemer's conflict see;

Watch with him one bitter hour;

Turn not from his griefs away;

Learn of Jesus Christ to pray.

See him at the judgment hall,

Beaten, bound, reviled, arraigned;

See him meekly bearing all;

Love of man His soul sustained!

Shun not suffering, shame, or loss;

Learn of Christ to bear the cross.

If you are interested in learning more about Salvador Dali's surreal Sacrament of the Last Supper, go here.








Sources


Photos and Illustrations: Dali painting, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

Easter 2021

 

Easter Changes Everything!

Christ is Risen!

The Angel Rolling The Stone Away From The Sepulchre     William Blake, ca. 1808 

Thine be the glory, risen, conquering Son;

endless is the victory, thou o'er death hast won;

angels in bright raiment rolled the stone away,

kept the folded grave clothes where thy body lay.

Refrain:

Thine be the glory, risen conquering Son,

Endless is the vict'ry, thou o'er death hast won.

Lo! Jesus meets us, risen from the tomb;

Lovingly he greets us, scatters fear and gloom;

let the Church with gladness, hymns of triumph sing;

for her Lord now liveth, death hath lost its sting.

No more we doubt thee, glorious Prince of life;

life is naught without thee; aid us in our strife;

make us more than conquerors, through thy deathless love:

bring us safe through Jordan to thy home above.

Christ As The Redeemer Of Man                    Blake, ca 1808

He is Risen, indeed!

Sources


Photos and Illustrations:

Blake images, collections.vam.ac.uk, Victoria and Albert Museum, London

Holy Saturday 2021

 

Holy Saturday . . . is the sound of perfect silence. Yesterday's mockery, the good thief's prayer, the cry of dereliction - all of that is past now. Mary has dried her tears, and the whole creation is still, waiting for what will happen next.

Christ in the Sepulchre                                William Blake, 1808  

With the altar stripped bare and the Divine Service unspoken, the wait in silence resonates.

Sources

Text:

The opening quotation is taken from an excerpt from Death on A Friday Afternoon, by Richard John Neuhaus. 

Photos and Illustrations:
collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O74285/the-angels-hovering-over-the-watercolour-blake-william/

Good Friday 2021

 

For contemplation on this day...

Crucifixion (Corpus Hypercubus  Salvadore Dali, 1954

From the Passion of Christ According to St. John by the Estonian composer, Arvo Part:

Sources

Photos and Illustrations:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Dali_Crucifixion_hypercube.jpg

Easter 2019

Easter Changes Everything!

Christ is Risen!

The Angel Rolling The Stone Away From the Sepulchre        William Blake, ca. 1808

Thine be the glory, risen, conquering Son;

endless is the victory, thou o'er death hast won;

angels in bright raiment rolled the stone away,

kept the folded grave clothes where thy body lay.

Refrain:

Thine be the glory, risen conquering Son,

Endless is the vict'ry, thou o'er death hast won.

Lo! Jesus meets us, risen from the tomb;

Lovingly he greets us, scatters fear and gloom;

let the Church with gladness, hymns of triumph sing;

for her Lord now liveth, death hath lost its sting.

No more we doubt thee, glorious Prince of life;

life is naught without thee; aid us in our strife;

make us more than conquerors, through thy deathless love:

bring us safe through Jordan to thy home above.

Christ As The Redeemer Of Man    William Blake, ca. 1808

He is Risen indeed!

Sources

Photos and Illustrations:

Blake images, collections.vam.ac.uk, Victoria and Albert Museum, London

Holy Saturday 2019

Holy Saturday . . . is the sound of perfect silence. Yesterday's mockery, the good thief's prayer, the cry of dereliction - all of that is past now. Mary has dried her tears, and the whole creation is still, waiting for what will happen next.

Christ in the Sepulchre                                                             William Blake, 1808

With the altar stripped bare, the Divine Service unspoken, we wait in silence immersed in universal resonance.

Sources

Photos and Illustrations:

collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O74285/the-angels-hovering-over-the-watercolour-blake-william/

Text:

The opening quotation is taken from an excerpt from Death on A Friday Afternoon, by Richard John Neuhaus. The excerpt was posted on firstthings.com in 2007.

Easter 2018

The Angel Rolling Away the Stone from the Sepulchre         William Blake, ca. 1808

Easter Changes Everything!

Sources

Photos and Illustrations:

Blake image, collections.vam.ac.uk, Victoria and Albert Museum, London

Holy Saturday 2018

Holy Saturday . . . is the sound of perfect silence. Yesterday's mockery, the good thief's prayer, the cry of dereliction - all of that is past now. Mary has dried her tears, and the whole creation is still, waiting for what will happen next.

Christ in the Sepulchre                                                         William Blake, 1808

With the altar stripped bare and the Divine Service unspoken, the wait in silence resonates.

The opening quotation is taken from an excerpt from Death on A Friday Afternoon, by Richard John Neuhaus. The excerpt was posted on firstthings.com in 2007.  

Sources

Photos and Illustration:

collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O74285/the-angels-hovering-over-the-watercolour-blake-william/

Good Friday 2018

For contemplation on this day...

Crucifixion (Corpus Hypercubus)  Salvador Dali, 1954

For more information on Dali's Crucifixion (Corpus Hypercubus) go here and here. 

For information on the Christian dimension of Richard Wagner's Parsifal go here. 

Sources

Photos and Illustrations:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Dali_Crucifixion_hypercube.jpg

Maundy Thursday 2018

"Maundy" is an Anglo-French word derived from the Latin "mandatum," meaning "commandment." On this day Christians remember the Last Supper - likely a Passover meal - and the institution of Holy Communion, Jesus's command to his disciples to love one another as He loved them, His agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, and His betrayal by Judas Iscariot.

Detail, The Sacrament of the Last Supper                         Salvador Dali, 1953

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. John 13:34 NIV

Stay with me, remain here with me.

Watch and pray, watch and pray.

Stay here and keep watch with me. 

Watch and pray, watch and pray!

Watch and pray not to give way to temptation.

The spirit is eager, but the flesh is weak.

My heart is nearly broken with sorrow. 

Remain here with me, stay awake and pray.

Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass me by.

Father, if this cannot pass me by without my drinking it, 

your will be done.

Stay with me, remain here with me.

Watch and pray, watch and pray.

Stay with me, remain here with me.

Watch and pray, watch and pray.

If you are interested in learning more about Dali's surreal Sacrament of the Last Supper, go here and here.

Sources

Photos and Illustrations:

Dali painting, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

Easter 2017

Christ is Risen!

He is Risen indeed!

Christ As The Redeemer Of Man                      William Blake

As we approach the close of the Festival of the Resurrection of our Lord here are some sights, sounds, and words to help us recall the joy of the day and keep its meaning alive in us in days to come.

Thine be the glory, risen, conquering Son;

endless is the victory, thou o'er death hast won;

angels in bright raiment rolled the stone away,

kept the folded grave clothes where thy body lay.

Refrain:

Thine be the glory, risen conquering Son,

Endless is the vict'ry, thou o'er death hast won.

Lo! Jesus meets us, risen from the tomb;

Lovingly he greets us, scatters fear and gloom;

let the Church with gladness, hymns of triumph sing;

for her Lord now liveth, death hath lost its sting.

No more we doubt thee, glorious Prince of life;

life is naught without thee; aid us in our strife;

make us more than conquerors, through thy deathless love:

bring us safe through Jordan to thy home above.

Easter Changes Everything!

The Angel Rolling Away The Stone From The Sepulchre            William Blake, 1805

For we have here no continuing city,

but we seek the future.

Behold, I show you a mystery:

We shall not all sleep,

but we all shall be changed

and suddenly, in a moment,

at the sound of the last trombone.

For the trombone shall sound,

and the dead shall be raised incorruptible,

and we shall be changed.

Then shall be fulfilled

The word that is written:

Death is swallowed up in victory.

O Death, where is thy sting?

O Hell, where is thy victory?

Lord, Thou art worthy to receive all

praise, honor, and glory,

for Thou hast created all things,

and through Thy will

they have been and are created

Rise Heart, The Lord Is Risen!

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 cross 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.

The Ascension of Christ                                                    Salvador Dali, 1958

Christ is Risen!

He is Risen indeed!

Sources

Photo and Illustrations:

Blake image, collections.vam.ac.uk, Victoria and Albert Museum, London

Dali image, wikiart.org

Text:

Brahms Requiem text, www. classical-music.com

Good Friday 2017

Christ Nailed to the Cross: The Third Hour                William Blake, 1803-06

O man, bewail your great sin;

For this, Christ from his Father's bosom

Went forth and came to earth.

Of a virgin pure and gentle

He was born here for our sake,

He was willing to mediate.

To the dead he gave life

And conquered all sickness

Until the time came

That he should be sacrificed for us,

To carry the heavy burden of our sins

Upon the cross itself.

J.S. Bach - St. Matthew Passion:

35. 'O man, bewail your great sin'

Two pages from the St Matthew's Passion in Bach's hand

Easter 2016

Easter Changes Everything!

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.

The Resurrection: The Angel Rolling Away the Stone From the Sepulchre     William Blake, ca 1808 

Sources

Photo and Illustrations:

Blake image, collections.vam.ac.uk, Victoria and Albert Museum, London

Text:
George Herbert (1593-1633) from his poem, Easter, "Five Mystical Songs," Ralph Vaughan Williams, wikipedia.com

Easter

Easter Changes Everything!

The Angel Rolling the Stone Away from the Sepulchre, William Blake, 1805

Thine be the glory, risen, conquering Son;

endless is the victory, thou o'er death hast won;

angels in bright raiment rolled the stone away,

kept the folded grave clothes where thy body lay.

Refrain:

Thine be the glory, risen conquering Son,

Endless is the vict'ry, thou o'er death hast won.

Lo! Jesus meets us, risen from the tomb;

Lovingly he greets us, scatters fear and gloom;

let the Church with gladness, hymns of triumph sing;

for her Lord now liveth, death hath lost its sting.

No more we doubt thee, glorious Prince of life;

life is naught without thee; aid us in our strife;

make us more than conquerors, through thy deathless love:

bring us safe through Jordan to thy home above.

Easter 2012

Christ As The Redeemer of Man - William Blake

Christ is Risen! He is Risen, Indeed!

Thine be the glory, risen, conquering Son;
endless is the victory, thou o'er death hast won;
angels in bright raiment rolled the stone away,
kept the folded grave clothes where thy body lay.

Refrain:
Thine be the glory, risen conquering Son,
Endless is the vict'ry, thou o'er death hast won.

Lo! Jesus meets us, risen from the tomb;
Lovingly he greets us, scatters fear and gloom;
let the Church with gladness, hymns of triumph sing;
for her Lord now liveth, death hath lost its sting.

No more we doubt thee, glorious Prince of life;
life is naught without thee; aid us in our strife;
make us more than conquerors, through thy deathless love:
bring us safe through Jordan to thy home above.