The Greatest Music
This day is the great day. Today, Easter Sunday, our Lord has risen from the dead. Today, death has died. Today, Jesus Christ rises from hell to the melodic sounds of rejoicing Angel Choirs. Their melody is interwoven with awe, glory, joy, majesty, and love. If we humans could hear their beautiful hymn we would be overcome with rapture about our faith.
But there are other hymns being sung this day. Today, we echo the angel choirs with our own melodies of rejoicing. Our faith has been rewarded and indeed we have been given the chance at redemption. Death, defeated by Jesus has lost control of us. We can step away from death as we walk the path Our Lord has shown us, is walking with us. Our hymn of loving triumph and hopeful joy explodes from us in our prayers, our actions, our love.
But, maybe the most powerful hymn sung this day is from the most unlikely source. Today, the loudest hymn is the howling rage that blows from Hell. Today, Satan has lost control of mankind. Today, he no longer enslaves us with death unless we let him. Today, his pride has been imploded by his realization that he is not the controller of destiny, that he has no power and that we have what he doesn’t; a chance of redemptive salvation. His existence is one of extreme frustration and as much as he denies it, he is forced to acknowledge his existence is from God, a God who will not allow him to ruin so many others.
Brothers and sisters, all these hymns together make one choral masterpiece. They make the greatest polyphony to the glory of God. Thanks be to God that he has chosen us to be part of Christ’s choir.
Make Easter ring in our ears and hearts, pour forth from our minds and voices every day going forward. Let us make our own, in our own beautiful voice and lives, these ancient words:
“O Death, where is your sting? O Hell, where is your victory? Christ is risen, and you are overthrown. Christ is risen, and the demons are fallen. Christ is risen, and the angels rejoice. Christ is risen, and life reigns. Christ is risen, and not one dead remains in the grave. For Christ, being risen from the dead, is become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. To Him be glory and dominion unto ages of ages.” (St. John Chrysostom, Easter Homily)
And Satan’s melody howls even louder!
Christus resurrexit! Vere resurrexit!
dcndave 