Are you ever wordless?

Have you ever been so excited, you couldn’t say a word? I have. What about the women–who were the  first to go to the tomb of Jesus–and discovered the stone was rolled away and the tomb empty?

Sometimes we forget what we’re celebrating.

Don’t we often take Easter for granted? We get so caught up in the now of  Easter Sunday, we forget what it is we’re celebrating. I admit I do. Should we have ham or leg of lamb?  We must dye eggs. Make sure we have my favorite Cadbury eggs at each place.  I set the table in anticipation of the meal after the Easter morning service.

We wordlessly got ready for bed, knowing the end of the story wasn’t complete.

We watched The Passion of the Christ two weeks ago on Easter Eve. It wasn’t easy, watching the travesty of Jesus’ trial, the beatings He endured. I confess, I hid my face while the soldiers laughed and beat and beat him. I couldn’t watch when they pounded the nails in his feet and hands. We wordlessly got ready for bed, knowing the end of the story wasn’t complete. That would take place the next morning.

It’s appropriate at Easter, too.

This Easter morning, we were treated to a choir singing the Hallelujah Chorus which is more often sung at Christmas, but totally appropriate at Easter too. The primary word in the chorus is Hallelujah, which means, “God be praised”.

Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah!
Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah!
For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth!
Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah!
The kingdom of this world is become
The kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ!
And he shall reign for ever and ever!
King of kings and Lord of lords!
King of kings and Lord of lords!
And He shall reign forever and ever!
Forever and ever!
George Frederick Handel
Two men in dazzling robes…
When the women–one was Jesus’ mother–came to anoint their master’s body with spices, they were greeted by two men in dazzling robes. They told the women he was alive. Risen from the dead. I’ll bet those women were saying hallelujah over and over again as they rushed to tell the disciples the good news.
He is risen!
Just as King George II stood when he heard the chorus, so do I!  He is risen!
Hallelujah!  Praise be to God!

Hallelujah. He is risen!