An Easter Sunrise Service riff on the traditional "Paschal Homily"

All you Lovers of God, enjoy this Easter Celebration, this delightful festival of God’s love.

All you wearied from your Lenten spiritual practices and journey, now is your reward.

All you grateful and tired servants, rejoice and enter into Christ’s joy.

All you crucified ones, martyrs, and the dead, rest and reside in the Resurrection.

All you vigil holders and early risers, Christ is risen indeed, Alleluia.

All of you, 
You who are eager to run the race—look the Way of Jesus is ever before you!

Believers still puzzling over what you have found—is this not all our lot in life, faith seeking understanding?

Weeping Ones troubled by blunt question marks—take them as best you can and know he is present with you in your grief.

Christ seekers yearning to say, “I have seen the Lord!”—look for here is among us, where two or three gather, Christ is present.

All of you!

Christ is risen. (Christ is risen indeed. Alleluia.)

 

         When Kingdoms rage and tyrants stomp blood stained feet—do not forget that our Ascended Lord and the Reign of God has been revealed.

         When hunger rumbles, join his joyful feast.

         When our life’s mistakes make us o’ so heavy, weep not, for forgiveness has dawned from the tomb.

         When friends die too young, when heartbreak hangs heavy upon us, when the loneliness of old age and death overshadows… be not afraid, for by joining us in death, the Savor has set us free.

         Hades swallowed him up, he went down deep into death, and yet it was death who was bound.

         The Grave encountered Jesus Christ and came up short. See, the bitterness of death bites it’s teeth, for death is abolished, mocked, death is slain and the rule of death is overthrown.

         See, it sought a human life, and found God. It accepted earth, but met heaven. It received a visible thing, and fell for the invisible.

         Say now: “O death, where is thy sting? O hades, where is thy victory?”

Christ is risen, and thou art cast down.

Christ is risen, and the demons are fallen.

Christ is risen, and the angels rejoice.

Christ is risen, and life flourisheth.

Christ is risen, and there is none dead in the tombs.

For Christ, being risen from the dead, is become the first-fruits of them that have fallen asleep. To Him be glory and dominion unto the ages of ages. Christ is risen. (Christ is risen indeed. Alleluia.)