The Luther Seminary of Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States for Sunday, April 03, 2016 "Awake, My Heart, with Gladness" ELW 378

The Luther Seminary of Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States for Sunday, April 03, 2016 "Awake, My Heart, with Gladness" ELW 378

"Awake, My Heart, with Gladness" ELW 378
1. Awake, my heart, with gladness,
see what today is done;
now, after gloom and sadness,
comes forth the glorious sun.
My Savior there was laid
where our bed must be made
when, as on wings in flight,
we soar to realms of light.
2. Now hell, its prince, the devil,
of all their pow'r are shorn;
now I am safe from evil,
and sin I laugh to scorn.
For Christ again is free;
in glorious victory
he who is strong to save
has triumphed o'er the grave.
3. This is a sight that gladdens--
what peace it does impart!
Now nothing ever saddens
the joy within my heart.
No gloom shall ever shake,
no foe shall ever take,
the hope which God's own Son
in love for me has won.
4. Now I will cling forever,
to Christ, my Savior true;
my Lord will leave me never,
whate'er he passes through.
He rends death's iron chain;
he breaks through sin and pain;
he shatters hell's grim thrall;
I follow him through all.
5. Christ brings me to the portal
that leads to bliss untold,
whereon this rhyme immortal
is found in script of gold:
"Who there my cross has shared
finds here a crown prepared;
who there with me has died
shall here be glorified."
This hymn gathers the events of our week together. We are taken from the lament of Good Friday to the glorious light of the resurrection. The hymn guides us to experience a sense of peace where "now nothing ever saddens," for we can know this peace as given through the "hope which God's own son in love for me has won."
I love the way this hymn even has us laughing at sin (vs. 4) because we are "clinging forever to Christ, [our] true Savior." We are invited to laugh at what once held us bound, knowing that in Christ we are now set free. There is no longer any place for fear, because as alpha and omega "My Lord will leave me never" (vs. 5). Christ went through death into new life and so "whate'er he passes through. . . I follow him through all." Christ is the first fruit of the new creation to which we also belong through our baptisms.
Risen savior, awaken my heart with gladness this day. Teach me to cling to you, my true savior and redeemer. Create me anew, unbind my will and bear the fruit of faith in me. Amen.
Amanda Olson de Castillo
Luther Memorial Lutheran Church, South St. Paul, Minn.
Master of Divinity , 2004

The Luther Seminary of Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States for Saturday, 2 April 2016 “O Sons and Daughters, Let us Sing" ELW 386
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
1. O sons and daughters, let us sing
with heav'nly hosts to Christ our king:
today the grave has lost its sting!
Alleluia!
2. That Easter morn, at break of day,
the faithful women went their way
to seek the tomb where Jesus lay.
Alleluia!
3. An angel clad in white they see,
who sits and speaks unto the three,
"Your Lord will go to Galilee."
Alleluia!
4. That night the apostles met in fear;
among them came their master dear,
and said, "My peace be with you here."
Alleluia!
[Insert stanzas 5-8 if desired.]

5, At night the apostles met in fear; 

among them came their Master dear 

and said, "My peace be with you here." 

Alleluia! 

6. "My pierced side, O Thomas, see, 

and look upon my hands, my feet; 

not faithless but believing be." 

Alleluia! 

7. No longer Thomas then denied; 

he saw the feet, the hands, the side. 

"You are my Lord and God!" he cried. 

Alleluia! 

8. How blest are they who have not seen 

and yet whose faith has constant been, 

for they eternal life shall win. 

Alleluia! 

9. On this most holy day of days,
be laud and jubilee and praise:
to God your hearts and voices raise.
Alleluia!
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Christ is risen! The alleluias of Easter continue! The psalmist fills Psalm 150 with praise, fitting thirteen "alleluias" into six verses. How many times can we sing praise in nine verses? Just as our readings for this week related the gospel, whole and sweet, to us, this hymn now sings us through the Easter story from the twentieth chapter of the Gospel of John.
We join our voices with the whole heavenly host praising Christ our King. The familiar story of tombs and angels, women and resurrection, unfolds for us once again. Along with the apostles, we receive our peace once again in our locked rooms. Along with Thomas, we are moved from unbelief to belief and right into the beautiful confession of "You are my Lord and my God." This confession after all is why we sing. Christ is our Lord. Christ is our God. Alleluia! He has risen, indeed!
Lord, we sing your praises with the whole heavenly host. We rejoice in your defeat of death through your resurrection. We praise you for coming to us to give us the peace of the resurrection in our lives now and eternally with you. In the name of the crucified and risen Lord, we pray. Amen.
Amanda Olson de Castillo
Luther Memorial Lutheran Church, South St. Paul, Minn.
Master of Divinity , 2004

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