“This Joyful Eastertide” (ELW 391)
Devotion
In thee is gladness amid all sadness,
Jesus, sunshine of my heart.
By thee are given the gifts of heaven,
thou the true redeemer art.
Our souls thou wakest; our bonds thou breakest.
Who trusts thee surely has built securely
and stands forever: Alleluia!
Our hearts are pining to see thy shining,
dying or living, to thee are cleaving;
naught can us sever: Alleluia!
Jesus is ours! We fear no powers,
not of earth or sin or death.
He sees and blesses in worst distresses;
he can change them with a breath.
Wherefore the story tell of his glory
with heart and voices; all heav'n rejoices
in him forever: Alleluia!
We shout for gladness, triumph o'er sadness,
love him and praise him and still shall raise him
glad hymns forever: Alleluia!
On this Sunday, this "little" Easter, there is gladness. The gladness is heaven-gifted to us in the life, death, and resurrection of Christ Jesus. The Easter alleluias in our communal song and liturgy punctuate the rhythm of our days. Moments of sunshine amid sadness, blessings in the midst of distress, the pronouncement of forgiveness at the confession of our brokenness—all of these alleluia moments provide glad notes to order our days and our deeds in Christ.
In this hymn text, the alleluias are the foundational refrain we return to again and again. Hunkered down between two alleluias is this truth in stanza 1, "Alleluia! Our hearts are pining to see thy shining, dying or living, to thee are cleaving; naught can us sever: Alleluia." The gladness of Easter—the gladness of Jesus—is that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ, even and especially death. This promise clings to us as surely as alleluias are sung and spoken on this Sunday, this Easter day.
Prayer
Jesus is ours! Let us fear no powers, not of earth or sin or death! Instead, let us sing with alleluias on our breath! Amen.