Lovely, True, Good News

              Monday musical meditations on God's good news An opening prayer:      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 to the realms of light      Our spirit wings its flight.      The foe in triumph shouted       When Christ lay in the tomb.      But lo, he now is routed;      His boast is turned to gloom.      For Christ again is free;      In glorious victory      He who is strong to save      Has triumphed o’er the grave.      This is a sight that gladdens—       What peace it does impart!      ...

              Monday musical meditations on God's good news An opening prayer:      Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!      The strife is o’er, the battle done;      Now is the victor’s triumph won;      Now be the song of praise begun. Alleluia!      Death’s mightiest powers have done their worst,      And Jesus has his foes dispersed;      Let shouts of praise and joy outburst. Alleluia!      On the third morn he rose again      Glorious in majesty to reign;       Oh, let us swell the glad refrain. Alleluia!      He closed the yawning gates of hell;      The bars from heaven’s high portals fell.      Let songs of praise his triumph tell. Alleluia!      Lord, by the stripes which wounded you      From death’s sting free your serva...

              Monday musical meditations on God's good news An opening prayer:      Jesus, shepherd of the sheep,      Who your Father’s flock does keep,      Safe we wake, and safe we sleep,      Guarded still by you.      In your promise firm we stand;      None can take us from your hand.      Speak— we hear— at your command,      We will follow you.      By your blood our souls were bought;       By your life salvation wrought;       By Your light our feet are taught,      Lord to follow you.       Father draw us to your Son;       We with joy will follow on       Till the work of grace is done,       There to live with you.      We in robes of glory dressed,  ...

             Monday musical meditations on God's good news An opening prayer:      Long before the world is waking,      morning mist on Galilee,      from the shore, as dawn is breaking,      Jesus calls across the sea;           hails the boat of weary men,           bids them cast their net again.      So they cast, and all their heaving      cannot haul their catch aboard;      John in wonder turns, perceiving,      cries aloud, `It is the Lord!'           Peter waits for nothing more, plunges in to swim ashore.      Charcoal embers brightly burning,      bread and fish upon them laid:      Jesus stands at day's returning      in his risen life arrayed;      as of ...