Here it is Easter Friday, and I am just now getting to post my Easter Hallelujah. Well, thank goodness some of us celebrate Easter for 50 days!
And a glorious day it was today, with a beautiful wedding in Westminster Abbey complete with the meaningful Anglican liturgy. I was heartened to see the couple appear to be as enchanted, awed, and excited as anyone. And their kisses were so sweet . . . as was the lovely prayer they wrote for the occasion. Easter!

Easter Hallelujah (May be sung to Cohen's Halleluja)

The morning started dark, forlorn
The cross, the nails, the crown of thorn
Had taken Jesus off from us forever.
We wandered through long shadows' fear
Yet in the new day's twilight born
A whisper rose to speak of hallelujah.
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, halleluuuujah.

The huge black stone was rolled away
The cave smelled fresh like new mown hay
A silent light was growing through the rock bed.
His body gone, the soldiers fled,
An angel flash called out and said
Who'd you seek among the dead: hallelujah.
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, halleluuuujah.

Our hearts were broken yet again.
His body taken by evil men?
Our eyes filled up with rainy tears that hid him.
Yet he stood there strong life again,
Took my breath and called my name.
A new song rose inside my heart: hallelujah.
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, halleluuuujah.

His eyes so clear and full of love
This God right here not off above
This God incarnate killing death and hatred.
He looked at me, I felt on fire,
Emboldened with a wild new hope
To sing unbounded songs of hallelujah.
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, halleluuuujah.

Resurrection hope sings true
I share it now in joy with you
So let's take hands and shout out hallelujah!
The world is dark with hate and fear
But God is here, our God is here,
And fills our rising hearts with hallelujahs.
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, halleluuuujah.

Well, it must be Lent. I spent yesterday in a Lenten retreat too! This time the retreat was led by an amazing lay person in the congregation where I serve. Here is the poem from the day. Thank you Dean!


Prayer that Dwells

Most prayer is calling for help.
Then, when we get better at it,
We say "thank you."
There is plenty of "sorry" in prayer too
(although this can be overdone).
But the best prayer I know is
Quiet stillness.
It is waiting without quite knowing or needing to know
What for or why.
I find such prayer walking alone
If there is anything much like alone --
And the silence whispers "no," there is not;
No alone, as in loneliness,
Only alone as in space for self.
In that space, I walk until I find a silent stride
That requires no set destination or success,
No solid meaning or commentary,
No dramatic earthquake or storm from God.
In that hallowed, hollowed cave of alone and not really alone
Voice whispers a whirlwind
And a word too still to hear,
Too alive to ignore,
Too deep to touch
Too immediate to leave me the way I am.
The Word vaults the silence and dances the stillness
Becoming flesh
That dwells.