Why do we experience a profusion of Christmas carols each winter and such a scarcity of “Easter carols” each spring? We get plenty of “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” but\u00a0maybe\u00a0<\/b><\/i>a single Sunday morning of “Up from the Grave He Arose” or “Christ the Lord is Risen Today”.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n
I am left to conjure up some good Easter music in my imagination.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n
Do you recall the name Sandi Patty? She was a popular Christian vocalist in the 80s with a powerful voice. Her Easter song, “Was It a Morning Like This?”, has been nearly forgotten by everyone else, but the melody and tune, buried deep in my brain, rise again every Easter for me.<\/p>\n\n\n
For a Christian culture that has grown overly familiar with the resurrection story – to the point of being almost\u00a0blas\u00e9 about it – Patty’s lyrics capture the wonder and surprise of that first Easter. She imagines those moments just before the disciples heard the incredible news, the moments when only nature itself was aware of the seismic spiritual shift that had just occurred.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n
Only Jesus and the grass under his feet were aware of this new reality that had risen with the morning sun:<\/p>\n\n\n
Was it a morning like this<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n
When the Son still hid from Jerusalem?<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n
And Mary rose from her bed<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n
To tend the Lord she thought was dead.<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n
Was it a morning like this<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n
When Mary walked down from Jerusalem?<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n
And two angels stood at the tomb<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n
Bearers of news she would hear soon.<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n
Chorus:<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n
Did the grass sing?<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n
Did the earth rejoice to feel You again?<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n
Over and over like a trumpet underground<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n
Did the earth seem to pound “He is risen!”?<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n
Over and over in a never-ending round<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n
“He is risen! Alleluia! Alleluia!”<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n
Was it a morning like this<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n
When Peter and John ran from Jerusalem?<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n
And as they raced toward the tomb<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n
Beneath their feet was there a tune?<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n
What it a morning like this<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n
When my Lord looked out on Jerusalem?<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n
He is risen!<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n
Alleluia!<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n
Alleluia!<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n
Alleluia!<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n
And of course the answer to Patty’s question is “Yes, it was a morning exactly like this morning!”<\/p>\n\n\n
The same wonder <\/b>is due this <\/i>morning. The same resurrection power<\/b> stands ready today<\/i>.<\/p>\n\n\n
Happy Easter!<\/p>\n\n\n
—————-<\/p>\n\n\n