On Easter morning, "My heart overflows with a goodly theme" (Psa. 45.1). No matter what hymns are jubilantly sung as the sun rises over the Easter service, I always sing:
Ev'ry morning is Easter morning from now on.
Ev'ry day's resurrection day, the past is over and gone.
Goodbye guilt, goodbye fear; good riddance! Hello, Lord! Hello, sun!
I am one of the Easter people. My new life has begun!
Avery and Marsh have been part of my Easter experience since the first sunrise service I can remember: a small group of Presbyterians would gather before dawn at the top of Rib Mountain (now Granite Peak) in Wausau, Wisconsin. We would tentatively join our voices to the voice of Nick Smith's folk guitar, "Ev'ry mroning is Eater morning from now on" - then, with each new line, we seemed to gather new courage so that by the time we greeted the sun to announce, "I am one of the Easter people. My new life has begun!" we could be heard by the Lutherans across the park.
The quiet simplicity of this song reminds me of Mary Magdalene at the empty tomb that first Easter. Our tentative voices remind me of Mary weeping outside of the tomb; she sees Jesus, but does not recognize him. Then, as our voices gain strength, we realize the truth before us as Mary runs off to proclaim the good news to the disciples: "I have seen the Lord!"
Christ is risen!
He is risen indeed!
Alleluia!
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