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Thursday, April 26, 2007

Easter Joy


Today I was looking at the Easter prefaces for the Liturgy during this joyous season - there are five Prefaces of Easter and each has "We praise you with greater joy than ever in this Easter season, when Christ became our paschal sacrifice."
Then there is something different for each of the five. One of my theology professors once said that "if you want to understand the theology of a feast, go to the Preface."
Easter Preface 1 "He is the true Lamb who took away the sins of the world. By dying he destroyed our death; by rising he restored our life."
Easter Preface 2 "He has made us children of the light, rising to new and everlasting life. He has opened the gates of heaven to receive his faithful people. His death is our ransom from death; his resurrection is our rising to life.
Easter Preface 3 "He is still our priest, our advocate who always pleasds our cause. Christ is the victim who dies no more, the Lamb, once slain, who lives for ever."
Easter Preface 4 "In Him a new age has dawned, the long reign of sin is ended, a broken world has been renewed, and man is once again made whole."
Easter Preface 5 "As he offered his body on the cross, his perfect sacrifice fulfilled all others. As he gave himself into your hands for our salvation, he showed himself to be the priest, the altar, and the lamb of sacrifice."
Easter Prefaces 2-5 end with: "The joy of the resurrection renews the whole world, while the choirs of heaven sing for ever to your glory: Holy, holy...
We indeed have reason to praise You with greater joy, Lord. Help us to live in Your Joy and give it to others today!

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