How Bright These Glorious Spirits Shine
How bright these glorious spirits shine!
Whence all their bright array?
How came they to be throned on high
In everlasting day?
Lo, these are they from sufferings great
Who came to realms of light,
And in the Blood of Christ have washed
Those robes that shine so bright.
Hunger and thirst are felt no more,
Nor sun with scorching ray.
God is their sun whose radiant light,
creates eternal day.
Isaac Watts
God Is Our Stronghold and Our Stay
God is our stronghold and our stay,
Our hope in tribulation;
What though the mountains rock and sway
To earth’s long-hid foundation?
What though the ocean roar,
Fast gaining on the shore
The hurtling storm rage loud
Beneath the thunder cloud?
Our hearts are all untroubled.
The might of water sinks to rest;
How calm yon river glideth,
God’s city mirrored on its breast,
The house where he abideth
Hushed be all strife and dint
His presence dwells within,
She standeth unremoved,
By God himself beloved,
Who helpeth her right early.
In vain the heathen shout for war,
In vain our foes assemble;
The voice of God is heard from far,
And earth itself shall tremble.
He breaks the spear and bow,
He lays the warrior low,
The chariot burns with flame;
Our trust is in his Name,
And Jacob’s God our refuge!
Be still, the Lord is God alone,
Let all the world adore him,
And bending low before his throne,
For pitying grace implore him.
His kingdom is within,
O’er hearts made pure from sin,
Where love that casts out fear
Exults to feel him near,
The Lord of hosts our refuge.
Elizabeth Wordsworth
Home of the Soul, Hymns
I will sing you a song of that beautiful land,
The far away home of the soul,
Where no storms ever beat on the glittering sand,
While the years of eternity roll,
While the years of eternity roll;
Where no storms ever beat on the glittering sand,
While the years of eternity roll.
Oh, that home of my soul in my visions and dreams,
Its bright, jasper walls I can see;
Till I fancy but thinly the veil intervenes,
Between the fair city and me,
Between the fair city and me;
Till I fancy but thinly the veil intervenes,
Between the fair city and me.
That unchangeable home is for you and for me,
Where Jesus of Nazareth stands,
The King of all kingdoms forever, is He,
And He holdeth our crowns in His hands,
And He holdeth our crowns in His hands;
The King of all kingdoms forever, is He,
And He holdeth our crowns in His hands.
Oh, how sweet it will be in that beautiful land,
So free from all sorrow and pain;
With songs on our lips and with harps in our hands,
To meet one another again,
To meet one another again;
With songs on our lips and with harps in our hands,
To meet one another again.
Ellen H. Gates
Fra Angelico The Last Judgement Detail
Alleluia, Alleluia! Hymns
Alleluia, alleluia!
Hearts to heaven and voices raise:
sing to God a hymn of gladness,
sing to God a hymn of praise.
He, who on the cross a victim,
for the world’s salvation bled,
Jesus Christ, the King of glory,
now is risen from the dead.
Now the iron bars are broken,
Christ from death to life is born,
glorious life, and life immortal,
on this holy Easter morn.
Christ has triumphed, and we conquer
by his mighty enterprise:
we with him to life eternal
by his resurrection rise.
Christ is risen, Christ, the first fruits
of the holy harvest field,
which will all its full abundance
at his second coming yield:
then the golden ears of harvest
will their heads before him wave,
ripened by his glorious sunshine
from the furrows of the grave.
Christ is risen, we are risen!
Shed upon us heavenly grace,
rain and dew and gleams of glory
from the brightness of thy face;
that we, with our hearts in heaven,
here on earth may fruitful be,
and by angel hands be gathered,
and be ever, Lord, with thee.
Alleluia, alleluia!
Glory be to God on high;
Alleluia! to the Savior
who has gained the victory;
Alleluia! to the Spirit,
fount of love and sanctity:
Alleluia, alleluia!
to the Triune Majesty.
Christopher Wordsworth
Can be sung to the tune of “Ode to Joy”
Photo Used with Permission: Terry Yarrow – The Dorset Rambler
Ubi Caritas
Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est.
Congregavit nos in unum Christi amor.
Exsultemus, et in ipso jucundemur.
Timeamus, et amemus Deum vivum.
Et ex corde diligamus nos sincero.
Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est.
Simul ergo cum in unum congregamur:
Ne nos mente dividamur, caveamus.
Cessent iurgia maligna, cessent lites.
Et in medio nostri sit Christus Deus.
Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est.
Simul quoque cum beatis videamus,
Glorianter vultum tuum, Christe Deus:
Gaudium quod est immensum, atque probum,
Saecula per infinita saeculorum. Amen.
English
Where charity and love are, God is there.
Christ’s love has gathered us into one.
Let us rejoice and be pleased in Him.
Let us fear, and let us love the living God.
And may we love each other with a sincere heart.
Where charity and love are, God is there.
As we are gathered into one body,
Beware, lest we be divided in mind.
Let evil impulses stop, let controversy cease,
And may Christ our God be in our midst.
Where charity and love are, God is there.
And may we with the saints also,
See Thy face in glory, O Christ our God:
The joy that is immense and good,
Unto the ages through infinite ages. Amen.
Ressurection Morn So Fair
The day was dark, and all seemed lost when to the tomb
Fra Angelico - Resurrection of Christ and Women at the Tomb WGA00542 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
They bore the form of Christ the crucified.
Loved ones hoped that He would reign—
But their hopes were all in vain,
For they saw Him as upon the cross He died.
Refrain :
But there dawned a resurrection morn so fair,
When the Savior rose from out the tomb;
For the angels came and rolled the stone away,
And today is banished all earth’s gloom.
The stone before the door was set and firmly sealed:
A guard was placed to watch by night and day,
For they feared that from the dead
He would rise as He had said,
Or perchance His own would spirit Him away.
Refrain
Oh, sad and lonely ones today, look up! rejoice!
The empty tomb with praises may resound,
Over mountain, hill and plain,
Let there ring the glad refrain,
Bringing hope and cheer wherever man is found.
Refrain
Grant C. Tullar
