Glaedelig paaske! Happy Easter!

Once again: Christ is risen

Indeed he is risen. Hallelujah!

What a beautiful day it is. The church greets us in all its white splendor, the grounds beam with flowers and green and the sun: the sun sends rays of sunshine from the heavens here to us today.

What a beautiful day it is.

The words from the Gospel greets us in all its mystery and glory, and the rays of hope from heaven warms us. We sing, we rejoice and we enjoy the beautiful music of Easter.

What a beautiful day!

The colors greet us today. The Easter colors: green, red, green, and yellow. This Spring has been and is filled yes poetically overflowing with Easter Joy. The other day I visited Chino Hills and there really was no other word than WOW and even a Hallelujah! As we walked in the rolling hills of Chino we were surrounded by yellow, yellow, yellow, orange and green. Everything was literally shouting Happy Ester, Hallelujah! Sometimes the most visible and audible Sermon is just right in front of us and around us: in the majestic nature, in the warm friendship, in the burning love and in the filled pew on a fine Easter Morning in Orange County.

It is indeed a beautiful day.

Full of color, joy, hope, mystery and glory.

The hymns and the music greets us and the old hymns make our voices soar to the sky in joy and faith. We have so many wonderful Easter Hymns, but the other day as I was walking in Chino Hills Park surrounded by and overwhelmed by yellow, growth, nature and awe,~ I came to think about some of the beautiful songs by U2.

U2 has been called the Greatest Band and they sure have influenced the music scene through many years and generations. It is indeed a great Rock Band but mostly because the lyrics carry the music. Lyrics that are Rolling and Rocking Sermons – and that is why I came to think of 2 of the greatest U2 hits the other day, overwhelmed by yellow, colors, hope and awe.

“It’s a beautiful day.”

U2 fans will know this is the title of one of the most beautiful songs by U2…. And one of the most beautiful praises to life, love and hope:

1. Fee

The heart is a bloom
Shoots up through the stony ground

It's a beautiful day
Don't let it get away

Touch me ~ Take me to that other place
Teach me ~ I know I'm not a hopeless case

See the world in green and blue
See China right in front of you
See the canyons broken by cloud
See the tuna fleets clearing the sea out
See the Bedouin fires at night
See the oil fields at first light
And see the bird with a leaf in her mouth
After the flood all the colors came out

It is a beautiful day
Don't let it get away

It is a beautiful day.

U2 sings about Mysterious Ways, Elevation, Walking on and being with or without you. And they sing about

“A Window in the skies”: Bottom of Form

The shackles are undone,

the bullets quit the gun
The heat that’s in the sun

will keep us when there’s none
The rule has been disproved,

the stone it has been moved
The grave is now a groove,

all debts are removed

Oh cant you see what love has done?
What its done to me?

But love left a window in the skies

To every broken heart
For every heart that cries
Love left a window in the skies

What a beautiful image of Easter! That love left a window in the skies. God’s love through the life and being, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, did not abandon us, but left us with a window in the skies.

Because the rule has been disproved, the stone has been moved, the grave is now a groove, all debts are removed.

Oh, can’t you see what love has done… to every broken heart, fore every heart that cries, love let a window in the skies.

After the Sabbath as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And suddenly there was an earthquake and an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and rolled back the stone… and said: “ Do not be afraid! “

And the women were filled with wonder and awe, with excitement and joy, the tomb was empty and the rule of death had been disproved. The stone had been moved… and all debts and doubts were removed. And they saw that love left a window in the skies.

That window in the skies is still there for us to look to and through. That window in the skies can color our days and ways and can lift our teary weary eyes to look up and beyond.

The painting by Hanne Stovring “Seek the light and find a way.” is to me an Easter Sermon too. It also reflects on the window in the skies, the light that leads us and gives us strength and hope.

To have faith and to have hope is to seek the light and trying to find a way.

It is a beautiful day today and God’s love left a window in the skies.

The window in the skies, the light and the colors, the Gospel and the hymns, - all tells us today that there is a way, there is a light, there is a hope.

There is a strong voice saying to us: “Do not be afraid. I am with you all the days of your life and even beyond. “

In our Lady’s Cathedral in Copenhagen you can find the 11 foot tall Christ Sculpture by Thorvaldsen. A tall white statue of marble, showing Christ. The statue is almost an icon. It has been copied again and again, you will find copies all of the world – and also here at our altar. Jesus our Savior standing with gently inviting open arms: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” When Thorvalden did make this Christ figure for the largest Cathedral in the kingdom of Denmark, he could have done it differently. It could have been a crucifix, Christ hanging on the cross, suffering, dying, but instead Thorvalden choose this gentle calm image of Christ gently reaching out to us and inviting us to come to him. If you come really close you can see that the marks of the nails in his hands and feet, so it is the Resurrected Christ. “ Do not be afraid” Come to me and we want to be embraced by him. He is our window in the skies, he is our light that we seek, he is our hope and our joy.

It is indeed a beautiful day!

Let us rejoice and be happy.

Let us look to the window in the skies, let us look at the gentle embracing Christ, let us look at each other and share the good news. That love left a window in the skies for us. AMEN