Easter Hope for Daily Labour

O GOD! Most Mighty! but few are the days upon which we have not to cry for Thy mercy, or we perish. But few days pass without our sin and folly making us sad, without our mourning over our Father’s house forsaken. Yet Thou dost give us hours of glory, times when our faith rises unburdened by doubt, when our ear catches some faint strain of the heavenly song. Let this be one of those blessed times. O Lord! lift us up to the heights of hope and glory.

We bless Thee for this day; for the door of the sepulchre opened, that man may see that the grave is not abiding. Fill our souls this day with the sweetnesses of nature. The bright warm sunshine, the freshness and fragrance of the earth, the song of the birds, all tell us that the stone has been rolled away from the sepulchre of nature, and we walk amidst present bloom and coming glory. The stone shall be rolled away from us some day. Oh grant that we may break forth into glorious bloom. Teach us that to live well is to die well; and give us to have part in the blessed sacrifice of Christ, and grant that we may get from it some cheer and comfort to our hearts.

May all rejoicing strengthen us for daily work. May we not forget the apostle’s teaching, who, after singing of all heavenly glories, bids us come down to simple labour, forasmuch as our labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Forgive us all our sins, and have us in Thy blessed keeping, now and evermore.—AMEN.