Inspired by lyrics to “It’s a Brand New Day” (by Glen Roethel, Sue Riley, & Richard Mekdeci):
”It’s a brand new day, it’s a brand new day . . . . The power of love has rolled that stone away . . . . It’s a brand new day.
Faith can move a mountain, part that stormy sea. Love can be a fountain pouring over me. Hope can build a future so we can truly say. The past is past, free at last, it’s a brand new day . . . . The power of love has rolled that stone away . . . .
Doubts become believing that death can be destroyed. Painful loss and grieving, can open us to joy.
A dawn of resurrection can chase our fears away. The past is past, free at last, it’s a brand new day! The power of love has rolled that stone away! . . . It’s a brand new day.”
Responsive Reading for April 4
“On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb” (John 20: 1).
It’s a brand new day, it’s a brand new day . . . . The power of love has rolled that stone away.
“Very early when the sun had risen, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb. They were saying to one another, ‘Who will roll back the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?’ When they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back; it was very large” (Mark 16:1-4).
Faith can move a mountain . . . . Hope can build a future so we can truly say, the past is past, free at last . . . the power of love has rolled that stone away. It’s a brand new day!
“But at daybreak on the first day of the week they took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb; but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were puzzling over this, behold, two men in dazzling garments appeared to them. They were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground. They said to them, ‘Why do you seek the living one among the dead? He is not here, but he has been raised’” (Luke 24:1-6). “Then they went away quickly from the tomb, fearful yet overjoyed, and ran to announce this to the disciples. And behold, Jesus met them on their way and greeted them. They approached, embraced his feet, and did homage. Then Jesus said to them. ‘Do not be afraid. Go, tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me’” (Matthew 28: 8-10).
Doubts become believing that death can be destroyed.
Painful loss and grieving, can open us to joy.
“Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them, “I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God. Mary of Magdala went and announced to the disciples, ‘I have seen the Lord’” (John 20:17-18).
A dawn of resurrection can chase our fears away.
The past is past, free at last, it’s a brand new day.