Amoretti LXVIII: Easter

Most glorious Lord of Lyfe! that, on this day, 
Didst make Thy triumph over death and sin; 
And, having harrowd hell, didst bring away 
Captivity thence captive, us to win: 
This joyous day, deare Lord, with joy begin; 
And grant that we, for whom thou diddest dye, 
Being with Thy deare blood clene washt from sin, 
May live for ever in felicity!
And that Thy love we weighing worthily, 
May likewise love Thee for the same againe; 
And for Thy sake, that all lyke deare didst buy, 
With love may one another entertayne! 
So let us love, deare Love, lyke as we ought, 
—Love is the lesson which the Lord us taught.

--Edmund Spenser (1522-1599), Elizabethan English poet

Easter

Most glorious Lord of life, that on this day,
          Didst make thy triumph over death and sin:
And having harrowed hell, didst bring away
          Captivity thence captive us to win:
          This joyous day, dear Lord, with joy begin,
And grant that we, for whom thou diddest die,
          Being with thy dear blood clean washed from sin,
May live for ever in felicity.
And that thy love we weighing worthily,
          May likewise love thee for the same again:
And for thy sake that all like dear didst buy,
          With love may one another entertain.
                    So let us love, dear love, like as we ought,
                    Love is the lesson which the Lord us taught.

--Edmund Spencer (1552- 1599) was one of the greatest English poets ever.



Photo: Mosaic in Resurrection chapel at the Washington National Cathedral.