Grace and peace to you from God our Father and Jesus Christ the Lord and Savior. Amen.

Alleluia! Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed! Alleluia!

A mystery has been revealed. The Lord is risen from the dead. The world hurled its worst at God – and God thrived. Sin did not prevail. Evil shone with ineptitude. Death lost its victory. All opposition to God rendered powerless in the face of God’s power, mercy, and love.

The same power, mercy, and love is given to you. They continue to face the challenges of sin, evil, and death. God continues to thrive. And because he thrives, you do as well. “For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.” (Romans 6:5) You are united to the One who overcomes all things.

The promise of participating in the mystery is given to you in faith. Eternal life is yours. Imperishability is yours. Christ clothes you in immortality. The victory is yours. In Christ Jesus you have new life.

The grace and peace of God which surpasses all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

⁵¹ Listen, I will tell you a mystery! We will not all die, but we will all be changed, ⁵² in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. ⁵³ For this perishable body must put on imperishability, and this mortal body must put on immortality. ⁵⁴ When this perishable body puts on imperishability, and this mortal body puts on immortality, then the saying that is written will be fulfilled:

“Death has been swallowed up in victory.”
⁵⁵ “Where, O death, is your victory?
    Where, O death, is your sting?”

⁵⁶ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. ⁵⁷ But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:51-57)