He is Risen! Alleluia!

Entrance Song for Easter --

Shine Down

How Beautiful

This past Sunday, our choir had the sacred privilege of singing "How Beautiful" by Twila Paris during the 2nd Sunday of Easter Mass.

The Easter season, stretching beyond Easter Sunday, continues to be a time of radiant joy and deep reflection. As the Church journeys through these 50 days of celebration, the 2nd Sunday of Easter—also known as Divine Mercy Sunday—invites us to enter more deeply into the mystery of Christ's resurrection and the boundless mercy that flows from His wounded side.

"How beautiful the hands that served

The wine and the bread and the sons of the earth..."

These opening lines carried a special weight as we sang them during Communion, echoing the very act we were witnessing at the altar. The song, originally released in 1990, continues to resonate across generations for its meditative and reverent depiction of Christ’s Passion and the call to imitate His sacrificial love.

The juxtaposition of the beauty of Christ’s suffering with the beauty of His people living out His love made this song a fitting reflection for Divine Mercy Sunday. In the Gospel reading (John 20:19–31), we encounter the risen Christ showing His wounds to Thomas—an intimate invitation to believe and to be healed. Twila Paris’s lyrics mirror this invitation, portraying the Church—the Body of Christ—as the extension of His love in the world.

"How beautiful the feet that bring

The sound of good news and the love of the King..."

These lines became not just a meditation but a mission. As we sang, it felt as though we were reminding ourselves and the congregation that Easter is not only about rejoicing in Christ’s victory over death, but also about being transformed by it. Our voices became a prayer—that our lives might reflect the same beauty found in Christ's self-giving love.

For us as a choir, this wasn’t just another piece of music. It was a moment of unity, worship, and profound reverence. Each harmony and phrase seemed to linger in the church long after the final chord, drawing hearts closer to the Risen Lord.

As we continue through this joyful season of Easter, may the beauty of Christ’s love remain with us—and may we strive to be His hands, His feet, and His voice in the world.

He is Risen. He is Beautiful. Alleluia.