You, O Lord, have freed us from the fear of death.

    You have made the end of this life the beginning to us of true life.

For a season, you rest our bodies in sleep,

    and awaken them again at the last trumpet call.

You give our earth, which you fashioned with your hands,

    to the earth to keep in safety.

One day you will take again what you have given,

    transfiguring with immortality and grace 

    our mortal and unpleasant remains.

You have saved us from the curse and from sin,

    having become both for our sakes.

You broke the head of the dragon that had seized us in his jaws,

    in the yawning gulf of disobedience.

You have shown us the way of resurrection,

    having broken the gates of hell,

  and you have brought to nothing the one who had the power of death

    – the devil.

You have given a sign to those who fear you

    – the cross,

  to destroy the adversary and save our lives.

Amen.

 

Gregory of Nyssa, c 335-395 Cappadocian Father, Bishop of Nyssa

 

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    We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 

    in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. 

For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, 

    and we will be changed. 

For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, 

    and the mortal with immortality. 

When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, 

    and the mortal with immortality, 

    then the saying that is written will come true: 

“Death has been swallowed up in victory.”

  “Where, O death, is your victory?
    Where, O death, is your sting?”

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 

But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.