Christ is risen. Christos was christened. Christos
was christened. Christos was christened. Christos
was christened. My dear people, the entire meaning,
significance, and doctrinal issue are all saturated
in the magnificent hymnology which we have heard
last night and this afternoon. Really nothing
more could be said. My editors have told me that
all I have to say is Christ is risen. And it's
so true. But I can't Do that. Because I heard
those magnificent words. Let the heavens be glad
and let the earth rejoice. Let the whole world,
both visible and invisible, keep the feast. For
this is the day of the resurrection. This is
the day that the Lord has made. It is the Pascha
of the Lord. For from death to life and from
earth to heaven has Christ our God led us as
we sing the song of victory. The entire celebration
of Pascha is the brightest, loveliest, most irrepressible
joy that one could have when he realizes that
we no longer have to fear death, for death is
no longer a gateway leading to extinction, but
death is the doorway leading to the grace, Of
our heavenly God. And all of this is clearly.
Reflected. Almost. In a saturated way. In the
magnificence. Of the. Poetry. The prayers. The
song. The ritual. The resurrection. Is the basis.
The foundation of our Christian faith. If Christ
remained on the cross, we wouldn't be here today,
would we? If Christ remained on the cross, it
would be the most sorrowful thing. Just another
martyr has died. But Christ did not remain on
the cross. The world said no to God on Friday.
And on Pascha morning, God said, Christ is risen.
As in Adam, all died, said St. Paul. So even
in Christ, All shall be made alive. And St. Gregory
the theologian put it in this way. Yesterday
I was crucified with Christ. Today I'm glorified
with him. Yesterday I was buried with him. Today
I rise with him. Just as those who were baptized
rose to a new life. To a life of everlasting.
Pascha is the eighth day, meaning, as we have
expressed in the last book of the Bible, the
Revelation. It's the never -ending day where
there is no evening, there is no morning. It
is the icon. Of the image of the world to come.
And so on this magnificent day. It has to be
expressed once more. In view of the cynicism
of the world. The world doesn't care what we
have done. The last few days. But it is an expression.
of our fundamental faith. The faith as revealed
in the historical person of Jesus Christ. Everything
in the scriptures, everything that the fathers
and saints have written about, everything that
the prophets have prophesied relate Existentially.
To all of us. But in particular. It relates to
us. Internally. Externally. And eternally. For
Christ is risen. Before his ascension. The Lord
said. I'll be with you. Till the end of time.
This means. In spite of all, and what Father
mentioned on Good Friday, this means that life
is worth living, even if this world is showing
signs of going insane. I was going to say going
to hell. It means the destruction of death. It
means that the countless martyrs Throughout the
ages who have given their lives for the faith.
And even those martyrs who were martyred for
the Christian faith just a few days ago. Have
not died in vain. The scriptures teach that in
times past we were no people. And now we are
a people. Meaning we are a people of the resurrection
who receive and walk by the light of Christ.
And that's why St. Paul calls us rejoice. Rejoice
in the Lord always. The Lord is with us. He is
at hand. And that's why you heard the choir again
and again use that term rejoice. You know, some
time ago I read about a Russian Orthodox priest
who spent 20 years in a gulag, enduring all human
indignities because he refused to give up his
faith. When he was released, His daughter wrote
in her memoirs that she noticed he had difficulty
walking and talking. She took him to the clinic
and the doctors indicated that he had what we
call today progressive muscular atrophy. He lost
his ability to walk and to speak. And on Pascha
morning, before he died, he scribbled this note
to his daughter. It's terrible to wake up on
Pascha morning and have no voice to sing Christos
Voskresen. But it's still more tragic to have
a voice and not sing, this is the day of the
resurrection. So the passing, my dear people,
the passing of time has in no way altered, diminished,
or negated that glorious, glorious proclamation.
That our Redeemer lives. The King of kings. The
Lord of lords. Still reigns. Who said I am the
resurrection and the life. He who believes in
me. Even though he die. He shall live. So therefore.
The great John Chrysostom. In his homily. On
Paschal night said. Let no one fear death. For
the Savior is death. has set us free. And St.
Paul cried out, O death, where is thy sting?
O Hades, where is thy victory? Thanks be to God
who has given us victory through Christ Jesus.
And there's so much more to say. But let me conclude.
because my editors have put a note in here. Let
me conclude by saying that Pascha, this day,
my dear people, is the most incredible, most
glorious, historical news for us. That's why
we could stand before the grave and sing Christ
is risen. That's why we could say memory eternal.
Because it is a touchable reality. And you heard
in the gospel today. Jesus said to Thomas, here,
look at my hands. Feel my sigh. Do not be unbelieving,
but believe. My dear people, it is a touchable
reality. An embraceable reality. That leads to
everlasting life. Where there shall be no more
death. No more sorrow. No more struggles. No
more sighing. No more pain. And on the waves
of the seven weeks of fasting. Of prostrations
and services. And the talks. On the waves. we
have reached this glorious moment. It is a moment
of joy. And so, therefore, let us lift up our
hearts. Let us lift up our voice to glorify and
praise the divine victory of Christ who trampled
down death by death. And so let us embrace one
another once more, and let us even cry out to
those who hate us. Let us sing, Christ is risen
from the dead, trampling down hell.