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Easter Sunday Ocala 2006 "Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen!" This Paschal greeting one another, saying "Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen." during the 40 Days following Easter until the Lord's Ascension into Heaven, is unique in Christendom. This replaces all other Greetings. It was universal in the undivided Church of the first centuries. And now, it is only the Orthodox Church, which strives to preserve this among her followers. It is indeed a noble tradition, because the Christian Faith is based on the Lord's Resurrection. The Lord is the prototype of our own resurrection when He will summon us to live eternally with Him. Indeed, Pascha is such a Great Festival. It is triumphant and full of promise. We celebrate the annihilation of death, because the Lord through His Resurrection trampled down death. Doesn't the main hymn of Pascha say it all? "Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death, and bestowing life to those in the tombs!" "Christos Anesti! Christ is Risen!" These words when felt deeply, transpose us to another world. It is Christ Himself drawing us up with Him. Death's gloom and darkness are dispelled, and the joy of life through His Resurrection overtakes our hearts, and re-enforces the certainty of immortality. We look at one another through the light of our paschal candles, and our faces appear peacefully lit, --- our thoughts pure and transparent, --- our lives sacred as the light of the Resurrection night. We extend our hands with the Lord's love to wish one another our best. Indeed, we are on a such higher spiritual level, afforded to us through our Lord's Glorious Resurrection. One Day --- this very Day of the Resurrection, is enough to grant us spiritual power, so as to be able to forget all the endless days with their nightmares, which we all go through. One triumphant cry is enough. The joyous exclaiming, "Christ is Risen," is sufficient to annihilate dissension. Our lips singing the glorious Paschal hymn, becomes an irrefutable response to contemporary faithlessness. Just one vision, --- the wondrous vision of the Resurrected Christ, and all the demons who choke the people of our time flee away. One Paschal candle raised high, and all the inner candles of faith are raised, to lighten and enlighten our dark horizons with the hopeful and uplifting message. Pascha is but one day of the year,--- yet, it is the Feast of Feasts and the joy of joys. We put on our best clothes, as if we want to signify our need and desire to regenerate our lives, -and to renew our souls. How full of beauty is the Feast of Pascha! Our whole existence is filled with a moving elation, and past nostalgic memories. Pascha lifts our souls above the temporal. It purifies, --- it elevates, and inwardly beautifies the faithful. Pascha raises us between Heaven and earth, because of the Lord's conquering over death. Pascha purifies us, because our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is Holy, and pure beyond all purity. Pascha exalts and elevates us, because Christ arose today triumphantly and seeks to draw us all to Himself!
Pascha
beautifies us inwardly, because our Resurrected Lord is the only One who does
not bear "neither a spot, nor a wrinkle, nor any other blemish," as The Paschal hymns reflect the glory of the Resurrection. One of these hymns, a self contained sermon goes as follows: "It is the Day of the Resurrection!" "Let us shine forth in splendor for the Festival, and embrace one another. Let us say: 'Brethren, let us forgive all things, even to those, who envy us, now that we experience the Resurrection, and thus, let us exclaim: 'Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death, and bestowing life to those in the tombs." In rounding out these words glorifying the Pascha, I bring to you that very descriptive Ode of the Resurrection: "Having beheld the Resurrection of Christ, let us worship the Holy Lord Jesus, Who alone is without sin. We venerate Your Cross, O Christ, and we praise and glorify Your Holy Resurrection. You are our God, and we know no other, except You, and we call upon Your Name. Come., all you faithful, let us worship Christ's Holy Resurrection; for lo, through the Cross, joy has come to the whole world. For, at all times, blessing the Lord, we praise His Holy Resurrection. Having endured the Cross for us, He destroyed Death by death. Having risen from the grave. as He foretold. He has given us Eternal life and the Great Mercy"
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