Christ is Risen!
Christ is Risen!
In the Orthodox tradition, a Homily of St. John Chrysostom is read aloud at the first service of Easter. It is sometimes an interactive reading with the congregation participating. During the reading, all stand anticipating the celebration of the great feast that is to come. It is an invitation to all to join in a celebration of Christ’s victory over death, the world and Hades. The victory is all inclusive. It extends to “all sorts and conditions” of people. It is a victory that encompasses the whole created order as well as the whole of our lives, past, present and future.
Christ is Risen! He is Risen indeed!
An Easter sermon of John Chrysostom
Are there any who are devout lovers of God?
Let them enjoy this beautiful bright festival!
Are there any who are grateful servants?
Let them rejoice and enter into the joy of their Lord!
Are there any weary with fasting?
Let them now receive their wages!
If any have toiled from the first hour,
let them receive their due reward;
If any have come after the third hour,
let him with gratitude join in the Feast!
And he that arrived after the sixth hour,
let him not doubt; for he too shall sustain no loss.
And if any delayed until the ninth hour,
let him not hesitate; but let him come too.
And he who arrived only at the eleventh hour,
let him not be afraid by reason of his delay.
For the Lord is gracious and receives the last even as the first.
He gives rest to him that comes at the eleventh hour,
as well as to him that toiled from the first.
To this one He gives, and upon another He bestows.
He accepts the works as He greets the endeavor.
The deed He honors and the intention He commends.
Let us all enter into the joy of the Lord!
First and last alike receive your reward;
rich and poor, rejoice together!
Sober and slothful, celebrate the day!
You that have kept the fast, and you that have not,
rejoice today for the Table is richly laden!
Feast royally on it, the calf is a fatted one.
Let no one go away hungry. Partake, all, of the cup of faith.
Enjoy all the riches of His goodness!
Let no one grieve at his poverty,
for the universal kingdom has been revealed.
Let no one mourn that he has fallen again and again;
for forgiveness has risen from the grave.
Let no one fear death, for the Death of our Savior has set us free.
He has destroyed it by enduring it.
He destroyed Hell when He descended into it.
He put it into an uproar even as it tasted of His flesh.
Isaiah foretold this when he said,
“You, O Hell, have been troubled by encountering Him below.”
Hell was in an uproar because it was done away with.
It was in an uproar because it is mocked.
It was in an uproar, for it is destroyed.
It is in an uproar, for it is annihilated.
It is in an uproar, for it is now made captive.
Hell took a body, and discovered God.
It took earth, and encountered Heaven.
It took what it saw, and was overcome by what it did not see.
O death, where is thy sting?
O Hell, where is thy victory?
Christ is Risen, and you, o death, are annihilated!
Christ is Risen, and the evil ones are cast down!
Christ is Risen, and the angels rejoice!
Christ is Risen, and life is liberated!
Christ is Risen, and the tomb is emptied of its dead;
for Christ having risen from the dead,
is become the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep.
To Him be Glory and Power forever and ever. Amen!
1500 years later…hasn’t been improved on…I love this.
Michael
It is for the ages!
1 Corinthians 15:12-20
Amen
Ha! I posted “He is risen—-indeed he is risen in Koine Greek but it got moderate! Must have thought because it was in a foreign language, I was posting something blasphemous! Ha ha
Thank you, Duane!
Ahh yes! Back when the gospel preached by the devoted was truly good news rather than as an insurance policy against hell … if one also measured up to the impossible perfection preached from too many pulpits. Still appreciate how St Chrysotom nails the universality that is truly the good news for all creation. Hell has been abolished… for all. All the captives – past, present & future, free at last. Christos Anesti
Man… that second half of the homily gets me every time. Thank you for sharing!
Anne
Alithos Anesti!
To the kids to a Easter egg hunt at a local non-denom yesterday. Small church, nice people. We attended service this morning, our first live one since covid, at a small Lutheran church. Very small, mostly older congregation. I’m surprised they survive.
I asked the kids the differences they saw between today and CC. D10 said, “it was shorter and the pastor didn’t talk as much.” I pointed out to them the Bible readings, benediction, the recitation of The Apostle’s Creed as a statement of faith, and the inclusion of the congregation in the service rather than being talked at. I also reinforced the observation and reading of several passages from the Bible, missing from supposed verse-by-verse churches.