By St. John Maximvoitch
A mournful meeting. A sad spectacle. Before us is a dead man, moreover, an unusual dead man. The King of heaven and earth, the Creator of the entire universe, lies before us. He died for us. We sinned, but He suffered. People have violated the commandments of God, departed from God, and God, wanting to draw us to Himself with His love, suffers and dies for us. God could not suffer and die as a Deity, therefore He incarnates, and suffers and dies in His human nature, without ceasing to be God. All this He does for us to show His love for us.
With what gratitude our hearts should be filled for Him!
How can we thank Him worthily?
Flowers were brought to His tomb, candles were lit near Him. The Lord does not reject these sacrifices, but He wants something else from us, and only with this will He accept the rest of the offerings. “Son, give me your heart” (Prov. 23:26), God said this even through the Holy Scriptures of the Old Testament. The Lord is waiting for our heart; this is what we should give Him. To love His commandments and teachings and to fulfill them is gratitude to Him who suffered for us, agreeable and pleasing to Him.
Approaching to kiss the face of the lifeless Savior, let us make a firm decision to follow the path indicated by Him. And if you have to endure adversity and experience difficulties on this path, Christ Himself will be the Helper, Who will resurrect with Himself those who suffered for Him and give them endless blessings in His Heavenly Kingdom, which we too will be honored with. Amen.
With what gratitude our hearts should be filled for Him!
How can we thank Him worthily?
Flowers were brought to His tomb, candles were lit near Him. The Lord does not reject these sacrifices, but He wants something else from us, and only with this will He accept the rest of the offerings. “Son, give me your heart” (Prov. 23:26), God said this even through the Holy Scriptures of the Old Testament. The Lord is waiting for our heart; this is what we should give Him. To love His commandments and teachings and to fulfill them is gratitude to Him who suffered for us, agreeable and pleasing to Him.
Approaching to kiss the face of the lifeless Savior, let us make a firm decision to follow the path indicated by Him. And if you have to endure adversity and experience difficulties on this path, Christ Himself will be the Helper, Who will resurrect with Himself those who suffered for Him and give them endless blessings in His Heavenly Kingdom, which we too will be honored with. Amen.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.