Homily on Holy Pascha
By St. John of Kronstadt
(Delivered on April 14, 1902)
By St. John of Kronstadt
(Delivered on April 14, 1902)
Christ is Risen!
I greet you, dear brothers and sisters, on the bright feast of the Resurrection of Christ from the dead! Rejoice, and I will say again: rejoice.
For greater joy, let us listen to the Angel of the Lord, who appeared to the Myrrhbearing women at the tomb of the Savior in a form shining like lightning, and proclaimed to them the good news of the Resurrection of Christ. When they were trembling from his intensely shining appearance, he encouraged them and said: 'Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you.' So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word. And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, 'Rejoice!' So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him. Then Jesus said to them, 'Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me...' Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, 'All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age'” (Matthew 28:5–10, 16–20). Here is the end of the story of the Evangelist Matthew about the resurrection and appearance of the Lord.
Dear brothers and sisters! "Christ, having risen from the dead, dies no more: death no longer has power over Him. For in that He died, He died once in the flesh for the putting away of sin, for our redemption from death; but in that He lives, He lives to God. So also reckon yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God for every virtue in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rom. 6:9–11). “Christ is risen from the dead, the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man (Adam) came death, by man (the God-man Christ) also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive” (1 Cor. 15:20–22).
Thus the truth, the reality of our future resurrection from the dead through the resurrection of Christ from the dead has become obvious, clear as day, and the purpose of our earthly life is clearly and definitely indicated: we must live for God, for good deeds, for mutual love and die to sin, that is, sin must lose all power, all vitality and effectiveness in us; we must live on earth for heaven, for God, for eternal life, which is so clearly indicated to us by the resurrection of Christ; to live only the present life and for this fleeting life, for flesh and blood - is a dream, senselessness, a vain waste of both time and energy, countless harm and resistance to our Creator and God, who clearly indicated our purpose. "If you are risen with Christ, then seek those things which are above, where Christ sits at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, and not on things on the earth. For you are dead, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, your life, shall appear, then shall you also appear with Him in glory" (Col. 3:1-4). What is earthly life after this for a faithful Christian? Constant preparation for the future; unceasing striving of the soul for the Kingdom of God from this vain life, from the sin that continually attacks us, impartiality to temporary blessings and use of them so that they do not bind our heart to themselves and do not possess it: "Everything is permissible for me," says the Apostle, "but nothing should possess me" (1 Cor. 6:12). Meanwhile, earthly life is structured for us in such a way that earthly cares and concerns are almost always in the foreground, and this is not in agreement with the real purpose of our life. "Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all this," that is, earthly things, "will be added to you" (Matt. 6:33), will be given as an extra.
What in the early Christian times, and even now, inspired and inspires faithful Christians in a holy, angelic life? The certainty of the resurrection of the dead, of the future eternal life, and of the reward to each according to his deeds. What moved and strengthened the martyrs in their firm determination to endure for the sake of the name of Christ countless forms of all kinds of torment and to go to death cheerfully and gladly? The certainty of the resurrection, of the judgment, and of the reward. They constantly had in their hearts the words of Christ: "In your patience ye shall possess your souls" (Luke 21:19); and "a hair of your head shall not perish" (Luke 21:18). What moved and inspired the Holy Fathers of our Holy Orthodox Church in the feats of prayer and fasting, in the struggle with the passions, in the fight with heretics for the Orthodoxy of our faith, for example, for the true teaching about the Holy Trinity and the union of two natures in Christ - Divine and Human - about the veneration of holy icons? A firm conviction in the saving power of the Orthodox faith and in the future reward. What inspired and made wise the wonderful and most sweet hymnographers of our Holy Church in composing such and so wisely - delighting every believing soul - ecclesiastical songs, so diverse in name and content? What human poetry can compare with the wonderful, heavenly, holy poetry of our God-inspired hymnographers? Listen carefully with a sensitive, heartfelt and intelligent ear, for example, to Paschal hymns - in general to festive and Sunday ones - and to all ordinary ones? What breathes in them, philosophizes, sings, spiritually plays and triumphs? A living, clear-sighted faith in the resurrection and in the future life and reward. The saints lived only in body on earth, but in soul and heart in heaven and had living communion with the celestials, living in one spirit with them, and after their blessed death they entered into eternally blessed communion with them.
Brothers and sisters, children of the resurrection and brothers and children of the Risen Christ! May our joy about the resurrection be reasonable, deep, holy and active! May it move us to love the Risen One, to a holy life and to mutual love. Amen.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.