2nd word for Holy Easter

In the short sermon “2nd word for Holy Pascha” (4 chapters) St. Hesychius of Jerusalem connects the events of the birth, death and Resurrection of Christ with the corresponding churches of Jerusalem in a metaphorical description of the making of the forge: “Our sacred and royal trumpet united us in this meeting, the trumpet that Bethlehem filled and Zion set on fire, for which the Cross was the hammer, and the Resurrection the anvil” (ch. 1). Preaching is important from a Christological point of view. According to Rev. Hesychius, Christ is the “Word Incarnate” (chapter 4). In this one can notice the hidden anti-Nestorian orientation of the homily. With the help of contrasts, the author denotes the duality of properties and natures in Christ and shows that Christ manifests Himself both as God and as a man: “The dead are held by the tomb, before God the earth shakes; the body declares Him dead, the miracle declares Him God; for the dead - burial, for God - the resurrection, for the dead - the tears of women, for God - the words of angels. Joseph buried Him as a dead man, but buried as a man, He, like God, disarmed death. And again the soldiers guarded Him as if he were dead, but when they saw God, the gatekeepers of hell trembled” (chapter 2). The Word is one and one, It remains the Same: “You will say that He is both this and that; <not two> – one and the other, and not one in the other, and not one through the other” (chapter 3). Christ is one and the same Man and God. With the words “not one in the other” St. Hesychius rejects the heretical idea of ​​the infusion of the Logos into the man Jesus. The mystery of the death and Resurrection of Christ also proves the unity of the Divine Person, who unites in Himself the properties of two natures: “Who, as the dead, descended into hell, He, as God, freed the dead” (chapter 2). Our sacred and royal trumpet united us in this meeting, a trumpet which was filled by Bethlehem and set on fire by Zion, for which the Cross was the hammer and the Resurrection the anvil. I don’t know how to depict its beauty, how to describe its radiance, how to convey joy, with a cross, how to explain its royal grandeur, with a resurrection? Which hand will I touch this pipe? With what words will I salute the tomb that gives birth to life, the grave free from corruption, the hospitable incorruption, the three-day palace that gave rest to the groom, the marriage chamber that raised the incorruptible spouse after the wedding? The dead are held by the coffin, the earth shakes before God; the body declares Him dead, the miracle declares Him God; for the dead - burial, for God - the resurrection, for the dead - the tears of women, for God - the words of angels. Joseph buried Him as a dead man, but buried as a man, He, like God, disarmed death. And again the soldiers guarded Him as if he were dead, but when they saw God, the gatekeepers of hell trembled. You will say that He is both this and that; – one and the other, and not one in the other, and not one through the other; for the Incarnate Word, being One, united both together according to His will in an ineffable manner; It gave flesh in order to serve (immaculate) passions; The Godhead served Him for signs and wonders; but just as it is unacceptable to separate the Word from the flesh, it is also necessary to combine passions with miracles. For Who, as the dead, descended into hell, He, as God, freed the dead, and therefore the angels serve the tomb, appear dressed in white clothes as friends with the bridegroom to the myrrh-bearing wives and say to them: “You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, crucified. He is not here. He has risen, as he said” (see Mark 16:6; Matt 28:6). That is, heaven is a place for Him (cf. Mk 16:6), send fragrances there (Mk 16:1). He rose again, we did not raise Him up. For your sake we rolled away the stone (cf. Matthew 28:2), for before we came down, the tomb was empty. He rose again, as He said Himself.” What the angel said cannot be interpreted by anyone except the prophet: Hosea announces the time of resurrection, Isaiah also knows it, but does not know the image. Here are the prophetic words of Hosea: “Let us go and return to the Lord our God, for He has wounded us, and He will heal us; He has smitten us, and He will bind up our wounds in two days; on the third day He will raise us up, and we will live before Him” (Hosea 6:1-2 Septuagint). Hear also what the trumpet of Isaiah proclaimed: "Lebanon is put to shame, Sharon has become a swamp. Galilee and Carmel will be laid bare. Now I will rise, says the Lord, now I will be glorified, now I will be exalted. Now you will see, now you will be ashamed" (paraphrase of Isaiah 33:9-11 according to the Septuagint). After all, he addressed his word to the Jews: “Today I will rise again, when I have raised up Adam, whom transgression cast down; now I will be glorified, when I have demonstrated steadfastness in enduring suffering before the Gentiles; now I will be exalted, lifting up your firstfruits (cf. 1 Cor 15:20) into heaven and raising up to the throne of the Cherubim the image of a servant (Philippians 2:7), the one that I took from you, now you will see that images cease and the truth flourishes, now you will be ashamed, you who slander with words and are silent with deeds.” Glory to God, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. You might be interested in: