Homily on the day of Holy Pascha, at Vespers

“This is the day that the Lord has made: let us rejoice and be glad on it.” (Ps.118:24) We borrow words from the psalm, which in the Old Testament Church was usually proclaimed on great holidays, and especially at the Easter supper. Therefore, we have no doubt to say that he was also proclaimed at the last supper that the Lord celebrated with His disciples: for even then they went out singing into the Mount of Olives (Matthew 26:30). In this hymn, the Old Testament psalmist glorifies and calls on all the people to glorify God for His great blessings, and especially for deliverance from numerous enemies: but his speech, sometimes bursting out from the cramped times of the past and present, like flashes of lightning, suddenly illuminates the distant future with a wonderful light. God the Lord has appeared to us (Ps. 117:27), he exclaims in delight, and greets the One who comes: blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord (Ps. 117:26). He also sees the enemies of the desired Savior: but he also sees His triumph over his enemies, and wonders about the destinies of God. The stone, he says, which he built carelessly, became the cornerstone (Ps. 117:21). Judging by the embarrassed position of the disciples at the last supper, we can assume that the words of the psalm song, although solemn, resonated sadly in their souls. But the New Testament Church rightly could and does apply to its Easter these solemn words of the psalmist: this is the day that the Lord has made: let us rejoice and be glad on it. The day of the Resurrection of Christ in such a light reveals to us the face of the Risen Lord and our own destiny that we, indeed, are entering the beginning of a new universe, and we cannot help but triumph and rejoice. What does the day of Christ’s resurrection reveal to us about the Risen One Himself? The Resurrection of our Lord solemnly revealed that He is truly the Son of God. The Holy Apostle Paul calls the gospel he preaches the gospel of Jesus Christ, the called Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, from the resurrection of the dead (Rom. 1:1-4). So, the resurrection from the dead reveals to us in all its power, in the Risen Son of God. The secret of His heavenly being was not hidden even earlier, at least from those who were chosen for the immediate service of the Word incarnate. The Blessed Virgin learned from the Angel that her Son would be called the Son of the Most High (Luke 1:32). On the Jordan, on Tabor, the Father Himself testified about Him before the elect as His beloved Son. From the deeds, from the teachings of the heavenly Messenger, an attentive one could comprehend that He who came from heaven is above all (John 3:31); and the Lord Himself called His disciple blessed, who, having heeded not the testimony of flesh and blood - blind and partial people, but the testimony of the Father, manifested in the deeds and words of the Lord - from the depths of a believing heart, confessed Him as the Son of the living God (Matthew 16:16-17). But the conviction of this truth did not reach many. Most of the Jews were tempted by this teaching. In Jerusalem they repeatedly raised stones against Jesus because he spoke of God as His Father (John 5:18, 8:59, 10:31). The High Priest solemnly declared blasphemy against God when the Lord, to the question: “Are you the Christ the Son of God,” without hesitation, gave an affirmative answer. The hostile Sanhedrin spoke directly to Pilate about Jesus; We are imams of the law, and according to our law we must die, that we may create for ourselves the Son of God (Matthew 26:63–64). So, when everything was armed against calling Jesus Christ the Son of God, when even the power of God’s law was set against Him, when, moreover, one of the first to recognize Christ as the Son of the living God, not only did not dare to express his conviction before His enemies, but also renounced acquaintance with Him as a man: then an irresistible defense became necessary for that truth, without which the whole work of redemption could not stand. Otherwise, what could have happened? Some pious Jew, seeing the many miracles performed by Christ the Savior, comparing His life and teaching with the history of the ancient Prophets, could still remember with love Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet strong in deed and word before God and all people (Luke 24:19). But that’s all: after His suffering and death on the cross, he could no longer hope that these would deliver Israel (Luke 24:21). Some attentive pagan, impartially looking at His holy life, at the multitude of His blessings, at His innocent sufferings, at the signs that accompanied the outcome of His life, could also say at the cross: truly this man was righteous (Luke 23:47), or even: truly this man was the Son of God (Mark 15:39; Matt. 27:54). But be: He was, and with His death all His work ended. - No! Do not be flattered, warring Jews, to triumph over the silent Sufferer, like a lamb. Do not be discouraged at the sight of the tomb, friends and acquaintances of Jesus. The One whom you buried is no longer in the grave. There is no east (Matthew 28:6). And never before has the earth seen such a miracle. Who rose from the dead by his own power? Who could predict his rebellion and rise from the dead? Who could say: the region of the imam to lay down my soul, and the region of the imam to receive it again (John 10:18): say, and in due time actually lay down my soul for my friends, and then again in due time accept it? – Didn’t this highest miracle clearly testify that Christ did not glorify Himself, according to the Verb to Him: You are My Son (Heb. 5:5)? Such a miracle could not have happened over a lawbreaker, as the Sanhedrin recognized Him. It was enough for the most suspicious of the disciples to be convinced of the reality of the resurrection, it was enough to see the Risen One with His wounds before him to exclaim: My Lord and my God (John 20:8). Thus the resurrection clarified the mystery of the face of the God-man! After this, it is clear why the mystery of the most holy, consubstantial, and indivisible Trinity was spoken by the Lord in such clarity - already after the resurrection, when He sent disciples to enlighten all nations with faith (Matthew 28:19). The light of the resurrection, revealing more clearly the glory of the God-man, made it possible to more closely contemplate the mystery of the triune Godhead. With the glorification of the Divine, the resurrection also revealed in the humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ a new, enduring power of life. Christ has risen from the dead to whom no longer dies: death does not possess Him (Rom. 6:9). Having taken upon Himself the work of our redemption, He deigned to take upon Himself all the infirmities of our nature. To condemn sin in the flesh, He came in the likeness of the flesh of sin (Rom. 8:3). To conquer death in its own victory, and to abolish through death the one who has the power of death (Heb. 2:14). He was pleased to accept a weak body, capable of suffering and dying. Despite the fact that His most pure flesh was a vessel of the Divine, full of life and power, which itself served as an instrument for the dissemination of power and life among corruption and death, it was subject to exhaustion, and itself had to experience mortal illnesses. - Now everything has changed. The power of divine life consumed in the human flesh of the Son of God all signs of the dominion of death. Death was sacrificed by victory, that is, by the very fact that it was victorious (1 Cor. 15:54). Death does not belong to anyone. “Although we have been redeemed by the same life-giving power, death does not suddenly lose its right over us: we die, and for a long time we bear the yoke of death. Death will be the last enemy, which will be abolished at the end of this world (1 Cor. 15:26). “But Christ has risen from the dead, and death does not possess Him.” He once suffered death for the consumption of sin: but now all things are life in Him; everything lives to glorify God the Father (Rom. 6:10), and because of the abundance of goodness and power, this life from Him spreads everywhere. “Thus, through the resurrection, that flesh with which you, a Christian, partake, through the infinite goodness of your Redeemer, also became life-giving. When the Lord for the first time announced His teaching to the Jews about the bread of life, that is, about His flesh and blood, the communion of which gives eternal life: then, the holy evangelist narrates, many were tempted, saying: how can this one give us his flesh to eat (John 6:52). But the Lord reflected this temptation, pointing to the day of His glorification. He said to them: Is this tempting you? What if you see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before (John 6:61–62)? This day came when He could say: I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God (John 20:17). Now we, by faith receiving the invisible in the visible, disappearing in reverence before the inexhaustible goodness of the Life-Giver, rejoicing and trembling together, partake of the life-giving flesh and blood of the Son of God. And don’t you notice, listeners, how through the resurrection the Lord, our Life-Giver, did not move away from us, but draws even closer to us? He is in us, and we are in Him, by participating in His glorified flesh. Because of this closeness, He now calls His disciples His brethren. How long ago did He say at the supper: you proclaim Me, the teacher and the Lord, and speak well (John 13:13). The name of the student is also venerable! In his dying conversation, pouring out His soul before the disciples, revealing His endless love to them, the Lord told them: you are naturally My friends (John 15:14–15). The name of a friend is more full of love! But now, on the day of resurrection, He assimilates to the disciples a name that indicates His union with them is closer, related, blood, the name of brethren. Go to My brethren, He says to Mary Magdalene (John 20:17); and commands the other myrrh-bearers: go, tell my brethren (Matt. 28:10). O Divine, O dear, O truly sweetest voice! What does the day of Christ’s resurrection tell us about our own destiny? Before the resurrection of Christ, everyone was afraid of the inevitable path to the afterlife. Death brought everyone down to the dark regions of hell. There, with the forefather of the human race, the ancient patriarchs, prophets and righteous people languished. But He who came to destroy the works of the devil on earth also penetrated into his underground power. Mortified in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit, He also descended to the spirits kept in the prison of the underworld (1 Pet. 3:18-19); He proclaimed freedom to those who awaited His deliverance and brought with Him hosts of souls of believers. From that time on, the gates of death and hell ceased to be so terrible for the follower of Christ. The divine Redeemer himself says to him: do not be afraid. I am the first and the last, that is, always and everywhere unsuccessively ruling. I was dead - and behold I am alive forever and ever. And the Imam is the key of hell and death (Rev. 1:17–18). - So, the keys of hell and death are in the hands of our Redeemer, and not in our enemy. Consequently, if you, a wanderer of earth departing for your heavenly fatherland, if by living faith you have assimilated for yourself the justification of Christ; if in your life you tried to follow the law and example of Christ; if, with the help of the grace of Christ, you have diligently cared about the destruction of sin in yourself: trust in the mercy of your Savior: He, the All-Good One, will lead you through comfortably and in the midst of the snare of death. The Apostle proclaims that there is not a single condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not in the flesh but in the Spirit (Rom. 8:1). And therefore, the rivets of the dungeon, where they usually imprison either convicted or defendants, will not hold them. Whether in life or in death, we are Christ’s, Christ is our hope, our strength, our protection. The Almighty King will not give up His subjects, for whom He shed His priceless blood, to the enemy if they themselves resort to His help. The Resurrection of Christ is the foundation and guarantee of our resurrection. Our future rising from the dead is as certain as the fact that the Lord Himself has risen. The Holy Apostle says: if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not risen (1 Cor. 15:13). He is the firstfruits of those who have died (1 Cor. 15:20): that is, in Him, as the Head of renewed humanity, the power of resurrection was first revealed in Him, so that it could then act in all His members. But what should especially console and encourage us is that the glory into which the divine Hero of God entered, after completing His great work, is the common property of those who were redeemed by Him from spiritual slavery and who did not lose their freedom. In His high-priestly prayer, before suffering, He asked His Father: whom He gave unto Me, I will, that where I am, they also may be with Me, that they may see My glory, which He also gave unto Me (John 17:24). And His prayer was heard, as the Holy Spirit proclaims through the mouth of the Apostle: The Spirit Himself obeys (testifies) our spirit, that we are children of God. And also children and heirs: heirs to God, and heirs to Christ: for as long as we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified with Him (Rom. 8:16-17). The Son of God Himself assures of this in His revelation already from the kingdom of glory: to the one who overcomes, He says, I will give to sit with Me on My throne, just as I also conquered and sat with My Father on His throne (Rev. 3:21). This is evidenced by the very face of the saints of God, already blissful in heaven. See, listeners, how significant are the objects of joy of this day. Truly the Lord has made this day. It is not one of the days that we ourselves have made ill-fated for ourselves: but it owes everything joyful for us to the all-good will of God our Savior. This day gives us a foretaste of the powers of the coming age, and it is already as if from the days of the new heaven and new earth. Let us give thanks and glorify our God in all our bodies and in our souls. Amen.