Слово на Святую Пасху. Святого Льва, папы Римского

Although the narration of the evangelists presented to us, beloved, the entire Paschal mystery and through bodily hearing affected the mind in such a way that each of us already has an image of this event, nevertheless, it is necessary to add the ministry of our word, so that, in accordance with your pious desire, the exhortation of the shepherd can be added to this most sacred and solemn reading. So, since there is no place for ignorance in the listeners of believers, the seed of the Divine word, which is contained in the gospel of the Gospel, must multiply in the field of your heart, and the plantings of pious feelings and shoots of right desires, cleared of thorns and thistles, should bear fruit. The Cross of Christ, by which the salvation of mortals is accomplished, is for us both a sacrament and a model: a sacrament in which Divine power is fully active, a model that arouses pious zeal in people (for for those freed from the yoke of captivity, redemption is also useful in that it can be the subject of our zeal). If the wisdom of this world is so famous for its errors that he who has chosen someone as a leader tries to follow all his opinions, customs and decrees: then how can we have participation in the name of Christ if we are not inseparably united with Him who is the way and the truth and the life (John 14:6)? Although, through the sin of our first parents, the human race was deprived of its original perfection, the Merciful God, through His Only Begotten Son Jesus Christ, deigned to give help to nature, created in His image and likeness. He wanted the restoration of nature to take place in the same nature, and so that through the second creation man would achieve a higher dignity than what was originally imparted to him. Blessed would man be if he did not lose what he had; but he can be even more blessed now that he will remain in what has been created again. Divine nature, imparting the wealth of Her goodness to everyone in a decent measure, accepted us into Her property in such a way that neither ours abolished what was His, nor what was His abolished ours. She united Divinity and humanity in one person, so that neither human flesh was made unharmed by the Divinity, nor was the Divine made capable of suffering by human nature. Having accepted us, this nature did not tear off the branches of our race from the common root, but did not accept the sinful ulcer that passes on to all people: since weakness and mortality, which do not unite sin, but only the punishment for sin, were accepted by the Redeemer of the world for the sake of satisfying justice, and as a redemptive price. Thus, what in all people was a sign of condemnation, in Christ there is a sacrament of piety. He Himself, free from all debt, subjected Himself to the most severe punishment; He allowed the hands of the Jews, the servants of the devil, to crucify His most pure flesh. Therefore, He wanted His human body to remain mortal even before the resurrection, so that to those who believe in Him neither persecution would seem unbearable nor death terrible. After this, one should also not doubt participation in glory, just as one should not doubt the communion of His and our nature. So, beloved, if we unwaveringly believe what we confess with our lips, then we were crucified in Christ, we died, we were buried, and in Him on the third day we rose again. Therefore St. The Apostle says: if you are risen with Christ, seek those on high, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God. Be wise above, not earthly: for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ appears, your life, then you also will appear with him in glory (Col. 3:1-4). And so that the hearts of believers know where to draw strength from in order to despise the pleasures of this world and ascend to the highest wisdom, the Lord gives us His presence as a guarantee: “Behold, I am with you,” He says, “always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). It was not in vain that the Holy Spirit said through Isaiah (the prophet): behold, the Virgin will be with child and give birth to a Son, and they will call His name Immanuel, which is: God is with us (Is. 7:14). Jesus fulfills the meaning of His name. He who ascends into heaven does not leave the elect, He who sits at the right hand of the Father remains with the same body. He confirms people in patience, and grief calls them to glory. We should not fall into madness during the vain, deceiving joys of the world, and we should not be afraid during misfortunes and hard work. But since the whole earth is filled with the mercy of the Lord (Ps. 33:5), then the victory of Christ is ready for us everywhere, so that His word may be fulfilled: be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world (John 16:33). Whether we fight against the pride of this world, or against the lusts of the flesh, or against the arrows of false teachers, let us always be armed with the cross of Christ. And he will never be removed from the Easter celebration who will abstain from the evil of the day, preserving the purity of the truth: for with all the changeability of this life, filled with so many sorrows, we must constantly remember the following instruction of St. Apostle: Let this be understood in you, even as in Christ Jesus: He who is in the form of God is not equal to God by admiration; but He made Himself of no reputation, and received the form of a servant, becoming in the likeness of mankind; Therefore God also highly exalted Him, and gave Him a name above every name: that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth: and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Phil. 2:5–11). So imitate what He did, love what He loved. Just as He, having become poor, did not lose his wealth, did not diminish his glory through humiliation, did not lose immortality through death: so you, walking in the same footsteps and following the same paths, despise earthly things in order to gain heavenly things. Our life is in heaven, so let us wait for the Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ: who will transform the body of our humility, that he may be conformed to the body of His glory (Phil. 3:20-21), who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen 52. Leo Magn. papa. Opera omnia. Lugduni, 1700 ann., tom. I, pag. 150–152; cp. Bibliot. Patr. Concionat. Combefis. 1662 ann., vol. IV, pag. 87–89; Sunday Read XXIV (1860–61), pp. 1–3. You might be interested in: