| Two Paschal Messages |
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PASCHAL ENCYCLICAL 2010
Dearly Beloved,
"We have seen Christ's Resurrection."
These words reveal a magnificent statement of our Orthodox faith. While they are recited at every Sunday Orthros service in our churches, in the Orthros of Pascha, this proclamation carries a message that should touch us even more profoundly. Midway through Orthros we will proclaim these words with a freshly lit Paschal candle in our hands and after singing the triumphant "Christ Is Risen" many times. We will have already heard the Good News, the essential message of Christianity, that Jesus of Nazareth has risen from the dead. Our response to the message is indeed, "We have seen Christ's Resurrection".
The signs of the Resurrection – the hymns, the bright vestments, the candles, and the flowers – surround us in our Churches and proclaim the news. We will also fill our homes with signs of the Resurrection – bright new clothing, red eggs, and of course, an end to the weeks of fasting with a roasted lamb – the paschal Lamb – as the centerpiece of a magnificent feast. Families and friends will gather to celebrate, whether in homes or at community picnics. The spirit of joy cannot be contained because "We have seen Christ's Resurrection."
The message of the Resurrection must be spread, as the Angel at the empty tomb instructed the myrrh-bearing women, "Go, tell the disciples". The Resurrection is a universal message. It is not to be shared only among Orthodox Christians, nor even just among Christians, but throughout the world. The lifesaving message that Christ has destroyed the power of death must be shared because His Resurrection has transformed all creation – everything and everyone. Just as we joyfully spread the light of our candles from person to person so, too, we must spread the Good News of the Resurrection to all corners of the world.
Likewise, just as we will valiantly try to keep our Paschal candles lit that we may bless our homes and light our vigil lamps with it, we must carry the joy of the Resurrection into all dimensions of our lives. While we may proclaim loudly that “We have seen Christ's Resurrection”, will others look at us and proclaim that they see the Resurrection in us? In other words, my beloved brothers and sisters, the message of the Resurrection must become more than words, more than a hymn, more that a brightly decorated church, and even much more than a roast lamb. The message of the Resurrection must lead to resurrected lives, that is, lives that have been transformed.
The Resurrection brought a new reality to the world and it is the Church's mission to manifest that new reality. The life of the Church, the evidence of the new reality, is the care and concern we show to one another. As the great doxastikon of Pascha proclaims, "Let us embrace one another...let us speak to those who hate us...and let us forgive one another." And since the message is universal, we must extend our care and concern to all because in the Resurrection all have become our brothers and sisters. We cannot limit our embrace to those we already like or those who like us. We must engage all in dialogue, not just those who already agree with us. We must forgive everyone because "We have seen Christ's Resurrection".
Beloved children in the Lord, when you hear this powerful statement of our Faith in the Orthros, recite them with the reader, but as you do, inscribe them in your heart. When you return to your home, share the message of the Resurrection with your loved ones and your neighbors. Celebrate the Feast of Feasts with all the traditions of our people. Live the Resurrection!
With Love in the Risen Lord,
+ G E R A S I M O S Metropolitan of San Francisco You rich and poor, rejoice together. You temperate and you heedless, honor the day. You fasted, and you who did not, rejoice today. The Table is richly laden. All of you, fare sumptuously on it. The calf is a fatted one; let no one go away hungry. All of you enjoy the banquet of faith. All of you enjoy the riches of His goodness. Let no one grieve poverty, for the universal Kingdom has been revealed.” (From the Paschal Homily of St. John Chrysostom) What a welcoming voice this is! What an invitation of joy it is! Isn’t the voice of St. John Chrysostom heavenly? His voice carries the immense love of our Lord, Jesus Christ. His words fittingly intone the Light of Christ’s Resurrection. His cry embraces everyone in the warmest way. Announcing the highest hope, it opens doors for everyone. Truly, we need to hear such a hopeful voice. Such an outreaching voice is of the Church. Such a life-giving offering is of our Lord’s doing. And yet, the voice does not come to me unless I want to hear. It doesn’t mean anything unless I want to know it. So I, sitting in comfort in the world, need to stand up if I want to see the light of life. I must stretch out my arms and legs to touch the hope and joy. It is the most hopeful, meaningful, exhilarating and transcending message for the whole universe. I must willingly receive it today in my mind and heart that the light may permeate every part of my body. In today’s reality, we often realize life is quite challenging. When there is a loss of job, a loss of home, a loss of beloved family member, illness, trauma, and so on, we are sad and it hurts. Sometimes, despair catches us. Things seem stressful and exhausting. And yet, we know life has to go on. Life is a mystery. Isn’t that true that in the midst of all the hustle and bustle, in our concerns and obligations, we often find ourselves wondering, “What is life?” “What is the meaning?” To this question, St. Paul mentions in his letters (Rom. 6:11, 2Cor. 5:15-17, Col. 3:14-17), life has no meaning without Christ. Life only gets its real meaning when it is clothed with His love, the Cross and Resurrection. In Him, everything is transformed and given an eternal quality and permanent value. When things are seen with heavenly vision, everything turns into hope and life, peace and joy. Even suffering turns into goodness. Such is the power of a life in Christ. And He offers it freely. All it requires is our desire, and faithfulness to Him. He leaves us in absolute freedom to choose: Him or anything else, the hope or hopelessness, life or death. Isn’t that the ultimate choice we must make anyway? After all, who is He? Do I accept He is the Almighty God and the Author of my life? Do I acknowledge that He, in love, gives Himself up for my life? If the answer is “Yes,” we should know what we should do. The only thing that will make our life different is our will to come to Him. Brothers and sisters in Christ! We are about to go through Christ’s Passion and Resurrection. This is the “Passage” toward the Light of Christ. It has been an awesome opportunity to be with Christ, and yet to be lived out by us. So, this is not about an annual event. This is not just religious commemoration. This is about the timeless offering of Christ’s Life. He died yesterday, but He dies today and will die tomorrow, because of my sin and for my salvation. Let us always come to Him, to His humility, to His long-suffering, to His dying, to His Resurrection and to His love. May we learn, through His timeless condescending and our participation, what it means to be with Him. With the warmest Paschal wishes in the Lord, I pray the Risen Christ blesses, enlightens and sanctifies every aspect of our life and needs of each and every one. May the Light of His Resurrection fills your hearts with His grace and love, with His joy and vision, and grant you and your family a meaningful celebration of the Pascha and a renewed life. Christ is Risen! Truly, He is Risen! In the joy of Christ's Resurrection, Fr. Gregory Koo |
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