SUNDAY OF PASCHA 2009
Paschal Epistle of Metropolitan Cerycus of Mesogaea and Laureotica
[Read during the Divine Liturgy of the Sunday of Holy Pascha in the parishes
throughout Greece belonging to the Genuine Orthodox Church (Synod of
Metropolitan Cerycus).]
"We celebrate the slaying of death,
the dethronement of hades, and
a new life of eternal renewal."
Beloved brethren and children in the Lord,
We, your spiritual shepherds, have the habit of preparing and delivering
"Paschal Epistles" during this time of the Bright and Joyous Resurrection. Many
of these may have a deep meaning and are rich in theological and pastoral
technicality, but are poor in regards to teaching one how to live spiritually
and resurrectionally…
We tend to voice to one another our paschal greeting without making this
greeting apply to our own personal death and resurrection. And this is because
the idea of "co-resurrection with Christ" is missing within us, even though this
is the means whereby our Savior's Resurrection lives within us. We are missing
within us the "slaying of the hades of sinfulness" and the immediately followed
"new life of eternal renewal."
This mystery of the co-resurrection of mankind with the Risen Christ is the
mystery of our salvation. And as a mystery it cannot be circumscribed, it cannot
be analyzed. On the contrary, it can only be lived. And this way of life means
that the kingdom of sin is shattered within us, the locked gates of hades are
broken, and only then does the light of the Resurrection shine within us.
Otherwise, no matter how much we greet one another with "Christ is Risen," and
no matter how much we preach with our mouths and lips the response "Truly He is
Risen," if we yet remain in the tomb of indifference, evil, pride and lack of
repentance, we remain outside of the mystery of salvation.
In such a manner, although we say with great words, and although we print
fantastic greetings, although we feel an apparent worldly joy, we do not meet
the Risen Christ. On the contrary, we deny him by our evil actions. We, from the
Royal Doors exclaim "Come receive ye the light, of the unwaning light," and you
all run to light your candles. And despite all of this, we remain for the most
part in darkness. Because, if by our sinful life we extinguish the light within
us, how overwhelming is the darkness? If our lips voice "we celebrate the
slaying of death" and yet we live as though we are dead, hopeless and careless
towards the spiritual things, and if we are not moved by the plea of St. Joseph
of Arimathea to ask for the body of Jesus for burial, and if we are not inspired
by the courage of St. Nicodemus and the bravery of the myrrh-bearing women, and
if we remain in the tomb of denial and of faithlessness, then what use is it for
us to say "Christ is Risen?"
How can we work towards our exit from the tomb of sinfulness? How can we
celebrate a true Pascha? Through co-resurrection! But first we must pass through
the road of co-crucifixion. To walk with Christ towards Golgotha and be lifted
up on the Cross with Him is of great necessity for the achievement of
co-resurrection. And this walking with Christ and being lifted up on the cross
with Him, receives its worth and becomes a reality only through humility and
contrition. Even if we directly deny the Teacher, there is still a way of
returning to the right road and walking with Him. For, after his third denial of
Christ, upon hearing the rooster cry thrice, St. Peter "went out and cried
bitterly."
Only the humiliated and brokenhearted know the road of repentance and
contrition. And only those who have passed through their own personal Golgotha
of humility and martyrdom (which in this case means repentance), and have
reached the empty tomb, live resurrectionally and are given a foretaste of the
inexpressible joy of eternity. Only those who know Christ in their lives as the
"slain lamb" see him as the conqueror of death, because only they understand the
meaning "he came victorious and that he may conquer."
Beloved brethren, as always, even today the road towards Golgotha is the road
that is directed by the true Church of Christ. Rather, the Church is the only
road towards Golgotha. It is the only way towards Resurrection. It is the Church
of the Cross and the Resurrection. They who remain as members of the Church,
they who hold unadulterated and uncounterfeited the good Confession (that is,
Orthodoxy, which cannot be understood without Orthopraxy, which is walking with
and being crucified with Christ), only they indeed rise up to the martyric road
of Golgotha, only they really celebrate the Resurrection, only they are deemed
worthy of co-resurrection with Christ, and only they experience the reality of
the Paschal greeting:
"Christ is Risen! – Truly He is Risen!"
Your fervent supplicant before the Risen Lord,
- Metropolitan Cerycus of Mesogaea and Laureotica
Sunday of Pascha, April 6/19, 2009, Athens, Greece.
English Language Website: http://www.genuineorthodoxchurch.net
English Language Email: genuineorthodoxchurch@...
Greek Language Website: http://www.churchgoc.org/index_el.html
Greek Language Email: episkirikos@...