TNH EASTER 2009.Qxd

www.thenationalherald.com The National Herald April 18, 2009 c v 2 EASTER 2009 THE NATIONAL HERALD, APRIL 18, 2009 Ecumenical Patriarchal Proclamation on the Holy Pascha Dearly beloved brothers and the ninth hour of the Preparation of equally unquestionable historical the powers of Hades; death itself have Churches of the crucified, children in the Lord, the Passover, he said: “It is accom- reality! This reality has immediate was reduced to nothing more than dead, risen and living Christ, where CHRIST IS RISEN! plished!” and surrendered His spir- and salvific consequences for all of a mere incident introducing hu- before the hopelessness of our In sullenness, one day in the it. This is an unquestionable histor- us. The Son of God, who is at the manity from death to Life. The time, the betrayal of all idols, the 19th century, humankind heard ical reality. The Only-begotten Son same time the Son of Man, was Churches, those “tombs of God,” “lowly gods” that have stolen our from the lips of the tragic philoso- and Word of God, Jesus Christ, the risen. God was resurrected togeth- are the wide-open gates of divine hearts, such as the economy, the pher: “God is dead! We killed him! true God, died for our sake. After er with all of humanity that He as- love, the opened entrance to the ideology, the philosophy, the meta- All of us are his murderers … God assuming everything that we have: sumed: in the Body that He re- Bridal chamber of God’s Son, who physics and all those “empty de- will remain dead! What else are the body, soul, will, energy, toil, agony, ceived from the pure blood of the “came out of the tomb as from a ceits” of our “age of deception,” churches but tombs and graves of pain, sorrow, joy, all things except Most Holy Theotokos as well as in Bridegroom,” while we faithful en- we can find refuge, comfort and God?” And only a few decades lat- sin, he finally assumed our greatest His sacred soul. He was risen from ter therein and “celebrate the death salvation. er, we heard from the lips of his concern, namely death – indeed, in the dead, “resurrecting the whole of death, the annihilation of Hades, From the Ecumenical Patriar- younger colleague: “Gentlemen, I its most cruel and humiliating ex- of Adam in His loving-kindness.” the beginning of a new, eternal way chate, the Mother Church, which declare to you the death of God!” pression, namely on the Cross. To Christ’s grave, the “empty tomb” of of life; and, thus rejoicing, we offer experiences to the utmost the Pas- These declarations of atheist this point, we are in agreement Joseph, is forever empty. Instead of hymns to the cause, namely the on- sion, Pain, Cross, and Death, as philosophers shook the conscience with the philosophers. We would being a grave for the dead, it is a ly blessed and glorious God of our well as the Resurrection of Christ, of people. Much confusion ensued even accept that the churches, the memorial of victory over death; it is fathers.” we extend to all the faithful of the in the field of the spirit and of liter- temples, are “the tombs and graves a fountain of life! The spiritual Sun It is fortunate, then, that God Church our wholehearted Paschal ature, of art and sometimes even of of God.” Nevertheless … we recog- of Righteousness has dawned died because His death became the greeting and blessing, together Theology, where, especially in the nize, experience and worship this “beautiful, as from a grave,” granti- source of our life and resurrection. with the embrace of our Lord Jesus West, there was debate even about God who has died, as “a most life- ng the unwaning light, peace, joy, It is fortunate that there are so Christ, who was risen from the a “Theology of the death of God.” giving dead.” Only moments after gladness, and eternal life. It is true many of His “tombs” throughout dead and lives eternally, granting Of course, the Church never had that awful Preparation, in the that the temples were the “tombs” the world, so many sacred temples, life to all people. To Him be glory, the slightest doubt that God had morning watch of “the first of the of God, but they were empty tombs, where each of can freely enter might, honor and worship, with the died. This occurred in 33AD, on the Sabbath,” on the day of the Lord, filled with light and replete with when we are in pain, tired, and in Father and Holy Spirit, to the ages. hill of Golgotha in Jerusalem, in the what occurred was the reason for “the fragrance of life” and the need of consolation in order lay be- Amen. reign of Pontius Pilate, the Roman which the divine economy of the smell of Paschal spring, brilliant, fore God the burden of our suffer- † BARTHOLOMEW Governor of Judaea. After suffering flesh, passion, cross and descent in- splendid, adorned in glory and ing, agony, fear and insecurity – of Constantinople an unspeakable passion, He was to Hades took place. The Resurrec- with life-giving flowers of tangible namely, in order to become rid of Your fervent intercessor crucified as a criminal and, at about tion! And this Resurrection is an hope. The death of God overturned our death. It is fortunate that we before the Risen Christ Encyclical of Archbishop Demetrios of America for Holy Pascha 2009 The Feast of Feasts ing Truth of our faith in Christ. unique exclamation of his belief: Gospel. However, His presence is our lives, and that we are continu- Faith is the substance of things The Biblical record is replete My Lord and my God! (John made manifest in the most superb ously renewed by His healing pow- hoped for, with several accounts of the ap- 20:28). To this, Christ replied to way when we partake of His very er. Τhe evidence of things not seen. pearances of Christ to His disciples Thomas, Have you believed be- real body and blood in the most My beloved Christians, (Hebrews 11:1) after His triumphant Resurrection cause you have seen me? Blessed blessed sacrament of Holy Commu- On this Holy Feast of Pascha, as from the dead. The Gospel of John are those who have not seen and nion, through the physical ele- we fill our churches and our hearts To the Most Reverend Hierar- (20:19-29) presents us with two yet believe (John 20:29). ments of bread and wine. This is with the light and joy of the Resur- chs, the Reverend Priests and Dea- such appearances of the Risen Thomas needed to see in order why we give thanks to the Lord rection, let us joyfully profess our cons, the Monks and Nuns, the Christ to His apostles in the upper to believe, and Thomas’ struggle when we partake of the Holy Com- belief in the Risen Lord, Who is in Presidents and Members of the room, where they frequently gath- with his doubt and his faith is a munion by acknowledging that we our midst. Through faith and our Parish Councils of the Greek Ortho- ered. In the first of these appear- very human one indeed. Today, we have “received the divine, holy, partaking of His body and blood in dox Communities, the Distin- ances, the Risen Christ showed His profess our belief in the Risen pure, immortal, life-giving and the Divine Mystery of Holy Com- guished Archons of the Ecumenical apostles His hands and His side, the Christ nearly 2,000 years after the awesome Mysteries of Christ,” to munion, let us receive His love and Patriarchate, the Day, Afternoon, scars of the physical agony which appearances of the Risen Christ to quote the words of the Divine Litur- affirm the assurance of His bless- and Church Schools, the Philopto- He endured on the Cross unto His apostles. We do this within a gy. Thus, paradoxically, while we ings upon us. Let us proclaim to a chos Sisterhoods, the Youth, the death. His presence before them society that is removed historically did not “see” the Risen Christ in the world in need that we are people of Hellenic Organizations, and the en- was a visible sign of His Resurrec- by the passage of time since these same way in which His apostles the Resurrection, that we are peo- tire Greek Orthodox Family in tion from the dead. At this first ap- Divine appearances. For this rea- did, we nonetheless do “see” Him ple of hope and salvation, and that America pearance of the Risen Christ in the son, we can rejoice in our belief in and experience Him in a total and we are people of faith. And let us upper room, however, the Apostle the Risen Christ because we know complete way, just as His apostles. invite all to come into the loving Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Thomas was not present. the beatitude pronounced by Christ It is here where we are presented embrace of the living Lord Who is Christ, Hearing of this encounter from which tells us that we are blessed with the element of Divine Mystery Risen and to see Him, experience CHRIST IS RISEN! the other apostles, Thomas had because we are among those who that is a distinguishing characteris- Him, and find everlasting joy and ΧΡΙΣΤΌΣ AΝΈΣΤΗ! clearly stated that he would not be- have not seen and yet believe tic of our Orthodox Christian faith. peace in Him, Who has vanquished On this great and glorious Feast lieve that Christ had risen from the (v.29).

Load more