Homilia i in sanctum pascha

Of the blessed Hesychius, presbyter of Jerusalem, on the holy Pascha. The sky is bright, illuminated by the chorus of stars, but brighter still are all things when the morning star rises; yet the present state of the night is not so much illuminated by stars as it now rejoices because our God and Savior has conquered. For he says, "Take courage, I have conquered the world." And since God has conquered the invisible enemy, it is fitting that we too shall carry off the victory over demons. Let us therefore remain with the saving cross, so that we may bear away the first offerings of Jesus' gifts. Let us celebrate this holy night with sacred torchlight processions, raising a divinely inspired melody and singing a heavenly hymn. "The sun of righteousness," our Lord Jesus Christ, has illuminated even this present day throughout the circuit of the inhabited world; he rose through the cross, he saved the faithful. Let no one therefore disbelieve the symbols of the cross, but let him worship the blessed and thrice-blessed wood of the cross, and the symbols of the cross, which have opened the gate of heaven to us. No longer "do they light a lamp and place it under a bushel"—by bushel I mean the Law—"but on the lampstand"; the lamp is the Word. Under the Law the Word was hidden from the unbelievers as under a bushel; but when he came upon the cross and was placed on the lampstand, then he shone throughout the circuit of the inhabited world.

Behold, beloved, the imperial Rome, exulting in the midst of its forum with the symbols of the cross. Behold Paul, writing immortal epistles and inscribing himself as a servant of the cross. He was not ashamed of the cross, the scandal of the Jews; he drew upon the folly of the nations as a safeguard of wisdom. By the wood of the cross he raised up the churches of the world. A single rod of Moses drove away the plagues of the Egyptians, but a rod akin to the wood of the cross puts a stop to the sins of men. There Pharaoh is drowned while pursuing Israel; here the devil is overthrown, and the worshippers of the Savior are saved. There Adam, stretching out his hands, drew death upon us; but our Lord, by the stretching out of his hands, saved all things. O wood more magnificent than the sky and surpassing the heavenly vaults! O thrice-blessed wood, ferrying our souls to heaven! O wood that has procured salvation for the world and driven away the demonic host! O wood that has hurled a thief into paradise and made him dance with Christ: “Amen, for I tell you truly, today you will be with me in paradise.” Let us imitate the good intention of the murderer, or rather of the spirit-bearer, because of his subsequent faith. For what does he say? “Remember me, Lord, in your kingdom.” And with a single assent of faith, he dwells in paradise and roams the heavens. “For I tell you truly,” he says, “today you will be with me in paradise.” Let us also remain with the cross of the Savior, uttering these same words.

Lord, remember me in your kingdom," that we also may become partakers of paradise and enjoy the kingdom of the heavens. This present festival is a victory celebration, brothers, a victory celebration of the all-king son of God. For today the devil was defeated because of the crucified one, and our race rejoices because of the risen one. For today's day cries out to my rising and says: "In my course I saw a new spectacle, a tomb opening and a man rising, and bones rejoicing and souls delighting, and men being formed and heavens being rent, and powers crying out: 'Lift up your gates, you rulers,' and so forth. Today I saw the heavenly king ascending, girded with light, beyond lightning and rays, beyond the sun and springs of water, beyond clouds and the spirit of power and eternal life." For he was hidden first in a womb of flesh, then in a womb of the earth, there sanctifying those being born through gestation, there giving life to the dead through resurrection: "For pain and grief and groaning have fled." "For who knew the mind of God, or who became his counselor," but the Word who was made flesh and nailed to wood and rose from the dead and was raised into the heavens? This day is an announcement of joy; for on this day the Lord rose, raising up the flock of Adam with him; for he was born for the sake of man and rose in man.

Today because of the risen one, paradise has been opened, and Adam is brought to life, and Eve is comforted, and the calling is multiplied, and the kingdom is prepared, and man is saved, and Christ is worshipped. For having trampled upon death, and taken the tyrant captive, and despoiled Hades, he ascended into the heavens, as a victorious king, as a glorious commander, as an invincible charioteer, saying to the Father, "Behold me and the children whom you have given me, O God," and so forth. And he heard from the Father, "Sit at my right hand until I place your enemies as a footstool under your feet." Glory to him, now and for ever and ever. Amen.