In sanctum pascha

A Homily on the Holy Pascha. 1. It is timely today for us all to cry out what was said by the blessed David: "Who will speak of the mighty deeds of the Lord, who will make all his praises heard?" For behold, the longed-for and saving feast has come to us, the resurrection day of our Lord Jesus Christ, the foundation of peace, the occasion of reconciliation, the abolition of wars, the dissolution of death, the defeat of the devil. Today men have mingled with angels, and those who are clothed in a body now offer hymns together with the incorporeal powers. Today the tyranny of the devil is overthrown; today the bonds of death have been loosed, the victory of Hades has been annihilated; today it is timely again to utter that prophetic voice: "Where, O Death, is your sting? Where, O Hades, is your victory?" Today our Master Christ has shattered the bronze gates, and has obliterated the very face of death. But why do I say "the face"? He has changed its very name; for it is no longer called death, but sleep and slumber. For before the coming of Christ and the economy of the cross, even the name of death was terrifying. For the first man, when he was created, was condemned to this as a great penalty, hearing: "On whatever day you eat, you shall die by death." And the blessed Job also addressed it by this name, saying: "Death is rest for a man." And the prophet David said: "The death of sinners is evil." Not only was the separation of the soul from the body called death, but also Hades.

For hear the patriarch Jacob saying, "You will bring down my old age with sorrow to Hades," and again the prophet, "Hades opened its mouth," and again another prophet saying, "He will deliver me from the lowest Hades," and in many places in the Old Testament you will find death and Hades called the departure from here. But since Christ our God was offered as a sacrifice, and the events of the resurrection advanced, the benevolent Master removed these very names and introduced a new and strange way of life into our world: for instead of death, the departure from here is now called a falling asleep and a sleep. And how is this clear? Hear Christ himself saying, "Lazarus, our friend, has fallen asleep, but I am going to wake him up." For just as it is easy for us to wake and rouse the sleeper, so it is for the common Master of us all to raise him. And since what was said by him was new and strange, not even the disciples understood what was said, until he, condescending to their weakness, spoke it more clearly. And the teacher of the world, the blessed Paul, writing to the Thessalonians, says, "I do not want you to be ignorant concerning those who have fallen asleep, so that you may not grieve, as the rest do who have no hope." And again elsewhere, "So then, those who have fallen asleep in Christ, have they perished?" And again, "We who are living, who are left behind, will not overtake those who have fallen asleep." And elsewhere again, "For if we believe that Jesus died and rose, so also God will bring those who have fallen asleep with him." 2. Do you see then everywhere death being called a falling asleep and a sleep?

and the one who before this had a fearsome face, now after the resurrection becomes contemptible? Have you seen the splendid trophy of the resurrection? Because of this, countless goods have been brought in for us; because of this, the deception of the demons has been destroyed; because of this, we laugh at death; because of this, we look down on the present life; because of this, we hasten toward desire for future things; because of this, though clothed in a body, we are in no way inferior to the bodiless, if we wish. Today our glorious victory celebrations have taken place; today our Master, having set up the trophy against death and having destroyed the tyranny of the devil, has granted the way through resurrection to salvation. Therefore let us all rejoice, leap, and exult. For even if our Master has conquered and set up the trophy, still the joy and gladness are common to us as well. For he has done everything for our salvation; and through the very means by which the devil wrestled us down, through these Christ has prevailed over him. He took the very weapons and with them overcame him; and how, listen. A virgin and a tree and death became the symbols of our defeat. For Eve was a virgin; for she did not yet know a man when she endured the love; a tree was the tree; death was the penalty against Adam. Do you see how a virgin and a tree and death became for us the symbols of defeat? Now see how these same things have again become the causes of victory. Instead of Eve, Mary; instead of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, the tree of the cross; instead of the death of Adam, the Lord's death.

Do you see that through the very means by which he conquered, he is himself defeated? Concerning the tree, the devil overcame Adam; concerning the cross, Christ wrestled down the devil. That tree sent men to Hades, but this tree, that of the cross, recalled even those who had departed from Hades; that tree hid the defeated one as a captive and naked, but this one displayed the victor naked and nailed high for all to see. And one death condemned even those after it, but the other truly raised up even those before it. Who will proclaim the powers of the Lord, who will make all his praises heard? From death we have become immortal, from a fall we have risen, from defeat we have become victors. These are the achievements of the cross, this is the greatest proof of the resurrection. Today angels leap for joy, and all the heavenly powers rejoice, delighting together in the salvation of the common race of men. For if there is joy in heaven and on earth over a single repentant sinner, how much more over the salvation of the whole world. Today, having freed human nature from the tyranny of the devil, he has restored it to its former nobility. For when I see my own firstfruits so overcoming death, I no longer fear, I no longer tremble at the war; I do not look to my own weakness, but I consider the ineffable power that will fight on my side.

The one who overcame the tyranny of death and stripped it of all its power, what will he not accomplish for his own kind, whose form he deigned to assume out of great love for humanity, and through which he wrestled with the devil? Today there is joy everywhere in the world and spiritual gladness. Today the host of angels and the chorus of all the heavenly powers rejoice over the salvation of humanity. Consider, then, beloved, the magnitude of the joy, that even the heavenly powers celebrate with us; for they rejoice in our blessings. For even if the grace from the Master is ours, the pleasure is also theirs. Therefore they are not ashamed to celebrate with us. And why do I say that our fellow servants are not ashamed to celebrate with us? The Master himself, of them and of us, is not ashamed to celebrate with us. But what am I saying, that he is not ashamed? He even desires to celebrate with us. How is this clear? Hear him saying: "I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you." If he desired to eat the Passover, then clearly he desired to celebrate with us. When, therefore, you see not only angels and the host of all the heavenly powers, but also the Master of the angels himself celebrating with us, what is left for you in terms of gladness? Let no one, then, be downcast today because of poverty; for it is a spiritual feast. Let no rich man be puffed up because of his wealth; for he cannot bring anything from his money into this feast.

In the case of external festivals—I mean worldly ones—where there is much ostentation, both of outward attire and of the lavishness at table, it is natural that there the poor person will be in dejection and gloom, while the rich person will be in pleasure and cheerfulness. Why so? Because the one puts on splendid clothing and sets out a more sumptuous table, while the poor person is prevented by poverty from displaying the same ambition. Here, however, there is nothing of the sort; rather, all this inequality is removed, and there is one table for both rich and poor, for slave and free. If you are rich, you have no advantage over the poor person; if you are poor, you will have no less than the rich person, nor is your enjoyment of the spiritual feast diminished because of your poverty; for the grace is divine and knows no distinction of persons. And why do I say that the same table is set before rich and poor? Even for the one who wears the diadem and the purple robe, who has assumed the authority over the inhabited world, and for the beggar who sits for alms, one table is set. For such are the spiritual gifts: they do not divide the communion by rank, but by intention and disposition. With the same freedom and honor, both the king and the beggar proceed to the enjoyment and communion of these divine mysteries. And why do I say with the same honor? Often the poor person does so with greater freedom. Why so?

The king, surrounded by the cares of affairs and hemmed in by many circumstances, as if caught in a sea, is thus drenched from all sides by the successive waves and incurs many sins. But the poor man, freed from all these, concerned only for his necessary sustenance, and pursuing a life free from business and tranquil, as if sitting in a harbor and calm, approaches the table with great reverence. 4. And not only this, but from many other things various despondencies arise for those occupied with worldly festivals. For there again the poor man is in dejection, while the rich man is in cheerfulness, not only because of the table and the lavishness, but also because of the bright garments and the display of attire. What they suffer, then, in the case of the table, they also endure in the case of clothing. When the poor man sees the rich man clad in a more costly robe, he is struck with pain, he laments himself, he curses himself a thousand times. But here, despondency itself is abolished; for there is one garment for all—the saving vestment—and Paul cries out, saying: "As many as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ." Let us not, therefore, dishonor such a festival, I beseech you, but let us assume a mindset worthy of the gifts bestowed upon us by the grace of Christ.

Let us not give ourselves over to drunkenness and gluttony, but, having considered the generosity of our Master, and that he honored both rich and poor alike, both slaves and free, and poured out the common gift upon all, let us repay the benefactor for his goodwill toward us; and a sufficient repayment is a pleasing manner of life, and a sober and vigilant soul. This feast and festival has no need of money, no need of expense, but only of intention and a pure mind. Nothing bodily is to be purchased here, but all things are spiritual: hearing of divine oracles, prayers of the Fathers, blessings of priests, communion of the divine and ineffable mysteries, peace and concord, and spiritual gifts worthy of the generosity of the giver. Let us therefore celebrate this feast in which the Lord arose. For he arose, and raised the world with himself. And he himself arose, having broken the bonds of death; and he raised us, having dissolved the chains of our sins. Adam sinned, and died; Christ did not sin, and died. Strange and paradoxical: that one sinned and died; this one did not sin, and died. For what reason and why? So that the one who sinned and died might, through the one who did not sin and died, be freed from the bonds of death. This often happens also in the case of those who owe money: someone owes another money, and does not have it to pay, and for this reason is held; another, not owing but able to pay, by depositing it releases the debtor. So it happened with Adam and with Christ.

Adam owed death and was held by the devil; Christ owed nothing and was not held. He came and overthrew death on behalf of the one who was held, so that he might release him from the bonds of death. Do you see the achievements of the resurrection? Do you see the philanthropy of the Master? Do you see the magnitude of his care? Let us not, then, become ungrateful toward such a benefactor, nor, because the fast has passed, let us become more negligent. But now more than before let us take greater care of the soul, so that while the flesh grows fat, the soul may not become weaker; so that while we care for the servant, we may not neglect the mistress. For what profit is there, tell me, in bursting beyond need and exceeding moderation? This both ruins the body and betrays the nobility of the soul. But let us adhere to sufficiency and need, so that we may fulfill what is fitting for both soul and body, so that we may not pour out all at once what was gathered from the fast. Do I forbid enjoying food and relaxation? I do not forbid this, but I urge you to adhere to need, to cut off excessive luxury, and not, by exceeding the measure, to ruin the health of the soul. For such a person, having exceeded the bounds of need, will no longer even enjoy pleasure; and this is precisely known by those who have gone through experience itself, and who have thereby generated for themselves countless forms of diseases and endured much disgust. But I do not doubt that you will be persuaded by our exhortations; for I know your obedience.

5. And having set aside the exhortation concerning this matter, I wish to turn my discourse to those who during this light-bearing night have been deemed worthy of the gift of divine baptism—these beautiful plants of the Church, these spiritual flowers, these new soldiers of Christ. Before yesterday the Master was on the cross, but now he has risen; so too these, before yesterday were held by sin, but now they have risen together with Christ. He died in body and rose again; these were dead in sin and have risen from sin. The earth at this season of spring brings forth for us roses and violets and other flowers; but today the waters have revealed to us a meadow more delightful than the earth. And do not be amazed, beloved, if meadows of flowers have been revealed from the waters; for not even from the beginning did the earth put forth the growth of plants according to its own nature, but yielding to the command of the Master. And the waters then brought forth moving creatures, when they heard, "Let the waters bring forth creeping things of living souls," and the command became deed; the inanimate substance cast forth animate creatures.

Thus also now the same command has accomplished everything. Then it said, "Let the waters bring forth creeping things of living souls"; now, however, it has yielded not creeping things but spiritual gifts. Then the waters brought forth irrational fish; now they have given birth for us to rational and spiritual fish, caught by the apostles. For he says, "Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." Truly this manner of fishing is new. For those who fish cast the fish out of the waters and kill what is caught; but we cast into the waters, and those who are caught are given life. There was once a pool of water among the Jews as well; but learn what power it had, so that you may accurately know the poverty of the Jews and understand our wealth. An angel descended there, it is said, and disturbed the water, and the first one to descend after the disturbance enjoyed the healing. The Lord of the angels descended into the streams of the Jordan, and having sanctified the nature of the waters, healed the whole world. For this reason, there, after the first, the one who descended was no longer healed; for grace was given to the Jews who were sick, who were dragged on the ground; but here, after the first, the second descends, after the second, the third and fourth; and if you should speak of countless numbers, or cast the whole world into these spiritual waters, the grace is not consumed, the gift is not expended, the waters are not polluted, the munificence is not diminished. Do you see the magnitude of the gift?

Listen, you who have been enrolled today and during this night in the upper Jerusalem, and show a guard worthy of the magnitude of the gifts, so that you may draw down even more abundant grace; for gratitude for what has already been given summons the generosity of the Master. It is no longer permitted to you, beloved, to live indifferently; but set for yourself laws and canons, so that you may do everything with precision, and show great vigilance even concerning things thought to be indifferent. For this whole present life is a contest and a wrestling match, and those who have once entered this stadium of virtue must practice total self-control; for every contestant practices total self-control. Do you not see in athletic contests how much care for themselves those who undertake wrestling against men display, and with how much self-control they show their bodily training? So it is here. Since our struggle is not against men, but against the spiritual forces of wickedness, let our training and our self-control be spiritual; since also our weapons, with which the Master has clothed us, are spiritual. Therefore let the eye also have boundaries and canons, so that it does not simply leap at everything that falls before it; and let the tongue have a wall, so that it does not run ahead of the mind.

For this reason both the teeth and the lips have been fashioned for the security of the tongue, so that the tongue may never simply fling open its doors and go out, but only when it has well ordered its own affairs, then it may proceed with all decorum and utter such words as give grace to the hearers and speak those things which tend to the edification of those who hear. And one must altogether avoid disorderly laughter, and have a calm and quiet gait, and a composed garment, and in all things, simply, it is fitting for one who has enrolled in the stadium of virtue to be regulated; for the good order of the external members is a kind of image of the state of the soul. 6. If we establish ourselves in such a habit from the outset, proceeding thereafter along the path with ease, we shall accomplish the whole of virtue, and we shall not need much labor, and we shall draw down much grace from above. For thus we shall be able both to run through the waves of the present life with safety, and, having become superior to the snares of the devil, to attain the eternal goods, by the grace and love for humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father together with the

Glory, power, honor to the Holy Spirit, now and always, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.