Christ is Risen! What an immense treasure, what a deep meaning and bright joy is in this greeting!


"If Christ be not risen again, then our faith is vain," says Apostle Paul, and our hope for the future is vain as well. If our existence were to end with death, it would seem logical for us to use all possible means to maximize worldly gain and pleasure: "And let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we shall die." Imagine, how gloomy our life would be in the absence of higher ideals and goals! People would become very cruel and unforgiving. Everyone would seek to manipulate others to fulfill his own pleasures with the utmost rudness.

But Christ has risen, and defeated death, and all evil as well! By His Resurrection He has proved to the world that He is the true God and that His teaching is Truth, and that all of what He has promised will definitely come true. He promised that upon His second coming He would resurrect everyone from the dead. "The hour cometh, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live." Then everyone will rise with his own now incorrupt and transfigured body. Then, finally, he will begin the true life for which we all were created by God. No one can say precisely what it will be like, because our world is unlike the world to be. How can we explain the beauty of nature, the songs of birds, the fragrance of flowers and the beauty of the clear sky to a worm who has never emerged from soil? "That eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, what thing s God hath prepared for them that love Him." We only know that there we will have no worry and no one to fear. Everyone will love each other and there will be everlasting joy.

So, the desire of vain, worldly pleasures and the fear of death must not be our guide. Our guide and inspiration for going good must be an active yearning for eternal life.

We must not allow the different sorrows of this life, the lowly passions, or the desire for revenge to cloud or obscure our joy of the radiant Resurrection of Christ. Let us strive to be pure and kinder toward everyone, to forgive and to love everyone as our Lord Jesus Christ loves us and died for our sins.

As a traveler approaching his home does not complain too much about the minor hardships of his journey, let us learn to accept calmly the sorrows that our merciful Lord allows to trouble us for our spiritual benefit. And as a traveler would not burden himself with excessive baggage while great treasure is awaiting him at home, let us learn to be satisfied with that which is truly necessary. We will not take material possessions with us anyway when we leave this life for eternity.

So let the Paschal joy inspire us always to do good and seek righteousness, because this is our true treasure that will follow us to everlasting life. And the greater the love that we acquire and give to others, the closer we will be to God, and the more blessedness we shall inherit. All this treasure is the result of the glorious Resurrection of our Lord and God and Savior Christ. So let us always praise and give thanks to Him for His victory over hell and death!

Dear Brethren, Christ is Risen!