Alleluia! Christ Is Risen! The Lord is Risen Indeed! Alleluia!

St. John Chrysostom’s Paschal Homily

Is there anyone who is a devout lover of God? Let them enjoy this beautiful bright festival!  Is there anyone who is a grateful servant?  Let them rejoice and enter into the joy of their Lord!

Are there any weary with fasting?  Let them now receive their wages! If any have toiled from the first hour,  let them receive their due reward; If any have come after the third hour,  let him with gratitude join in the Feast! And he that arrived after the sixth hour,  let him not doubt; for he too shall sustain no loss. And if any delayed until the ninth hour,  let him not hesitate; but let him come too. And he who arrived only at the eleventh hour,  let him not be afraid by reason of his delay.

For the Lord is gracious and receives the last even as the first. He gives rest to him that comes at the eleventh hour,  as well as to him that toiled from the first. To this one He gives, and upon another He bestows. He accepts the works as He greets the endeavor. The deed He honors and the intention He commends.

Let us all enter into the joy of the Lord!  First and last alike receive your reward;  rich and poor, rejoice together! Sober and slothful, celebrate the day!

You that have kept the fast, and you that have not,  rejoice today for the Table is richly laden! Feast royally on it, the calf is a fatted one. Let no one go away hungry. Partake, all, of the cup of faith. Enjoy all the riches of His goodness!

Let no one grieve at his poverty,  for the universal kingdom has been revealed. Let no one mourn that he has fallen again and again;  for forgiveness has risen from the grave. Let no one fear death, for the Death of our Savior has set us free.
He has destroyed it by enduring it.

He destroyed Hades when He descended into it. He put it into an uproar even as it tasted of His flesh. Isaiah foretold this when he said, “You, O Hell, have been troubled by encountering Him below.”

Hell was in an uproar because it was done away with. It was in an uproar because it is mocked. It was in an uproar, for it is destroyed. It is in an uproar, for it is annihilated. It is in an uproar, for it is now made captive. Hell took a body, and discovered God.  It took earth, and encountered Heaven. It took what it saw, and was overcome by what it did not see.

O death, where is thy sting? O Hades, where is thy victory?

Christ is Risen, and you, O death, are annihilated! Christ is Risen, and the evil ones are cast down! Christ is Risen, and the angels rejoice! Christ is Risen, and life is liberated! Christ is Risen, and the tomb is emptied of its dead; for Christ having risen from the dead, is become the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep.

To Him be Glory and Power forever and ever. Amen!

Holy Saturday

You ascended on high,
leading a host of captives in your train
and receiving gifts among men,
even among the rebellious, that the Lord God may dwell there. (Psalm 68:18)

 

 A Sermon by Bishop Melito of Sardis

(Second Century)

Something strange is happening – there is a great silence on earth today, a great silence and stillness. The whole earth keeps silence because the King is asleep. The earth trembled and is still because God has fallen asleep in the flesh and he has raised up all who have slept ever since the world began. God has died in the flesh and hell trembles with fear.

He has gone to search for our first parent, as for a lost sheep. Greatly desiring to visit those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, he has gone to free from sorrow the captives Adam and Eve, he who is both God and the son of Eve. The Lord approached them bearing the cross, the weapon that had won him the victory. At the sight of him Adam, the first man he had created, struck his breast in terror and cried out to everyone: “My Lord be with you all.” Christ answered him: “And with your spirit.” He took him by the hand and raised him up, saying: “Awake, O sleeper, and rise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.”

I am your God, who for your sake have become your son. Out of love for you and for your descendants I now by my own authority command all who are held in bondage to come forth, all who are in darkness to be enlightened, all who are sleeping to arise. I order you, O sleeper, to awake. I did not create you to be held a prisoner in hell.

Rise from the dead, for I am the life of the dead. Rise up, work of my hands, you who were created in my image. Rise, let us leave this place, for you are in me and I am in you; together we form only one person and we cannot be separated. For your sake I, your God, became your son; I, the Lord, took the form of a slave; I, whose home is above the heavens, descended to the earth and beneath the earth. For your sake, for the sake of man, I became like a man without help, free among the dead. For the sake of you, who left a garden, I was betrayed to the Jews in a garden, and I was crucified in a garden.

See on my face the spittle I received in order to restore to you the life I once breathed into you. See there the marks of the blows I received in order to refashion your warped nature in my image. On my back see the marks of the scourging I endured to remove the burden of sin that weighs upon your back. See my hands, nailed firmly to a tree, for you who once wickedly stretched out your hand to a tree.

I slept on the cross and a sword pierced my side for you who slept in paradise and brought forth Eve from your side. My side has healed the pain in yours. My sleep will rouse you from your sleep in hell. The sword that pierced me has sheathed the sword that was turned against you.

Rise, let us leave this place. The enemy led you out of the earthly paradise. I will not restore you to that paradise, but I will enthrone you in heaven. I forbade you the tree that was only a symbol of life, but see, I who am life itself am now one with you. I appointed cherubim to guard you as slaves are guarded, but now I make them worship you as God. The throne formed by cherubim awaits you, its bearers swift and eager. The bridal chamber is adorned, the banquet is ready, the eternal dwelling places are prepared, the treasure houses of all good things lie open. The kingdom of heaven has been prepared for you from all eternity.

 

Ash Wednesday

Lent began today.

We went to church and our priests put ashes on our foreheads.

Ashes in the shape of the cross.

Fr. Joshua reminded us: The cross of ash is a symbol of both the sickness and the cure.  Ashes for sin, brokenness, death, mourning…the cross for the death that has conquered death.

The cross for Jesus.

Lent is forty days in the desert with Jesus.  The desert of ashes.  The desert that leads to the cross.

And after that?

Life.

Shrove Tuesday

Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, is just around the corner.  In the German tradition, it’s called “Fastnacht Day” and it’s celebrated with fatty donuts and crazy costumes.  In the Latin countries it’s time for Carnival…and we all know about what goes on in New Orleans!
The point is, this is a day for living it up before Lent begins.  Christians over the years have seen this last day before Lent as a chance to cram in all the activities they wouldn’t be doing during the fast -eating, drinking, partying, goofing off, etc.
But in the Anglican tradition we also call this day “Shrove Tuesday,” a term that refers to the practice of “shriving” or confessing sins.  Just like the partying and eating and drinking is supposed to clear the cupboards for our fast, the practice of confession is supposed to clear our hearts.  After all, Scripture tells us that God isn’t so much concerned with food and drink as with matters of the heart – things like love and hate, peace and violence, justice and injustice.
And so, Shrove Tuesday reminds us to confess our sins, but it also reminds us that Jesus came to eliminate our sins, and to reconcile us (to turn us back) to the Father.
And that’s why we have a ritual for the practice of confession in our Book of Common Prayer – a ritual that is specifically called “Reconciliation.”
Part of that ritual helps us to admit that we are, in fact, people who have turned away from God.  That’s the confession part:
Holy God, heavenly Father, you formed me from the dust in
your image and likeness, and redeemed me from sin and
death by the cross of your Son Jesus Christ. Through the
water of baptism you clothed me with the shining garment of
his righteousness, and established me among your children in
your kingdom. But I have squandered the inheritance of your saints,
and have wandered far in a land that is waste.
Yes, we have wasted God’s gifts and wandered far from him.  But that’s not the end of the story, because after the penitent lists all his or her sins, the priest says: ”Will you turn again to Christ as your Lord?”
Here’s the chance to be reconciled, to turn back, to run into the arms of God.

And that’s the question Shrove Tuesday is really asking: Will we turn back to him?

So this year, as we’re thinking about Pancake Suppers and giving stuff up for Lent, let’s remember what it’s all about, and once again come home to the God who loves us.

Superbowl Party Tomorrow!

Join us this Sunday at the Bulows’ home to watch the Big Game…or to play some games – like Wii, ping pong, and board games!  Either way it’s going to be a great time!

The address is 140A Blackburn Avenue (large front porch). Lacey is making chili (or another delicious soup), and the rest of us can bring munchies!

The game starts at 5:30, so we’ll gather at 5:00.  See you there!
And while we’re talking about football, have you ever wondered why some people hold up signs saying “John 3:16″? Click here to find out!