A Fifth Century Easter Message
Apr 21, 2019 00:28:56 #
padremike
Loc: Phenix City, Al
The mighty preacher St. John Chrysostom delivered the Easter homily in the cathedral in Constantinople on a 5th Century Pascha morning long ago. He addressed those who had come to break their Lenten fast - to rejoice in the joy of the risen Lord. St. John spoke to them words of timeless hope. They are as fresh today as they were on the day St. John of the golden tongue stood before thousands of the faithful and said,
Is there anyone who is devout and a lover of God? Come and receive this bright, this beautiful feasts of feasts! Is there anyone who is a wise servant? Rejoice, as you enter into the joy of your Lord! Is there anyone who is weary from fasting? Come and receive your reward! Is there anyone who has labored from the first hour? Accept today your fair wages! Is there anyone who came after the third hour? Be glad as you celebrate the feast! Is there anyone who came after the sixth hour? Have no doubts, for nothing is being held back! Is there anyone who delayed until the ninth hour? Come forward, without any hesitation! Is there anyone who came up only at the eleventh hour? Do not be afraid because of your lateness - for the honor and generosity of the Master is unsurpassed! He accepts the last as well as the first; He gives rest to the eleventh hour arrival as well as to the one who labored from the first; He is merciful to the former as He is gracious to the latter; He shows His generosity to the one and His kindness to the other; He honors the deed and commends the purpose.
Therefore, enter all of you into the joy of your Lord! Both first and last, receive the reward; Rich and poor, dance and sing together; abstemious and careless, honor this day; fasters and non-fasters, enjoy a feast today. The table is filled, and everyone should share in the luxury; The calf is fatted, and no one must go away hungry.
Come, one and all, and receive the banquet of faith! Come, one and all, and receive the riches of lovingkindness! No one must lament his poverty, for a kingdom belonging to all has appeared; no one must despair over his failings. for forgiveness has sprung up from the grave; no one must fear death, for the death of the Savior has set us all free.
By being held in its power, He extinguished it, and by descending into Hades, He made Hades captive. He embittered it when it tasted His flesh. And in anticipation of this, Isaiah exclaimed: "Hades was in an uproar, meeting you below."
It was in an uproar, for it was wiped out, it was in an uproar, for it was mocked; it was in an uproar, for it was vanquished, it was in an uproar, for it was bound in chains. It took a body, and met up with God; it took earth, and came face to face with heaven; it took what it saw, and was struck down by what it did not see.
O death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?
Christ is risen, and you are laid low; Christ is risen and the demons are struck down; Christ is risen, and the angels rejoice; Christ is risen, and life is abundant and free; Christ is risen, and there are no dead left in the tombs! For Christ, when He was raised from the dead, became the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. Glory to Him! and power, for ever and ever. Amen!
A blessed and joyful Easter to all!
Is there anyone who is devout and a lover of God? Come and receive this bright, this beautiful feasts of feasts! Is there anyone who is a wise servant? Rejoice, as you enter into the joy of your Lord! Is there anyone who is weary from fasting? Come and receive your reward! Is there anyone who has labored from the first hour? Accept today your fair wages! Is there anyone who came after the third hour? Be glad as you celebrate the feast! Is there anyone who came after the sixth hour? Have no doubts, for nothing is being held back! Is there anyone who delayed until the ninth hour? Come forward, without any hesitation! Is there anyone who came up only at the eleventh hour? Do not be afraid because of your lateness - for the honor and generosity of the Master is unsurpassed! He accepts the last as well as the first; He gives rest to the eleventh hour arrival as well as to the one who labored from the first; He is merciful to the former as He is gracious to the latter; He shows His generosity to the one and His kindness to the other; He honors the deed and commends the purpose.
Therefore, enter all of you into the joy of your Lord! Both first and last, receive the reward; Rich and poor, dance and sing together; abstemious and careless, honor this day; fasters and non-fasters, enjoy a feast today. The table is filled, and everyone should share in the luxury; The calf is fatted, and no one must go away hungry.
Come, one and all, and receive the banquet of faith! Come, one and all, and receive the riches of lovingkindness! No one must lament his poverty, for a kingdom belonging to all has appeared; no one must despair over his failings. for forgiveness has sprung up from the grave; no one must fear death, for the death of the Savior has set us all free.
By being held in its power, He extinguished it, and by descending into Hades, He made Hades captive. He embittered it when it tasted His flesh. And in anticipation of this, Isaiah exclaimed: "Hades was in an uproar, meeting you below."
It was in an uproar, for it was wiped out, it was in an uproar, for it was mocked; it was in an uproar, for it was vanquished, it was in an uproar, for it was bound in chains. It took a body, and met up with God; it took earth, and came face to face with heaven; it took what it saw, and was struck down by what it did not see.
O death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?
Christ is risen, and you are laid low; Christ is risen and the demons are struck down; Christ is risen, and the angels rejoice; Christ is risen, and life is abundant and free; Christ is risen, and there are no dead left in the tombs! For Christ, when He was raised from the dead, became the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. Glory to Him! and power, for ever and ever. Amen!
A blessed and joyful Easter to all!
Apr 21, 2019 03:04:09 #
Apr 22, 2019 11:36:51 #
padremike wrote:
The mighty preacher St. John Chrysostom delivered ... (show quote)
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Thank you for the beautiful Easter message padremike. Yesterday, Doc110 sent me the same Paschal homily from St. John Chrysostom. It is indeed so beautiful rendered to all of us, because of the Risen Christ. Happy Blessed Easter!
Apr 22, 2019 12:05:44 #
padremike
Loc: Phenix City, Al
Radiance3 wrote:
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Thank you for the beautiful Easter message padremike. Yesterday, Doc110 sent me the same Paschal homily from St. John Chrysostom. It is indeed so beautiful rendered to all of us, because of the Risen Christ. Happy Blessed Easter!
Thank you for the beautiful Easter message padremike. Yesterday, Doc110 sent me the same Paschal homily from St. John Chrysostom. It is indeed so beautiful rendered to all of us, because of the Risen Christ. Happy Blessed Easter!
I sent it to our children and friends and used it as a homily at our home service celebration yesterday. It is timeless. I'd hoped admin would have posted it on Easter as I intended but I expect they had much else to decipher through. May our Lord's peace, love and joy be with you now in this season and remain with you always.
Apr 22, 2019 18:38:18 #
padremike wrote:
I sent it to our children and friends and used it as a homily at our home service celebration yesterday. It is timeless. I'd hoped admin would have posted it on Easter as I intended but I expect they had much else to decipher through. May our Lord's peace, love and joy be with you now in this season and remain with you always.
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The faith and wisdom of St. John Chrysostom is loaded with substance of love and truth. Worth posting over and over again. It lingers forever in my memory. I think everybody needs to read it. Rich and poor dance together because Christ has indeed risen.
Paschal homily from St. John Chrysostom for all the children of God.
https://instituteofcatholicculture.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Paschal-Homily-of-Saint-John-Chrysostom.pdf
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