Most of those who go to the church of the Resurrection wait for midnight to get light. Those who remain take part in Matins and the Liturgy of Saint John the Golden Mouth. However, one of the most troubling moments of the Easter holiday is exactly the sermon of St. John Chrysostom. It is read by the parish priest in the middle of the Resurrection service.
Although John Christ – as he is also called – was Archbishop of Constantinople in the 5th century AD, that is, a millennium and a half ago, his sermon on the essence of the Resurrection could not be equalled.
The theologian’s words – written in Greek in the original – are all the more impressive as they were written long before the Great Schism of 1054, when the Church had not yet split between Orthodox and Catholics. Not a hundred years had passed since the entry into legality of Christianity, in the year 325.
With the air of the old psalms, the words of John Chrysostom summarize the absolute message of early Christianity: love, regardless of context:
“Whoever is good-faithful and God-loving, should enjoy this beautiful and enlightened holiday. If anyone is a wise servant, let him enter, rejoicing, into the joy of his Lord. If someone has tired himself by fasting, let him now receive his reward. If someone has worked since the first hour, let him receive his just payment today. If someone came after the third hour, giving thanks to celebrate.
If someone has arrived after the sixth hour, let him not doubt, by no means, because he will not be harmed in any way. If anyone has delayed until the ninth hour, let him approach, not doubting at all. If someone arrived only at the eleventh hour, let him not be afraid because of the delay, because the Master, being generous, receives the last one as well as the first, rests the one from the eleventh hour as the one who worked from the first hour.
And he has mercy on the latter, and he comforts the former. And to him he pays, and to him he gives. And he gets the facts. And the thought considers it, and the thing values it, and the will praises it.
For this, enter all of you into the joy of our Lord. And the former, and the latter, take the payment. Rich and poor together rejoice. Those of you who have restrained yourselves and those who are lazy, honor the day. Those who have fasted and those who have not fasted, rejoice today. The table is full, feast all of you.
There is plenty of veal, so no one goes out hungry. All of you taste the feast of faith. All of you share in the wealth of goodness. Let no one complain of lack, because the common Kingdom has appeared. No one should mourn for sins, because forgiveness has sprung from the grave. Let no one fear death, for the death of the Savior has redeemed us. He who was held by her extinguished her.
He who descended into hell plundered hell, filled it with bitterness, because he tasted of His flesh. And Isaiah, understanding this before, cried out: Hell, he says, was embittered, welcoming You down: embittered because it was corrupted. He was bitter, that he was mocked. He was bitter that he was killed. He was bitter, that he was offended. He was bitter, that he was bound.
He got a body and by God he was smitten. He received earth and met the sky. He received what he saw and fell by what he did not see. Where is your boldness, death? Where the hell is your victory?
Christ is risen and you are destroyed. Christ rose and the devils fell. Christ is risen and the angels rejoice. Christ is risen and life rules! Christ is risen, and no dead man is in the pit; that Christ, rising from the dead, became the beginning of those who slept. To him belongs glory and dominion forever and ever.”
Article originally published by Europa Libera on May 2, 2021.
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