Agape Vespers 2015 Fr Michael Margitich

Christ is risen. Christos was christened. Christos

was christened. Christos was christened. Christos

was christened. My dear people, the entire meaning,

significance, and doctrinal issue are all saturated

in the magnificent hymnology which we have heard

last night and this afternoon. Really nothing

more could be said. My editors have told me that

all I have to say is Christ is risen. And it's

so true. But I can't Do that. Because I heard

those magnificent words. Let the heavens be glad

and let the earth rejoice. Let the whole world,

both visible and invisible, keep the feast. For

this is the day of the resurrection. This is

the day that the Lord has made. It is the Pascha

of the Lord. For from death to life and from

earth to heaven has Christ our God led us as

we sing the song of victory. The entire celebration

of Pascha is the brightest, loveliest, most irrepressible

joy that one could have when he realizes that

we no longer have to fear death, for death is

no longer a gateway leading to extinction, but

death is the doorway leading to the grace, Of

our heavenly God. And all of this is clearly.

Reflected. Almost. In a saturated way. In the

magnificence. Of the. Poetry. The prayers. The

song. The ritual. The resurrection. Is the basis.

The foundation of our Christian faith. If Christ

remained on the cross, we wouldn't be here today,

would we? If Christ remained on the cross, it

would be the most sorrowful thing. Just another

martyr has died. But Christ did not remain on

the cross. The world said no to God on Friday.

And on Pascha morning, God said, Christ is risen.

As in Adam, all died, said St. Paul. So even

in Christ, All shall be made alive. And St. Gregory

the theologian put it in this way. Yesterday

I was crucified with Christ. Today I'm glorified

with him. Yesterday I was buried with him. Today

I rise with him. Just as those who were baptized

rose to a new life. To a life of everlasting.

Pascha is the eighth day, meaning, as we have

expressed in the last book of the Bible, the

Revelation. It's the never -ending day where

there is no evening, there is no morning. It

is the icon. Of the image of the world to come.

And so on this magnificent day. It has to be

expressed once more. In view of the cynicism

of the world. The world doesn't care what we

have done. The last few days. But it is an expression.

of our fundamental faith. The faith as revealed

in the historical person of Jesus Christ. Everything

in the scriptures, everything that the fathers

and saints have written about, everything that

the prophets have prophesied relate Existentially.

To all of us. But in particular. It relates to

us. Internally. Externally. And eternally. For

Christ is risen. Before his ascension. The Lord

said. I'll be with you. Till the end of time.

This means. In spite of all, and what Father

mentioned on Good Friday, this means that life

is worth living, even if this world is showing

signs of going insane. I was going to say going

to hell. It means the destruction of death. It

means that the countless martyrs Throughout the

ages who have given their lives for the faith.

And even those martyrs who were martyred for

the Christian faith just a few days ago. Have

not died in vain. The scriptures teach that in

times past we were no people. And now we are

a people. Meaning we are a people of the resurrection

who receive and walk by the light of Christ.

And that's why St. Paul calls us rejoice. Rejoice

in the Lord always. The Lord is with us. He is

at hand. And that's why you heard the choir again

and again use that term rejoice. You know, some

time ago I read about a Russian Orthodox priest

who spent 20 years in a gulag, enduring all human

indignities because he refused to give up his

faith. When he was released, His daughter wrote

in her memoirs that she noticed he had difficulty

walking and talking. She took him to the clinic

and the doctors indicated that he had what we

call today progressive muscular atrophy. He lost

his ability to walk and to speak. And on Pascha

morning, before he died, he scribbled this note

to his daughter. It's terrible to wake up on

Pascha morning and have no voice to sing Christos

Voskresen. But it's still more tragic to have

a voice and not sing, this is the day of the

resurrection. So the passing, my dear people,

the passing of time has in no way altered, diminished,

or negated that glorious, glorious proclamation.

That our Redeemer lives. The King of kings. The

Lord of lords. Still reigns. Who said I am the

resurrection and the life. He who believes in

me. Even though he die. He shall live. So therefore.

The great John Chrysostom. In his homily. On

Paschal night said. Let no one fear death. For

the Savior is death. has set us free. And St.

Paul cried out, O death, where is thy sting?

O Hades, where is thy victory? Thanks be to God

who has given us victory through Christ Jesus.

And there's so much more to say. But let me conclude.

because my editors have put a note in here. Let

me conclude by saying that Pascha, this day,

my dear people, is the most incredible, most

glorious, historical news for us. That's why

we could stand before the grave and sing Christ

is risen. That's why we could say memory eternal.

Because it is a touchable reality. And you heard

in the gospel today. Jesus said to Thomas, here,

look at my hands. Feel my sigh. Do not be unbelieving,

but believe. My dear people, it is a touchable

reality. An embraceable reality. That leads to

everlasting life. Where there shall be no more

death. No more sorrow. No more struggles. No

more sighing. No more pain. And on the waves

of the seven weeks of fasting. Of prostrations

and services. And the talks. On the waves. we

have reached this glorious moment. It is a moment

of joy. And so, therefore, let us lift up our

hearts. Let us lift up our voice to glorify and

praise the divine victory of Christ who trampled

down death by death. And so let us embrace one

another once more, and let us even cry out to

those who hate us. Let us sing, Christ is risen

from the dead, trampling down hell.