The Paschal Sermon of St. John Chrysostom (+407 AD)
"CHRIST IS RISEN and life takes command!
CHRIST IS RISEN and not a single corpse remains in the grave!"
If there are any who are devout and love God,
let them enjoy this beautiful and radiant feast of triumph!
If there are any who have been wise servants,
let them enter the joy of their Lord!
If there are any who have labored long in fasting,
let them now receive their wages!
If there are any who have worked from the first hour,
let them receive their fair compensation today!
If there are any who came at the third hour,
let them celebrate the feast with thanksgiving!
If there are any who arrived at the sixth hour,
let them have no misgivings;
they will not be deprived because of that!
If there are any who delayed until the ninth hour,
let them approach and not be afraid!
If there are any who tarried even as late as the eleventh hour,
let even them not be alarmed by their tardiness!
For the Lord, Who is jealous of His honor,
will accept the last as well as the first.
He gives rest to those who come at the eleventh hour
just as He does to those who work from the first hour.
He is merciful to those who come last,
even while He cares for the first ones.
He gives gifts to each of them, bestowing His grace on all of them.
He not only accepts their deeds, He welcomes even their intentions!
He not only respects their actions,
but also gives high praise to what they offer!
So then, all of you, enter the joy of your Lord!
Receive your reward, whether you came first or last!
Rich and poor, dance for joy together!
Sober people with the heedless, honor this day!
Whether you kept the fast or disregarded it, rejoice today!
The table is fully laden: feast sumptuously!
The calf is fattened: let no one go hungry!
All of you, enjoy the banquet of faith!
All of you, enjoy this abundance of kindness!
Let no one mourn because of poverty, for the royalty of all has been
revealed!
Let no one weep over transgressions, for pardon has dawned from the
tomb!
Let no one fear death, for the Savior's death has set us free!
The One Who was the Prisoner of Death has utterly destroyed it;
the One Who descended to Haides took it captive.
He made Haides take a bitter bite when it tasted His flesh,
just as Isaiah cried out when he foretold this, saying:
'Haides tasted bitterness when it encountered You below.'
It tasted bitterness, for it was undone!
It tasted bitterness, for it had been deceived!
It tasted bitterness, for it had been made to die!
It tasted bitterness, for it had been demolished!
It tasted bitterness, for it had been fettered in chains!
It took a body, but happened upon God!
It took earth, but encountered Heaven!
It took what was visible, but stumbled upon the invisible!
So, Death, where is your sting?
So, Haides, where is your victory?
CHRIST IS RISEN, and you are overthrown!
CHRIST IS RISEN, and the demons have fallen!
CHRIST IS RISEN and the angels rejoice!
CHRIST IS RISEN and life takes command!
CHRIST IS RISEN, and not a single corpse remains in the grave!
For when Christ was raised from the dead,
He became the very first of those who had fallen asleep.
To Him be glory and dominion unto ages of ages! Amen!
AMEN!
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Orthodoxy in America
