We proclaim together, “He is Risen!”, “He is Risen Indeed”. The joy of Easter is the seal of the completion of Lent, and the opening of a New Season where all are invited to come to Christ Jesus, and drink of his mercy and grace. I would like to write a magnificent treatise on Easter, but I will defer to a master who was called “The Golden Mouth” – St. John Chrysostom, from the 4 th century. He was a Church Father who was considered to be one of the greatest preachers of the early church. Read this and we realize why: The Easter Sermon of John Chrysostom Is there anyone who is a devout lover of God? Let them enjoy this beautiful bright festival! Are there any who are grateful servants? 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
Today is “Holy Saturday”, a day of silence, rest, and prayer. Christ was laid in the tomb, and all is quiet. The early church understood that there was a silence that was leading to a new beginning. An unknown author once wrote of today: “What is happening? Today there is a great silence over the earth, a great silence, and stillness, a great silence because the King sleeps; the earth was in terror and was still because God slept in the flesh and raised up those who were sleeping from the ages. God has died in the flesh, and the underworld has trembled.” [1] God concealed himself, as if a Divine Pause was occurring, and our hearts were at rest, awaiting what was next. It was as if a “new creation” was about to begin. This Holy Saturday is sort of like the way all Creation in Genesis had begun: “The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters” (Genesis 1:2). The darkness b