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Christ is Risen!

Fathers, brothers and sisters beloved in Christ, of the homeland and diaspora, I congratulate you on the great, spiritual and bright holiday of the Resurrection of Christ!

Let the Lord multiply the gifts of His grace for all of you in these bright, happy days, as well as in all the days of your life, for you to be on the way of your spiritual salvation, according to the Apostle, “in entirety, without any shortage” (Jacob 1, 4).

Paraphrasing the words of St. Theophan the Recluse, we can say that: now it is not the time of lecturing, but the time of praises; now it is not the time of instruction, but the time of thanksgiving, time of the Easter jubilation and general joy. Saint Church evidences this and calls us for this. Everything is lighted on the Bright Sunday, the sky and the earth and the underworld, every creation celebrates the Resurrection of Christ. Christ is Risen, and people joy!

What a relief and what a joy that the Lord resurrected, does not leave the human race, especially adulterous and sinful human race, without His divine care, till now, despite the world disasters.

Despite various allurements following us in the modern world, it is always easy and joyful to endure them, when we live with God, walk with God, giving ourselves in the hands of God in all our life circumstances, asking Him about one thing: “teach me to do Your will”.

The saints and men of God, who also were humans like us, lived so and walked with God. And many of us being weak and sinful, sometimes felt a God visit and abiding, especially in minutes after sacrament. The soul is then filled with the Easter joy!

The holidays are set by the Holy Church in order to call the spiritual sky-festive mood at the faithful. Especially – holidays of Christmas and Easter Sunday.

Through the Risen Christ we become communicants of eternal life. At the same time, rapture to Eternity begins here – on the earth, and it is clearly felt on Easter Sunday, the day the Lord created for us to joy and celebrate spiritually.

And how can we not joy, when we can become god-like men, crowned winners of hell and death, citizens of the kingdom of heaven, from miserable, mortal men, subjected to many illnesses and suffering, from which neither glory, nor riches, nor high position, power, or anything common can save.

And let nobody say that it is not yet known, and if this happens, it is only after death – because Easter, the Day of the Lord, clearly refutes it.
This bright and saving night the light of heaven blesses faithful hearts. Fasting and non-fasting, encratites and lazy, all and everyone in their own way, become communicants of the feeling of the general resurrection.

Bright Easter joy, like an ocean, floods the hearts of believers. Even though we are persecuted and afflicted by the apostate false brethren, our humble little churches here in emigration, and in Russia still enslaved by atheists, seem to be light heavenly courts in this holy night. Like St. King, David the prophet also said, “it is better to be on the doorstep in the house of God than dwell in the tents of wickedness” (Ps. 83, 11).

Let us thank the Lord for all that we have, because we are not worthy of this; let us send glory to God for His patience and His rich mercy to us, especially in modern times of failure, when the promise of Christ is fulfilled: “the gates of hell will not adventure the Holy Churches” and “I am with you all the days till the end of time. Amen” (Matthew 28, 20) – if only we did not give up on the Orthodox faith and tried to “keep what we have”.

Beloved brothers and sisters! Trusting in God's help, let us try to be a part of the glory of God at the Feast of the Resurrection of Christ, bearing in mind that this participation depends on our free will and the deed of faith and Christian life, led by the Holy Church. If we hold fast to the path of the church, then the light of reason will shine in our hearts, and Risen Christ will raise our souls and introduce us to His divine life. Amen.

Truly Christ has Risen!

† Archbishop Vladimir
The Easter of the Lord, 2013