Pascha 2023

Peter H. Davids

Byzantine Catholic Homilies • Sermon • Submitted a year ago • Presented a year ago

John 1:1–17

Acts 1:1–8

Kingdom of God

Jesus' Resurrection and Ascension

History

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Pascha is based on the pre-history of God's love and seeking humanity, on his becoming flesh in Jesus to live and spread his-life-giving message of the kingdom of God among us, of Jesus final battle and triumph in Pascha, and of our commission to go forth and proclaim him by life and word everywhere we go. This history underlies all that we do.

Notes

Transcript

Liturgy of St John Chrysostom

Ambon Prayer 31

Priest Blesses with the Hand Cross

Dismissal: "May Christ our true God, risen from the dead, by death trampling death, and granting life to those in the tombs, have mercy on us and save us through the prayers of his most pure Mother . . ."

Then: "Christ is risen" and response 3x then Paschal Troparion (1x by priest and 2x the faithful) See DL 170

Title

God Speaks in History

Outline

Our culture is one of innovation that forgets the past

The past is outmoded, primitive, even oppressive

The present is scientific, progressive, and liberating

This is generally true whatever one’s political or cultural convictions are

But in the Church and in our readings, the past gives us the pattern of God’s actions

First, we learn that history is a history of God’s seeking humanity

The eternal Word, one with the Father, created all, including humanity, in love - in him was life and light, and in our turning from him we encounter death and darkness. But the darkness could not snuff the light or overcome it.

The Word was coming, coming, coming, both to the world and especially to his own people, but even his own people by and large rejected him. They spurned the prophets or turned back to their idols after reformers died. Yet there was always a remnant who received the Word, for the followed the voice that spoke. This is the history recorded in the Old Testament, for it is prophetic history.

Second, the Word joined himself to humanity - became flesh

He who made us fully became what he had made yet without losing his nature as the Word.

And what we saw in him was God’s nature, grace and truth or hesed we emeth embodied. And we saw his love relationship to the Father, “glory as of the only-begotten Son from the Father,” so we could see the Father in him. His greatest glorification, according to his own words, was his act of self-giving on the cross (as the world gave its final rejection) and then his resurrection in space and time and history and his ascension to the Father in which he united human nature to the Trinity. In John these are one grand sweeping movement, one glorification, like a king whose prowess in battle is not separated from his grant court afterwards.

At all times he was giving, “from his fulness have we all received, grace upon grace” and “grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” And he is still giving the same.

Third, since the resurrection he is gathering all peoples to himself through the power of the Spirit

Acts refers to the Gospel of Luke as “all that Jesus began to do and teach.”

Then came the resurrection that was demonstrated with “many proofs” to his apostles (and others) during a 40 day transition period of instruction about the rule of God, “speaking of the kingdom of God.”

Finally, after a 10 period of “digestion” of all this, waiting in Jerusalem, the Holy Spirit came upon them to empower them to evangelize the world.

They wanted to know when the final consummation would come: “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” But he pointed out that that was not theirs to know: “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has fixed by his own authority.” Their job was to witness to others what they had seen in him and learned from him, including how it fit with his pre-incarnate actions in the Old Testament. They do not know how long they have to do this “to the ends of the earth,” but it is the Holy Spirit who will impel them outwards at his pace and in his way.

So, Brothers and Sisters, that is what the Pascha means for us

It means that we will not understand it until we read the Old Testament with the Fathers and realize that the Word’s becoming flesh as Jesus fulfills a long history of love and rejection starting with creation.

It means that the gospels must be the center of our meditation and life, for they give us all that Jesus lived, did, and taught culminating in his glorification, his death for us and his resurrection to spread divine live through the world.

It means that our duty in life, the reason we are not caught up with him, is that we are to spread this message of life, of the rule of God, throughout the world, for that is his wish. We do this as he did by life, including our character and lifestyle, and word.

Christ is risen indeed! Yet for us it is not something we stop with as in “I’m glad that those previous days are over and it turns out good in the end.” It is instead a call to obedient following of the risen and ascended Christ into the world so that all nations see him and hear from him in us.

Alleluia, Christ is Risen!

Readings

Byzantine Lectionary (Revised Julian) 4-16-2023: Great and Holy Pascha: The Resurrection of Our Lord

EPISTLE

Acts 1:1–8

1 In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, 2 until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commandment through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3 To them he presented himself alive after his passion by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days, and speaking of the kingdom of God. 4 And while staying with them he charged them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me, 5 for John baptized with water, but before many days you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth.”

Byzantine Lectionary (Revised Julian) 4-16-2023: Great and Holy Pascha: The Resurrection of Our Lord

GOSPEL

John 1:1–17

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God; 3 all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came for testimony, to bear witness to the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness to the light.

9 The true light that enlightens every man was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world knew him not. 11 He came to his own home, and his own people received him not. 12 But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God; 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only-begotten Son from the Father. 15 (John bore witness to him, and cried, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, for he was before me.’ ”) 16 And from his fulness have we all received, grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

Notes

Byzantine Lectionary (Revised Julian) (4-9-2023: Great and Holy Pascha: The Resurrection of Our Lord)

SUNDAY, APRIL 9, 2023 | HOLY WEEK GREAT AND HOLY PASCHA: THE RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD

Bright Vestments

Epistle Acts 1:1–8

Gospel John 1:1–17

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