Trampling Down Death by Death
The singular message from Pascha is: Christ tramples down death by death. By His dying on the Cross-a scandal to the Jews and folly to the Greeks- He enters the Devil’s stronghold, Hades, and releases all men and women from their bondage to death. No longer are we to fear death because Christ has freed us from the curse of Adam and Eve who were driven out of Paradise. Paradise is now within our grasp if we acknowledge Him as the Christ, the Anointed One, and obey His commandment to love each other as He loves us. Just like He promised the righteous thief when he confessed, “You will be with me today in Paradise,” so we have the same promise.
Wonderful news’ Isn’t it? Yes, it is! And, that is why we cry joyfully: Christ is Risen’ Truly, He is Risen’
But, unfortunately some parishioners are depressed, are despondent, become addicted to alcohol or drugs or sex or gambling and seem to suffer for years. Moreover, they are constantly complaining about their suffering. Christ suffered for us. His suffering was truly agonizing. We no longer have to suffer. Rather, we need to turn our suffering over to Him. “Come to me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest [Matt 11:28].”The Paschal message is JOY, not depression, not addiction, not sadness. Be joyful and rejoice, and again I say rejoice, St Paul reminds the Philippians [4:4] even in the face of his own hunger; beatings, ship wrecks. and thorn in his side.
Our God is compassionate. He wants to dwell among us. He seeks our return to Him like the father in the Parable of the Prodigal Son waited for his son to return. He wants to be our Father and for us, His children. to be in a relationship with Him. “I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts: and I will be their God, and they shall be My people [Jeremiah 31 :33; LXX 38:33, quoted in Hebrews 8: I 0].” Moreover, He wants us to have a positive and loving relationship with Him. Jesus reiterates this thought to the multitudes and His Disciples when He stated: “How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings [Matt 23:37].” He wants us to be close to Him. He wants us to love Him as much as He loves us, and He showed this love by sending His only-begotten Son to accomplish a mission to save us from the bondage to sin and death.
Think of it. Another answer to the question of why couldn’t God have accomplished the
same objective of defeating death and the Devil some other way is that He had to fulfill
prophecy: “I did not come to destroy, but to fulfill” the law and the prophets [Matt 5: 17].
When He came the first time He fulfilled the law and the prophets by being born of a Virgin, being circumcised on the eighth day, presented at forty days in the Temple so that St Simeon could die in peace, escaped into Egypt, grew up in Nazareth, and be baptized by John in the River Jordan. He had to heal the lame, bring sight to the blind, feed the thousands, exorcise the Demoniac, restore the paralytic, transfigure Himself on Mt Tabor in the sight of Peter, James, and John, preach the Kingdom of Heaven, and raise the dead. He had to teach His Disciples and show them the path to peace and to the Kingdom, and in so doing He raised the ire of the Pharisees, the Sadducees, the Scribes, and other Jewish rulers. He fulfilled all these prophecies before His entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.
But,there was still more prophecies to fulfill and they could not be fulfilled without His riding on an ass into Jerusalem, be betrayed, tried unjustly, scourged, spat upon, bled wearing a crown of thorns, mocked, and crucified. While hanging on the Cross, He witnessed soldiers casting lots for His garments, tasted vinegar and gall, and recited the 22nd Psalm. After He gave up His spirit His body was pierced with a spear and He was buried in a new tomb.
Finally, when He entered Hades He then fulfilled Ezekiel’s prophesy about the dry bones taking on muscle and sinews and flesh and being restored to life. All these events were fulfilling prophecy. Had He defeated death some other way, these prophecies would not be fulfilled, and then He could easily be denied by those who subscribe to the Old Testament. As it turned out many, but not all, Jews believed in Him because He indeed fulfilled the prophesies of the Old Testament. Do we believe in Him? Are we joyful? Have we opened our hearts to Him? Have we grown closer to Him this Lent? The ball is in our court. He has lobbed it to us. Are we ready to lob it back?
Let us rejoice in the Lord, and in His Resurrection that promises resurrection to us. That is indeed the Good News! And let us take this joy into our lives for the rest of the year and the rest of our lives allowing it to illumine our minds, our eyes, and our hearts. Christ is Risen’ Truly, He is Risen’