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The Easter Sermon of St. John Chrysostom
Church of St. Michael ^ | March 27, 2016 | Fr. George Rutler

Posted on 03/27/2016 12:49:39 PM PDT by NYer

This week in place of the regular Pastor's Column, we share the Paschal joy of the Hieratikon (Catechetical Sermon) of Saint John Chrysostom.

Are there any who are devout lovers 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 he that arrived after the sixth hour,
let him not doubt; for he too shall sustain no loss.
And if any delayed until the ninth hour,
let him not hesitate; but let him come too.
And he who arrived only at the eleventh hour,
let him not be afraid by reason of his delay.
For the Lord is gracious and receives the last even as the first.
He gives rest to him that comes at the eleventh hour,
as well as to him that toiled from the first.

To this one He gives, and upon another He bestows.
He accepts the works as He greets the endeavor.
The deed He honors and the intention He commends.
Let us all enter into the joy of the Lord!

First and last alike receive your reward;
rich and poor, rejoice together!
Sober and slothful, celebrate the day!
You that have kept the fast, and you that have not,
rejoice today for the Table is richly laden!

Feast royally on it, the calf is a fatted one.
Let no one go away hungry. Partake, all, of the cup of faith.
Enjoy all the riches of His goodness!

Let no one grieve at his poverty,
for the universal kingdom has been revealed.

Let no one mourn that he has fallen again and again;
for forgiveness has risen from the grave.

Let no one fear death, for the Death of our Savior has set us free.
He has destroyed it by enduring it.
He destroyed Hell when He descended into it.
He put it into an uproar even as it tasted of His flesh.

Isaiah foretold this when he said,
"You, O Hell, have been troubled by encountering Him below."
Hell was in an uproar because it was done away with.
It was in an uproar because it is mocked.
It was in an uproar, for it is destroyed.
It is in an uproar, for it is annihilated.
It is in an uproar, for it is now made captive.

Hell took a body, and discovered God.
It took earth, and encountered Heaven.
It took what it saw, and was overcome by what it did not see.

O death, where is thy sting?
O Hell, where is thy victory?

Christ is Risen, and you, o death, are annihilated!
Christ is Risen, and the evil ones are cast down!
Christ is Risen, and the angels rejoice!
Christ is Risen, and life is liberated!

Christ is Risen, and the tomb is emptied of its dead;
for Christ having risen from the dead,
is become the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep.

To Him be Glory and Power forever and ever. Amen!


TOPICS: Catholic; History; Orthodox Christian; Worship
KEYWORDS: chrysostom; easter; eastersermon; johnchrysostom; sermon; stjohnchrysostom

HE IS RISEN! TRULY RISEN!


1 posted on 03/27/2016 12:49:39 PM PDT by NYer
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To: Tax-chick; GregB; SumProVita; narses; bboop; SevenofNine; Ronaldus Magnus; tiki; Salvation; ...

Easter blessings to all!


2 posted on 03/27/2016 12:50:02 PM PDT by NYer (Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy them. Mt 6:19)
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To: NYer

Wonderful post. Thank you.


3 posted on 03/27/2016 12:51:20 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: NYer

I thought Orthodox Easter was much later?


4 posted on 03/27/2016 12:59:30 PM PDT by Trumpinator ("Are you Batman?" the boy asked. "I am Batman," Trump said.)
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To: Trumpinator

This is not an Orthodox post. St. John Chrysostom’s sermon was given at Easter, before the separation of the two churches.


5 posted on 03/27/2016 1:53:53 PM PDT by NYer (Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy them. Mt 6:19)
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To: NYer

http://www.infoplease.com/spot/easter1.html

A meeting organized by the Council of World Churches (in Aleppo, Syria, March 5–10, 1997) proposed a solution thought to be favorable to both East and West: both methods of calculating the equinox and the paschal full moon would be replaced with the most advanced astronomically accurate calculations available, using the meridian of Jerusalem as the point of measure. Since that meeting, however, no further progress has been made and the problem remains.


6 posted on 03/27/2016 1:59:36 PM PDT by Trumpinator ("Are you Batman?" the boy asked. "I am Batman," Trump said.)
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To: Trumpinator

I think the head of the Anglican Church head is calling for a fixing of the Easter date early this year.


7 posted on 03/28/2016 3:48:09 AM PDT by Biggirl ("One Lord, one faith, one baptism" - Ephesians 4:5)
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To: Trumpinator

“I think the head of the Anglican Church head is calling for a fixing of the Easter date early this year.”

First, I need a second cup of coffee.

Second, it should be that if I am correct, the present head of the Anglican Church called for the fixing of the Easter date early this year.


8 posted on 03/28/2016 3:51:54 AM PDT by Biggirl ("One Lord, one faith, one baptism" - Ephesians 4:5)
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To: NYer
Thanks for posting, but Pascha is not until May 1. So it's premature to say "Christ is risen!"

That said, Happy (Western) Easter!

I do wish we would harmonize Easter Day. This is a case where the fault is on the Orthodox side. The Old Calendarists will not admit how off the old calendar is now. And it's ridiculous to prefer the calendar of a pagan Roman emperor over that of a pope, particularly when the new calendar is so much more accurate.

9 posted on 03/28/2016 8:55:47 AM PDT by Martin Tell (Victrix causa diis placuit sed victa Catoni.)
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To: NYer

Thanks for posting...

It never grows old.


10 posted on 03/28/2016 9:40:11 PM PDT by D-fendr (Deus non alligatur sacramentis sed nos alligamur.)
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