Christ is Risen, my dear readers!
Today we read in the Book of Acts about the arrest of the apostles and how an angel, by a wondrous act, delivered them from the prison. At first glance, it might seem that in these bright and joyous days we ought to hear tidings of gladness rather than tales of the dramatic struggles endured by Christ’s disciples. But herein lies the truth: the story of Christ’s Resurrection is not a mere fairy tale with a happy ending. It is a drama that unfolds throughout history and stretches to the very edges of earthly time. Pascha is not the end, but the beginning—the beginning of a battle wherein evil, though defeated, still strives to seize the soul of every man and drag it into the void of outer darkness.
The brighter the day becomes, the sharper the shadows fall upon the earth. The Light of Christ’s Resurrection brings not only joy but division among men. As the Lord Himself said: Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword (Matt. 10:34).On the one hand, we behold how those who love darkness rather than light become instruments of the devil’s will. On the other, those who have loved the Light are crucified with Christ, that they might also rise with Him. For the Risen Lord does not only comfort His faithful; He also rebukes those who are dead in soul and refuse to be healed of their blindness.
How striking is the difference in the apostles’ conduct before and after the Resurrection of the Savior! Those who once, for fear of the Jews, hid themselves behind closed doors became bold proclaimers of the Good News. This fact alone testifies to a momentous event that utterly transformed their souls. At the same time, we are amazed at the stubbornness of those men, laden with titles, power, and honors, who resisted God to the very end. Before their very eyes were the miracles of Jesus, the raising of Lazarus, the healings wrought by the apostles’ prayers, and many other signs—events that should have moved any reasonable man to reflection. Yet envy, greed, lust for power, and pride rendered them blind and mad.
But was it only so in Jerusalem in the days of Jesus Christ? Is it not the same even now in our own land? Does not all of human history bear witness to the fact that the devil wages war against God, and that the battlefield is the heart of man?
I wish for all my readers to always stand on the side of goodness, love, and truth; to fear nothing; and to remember that Christ has overcome this world, which lieth in evil, even though evil still seems, for a time, to triumph in it.
