† NICOLAE
by the mercies of God
Archbishop of the Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese of the United States of America
and Metropolitan of the Romanian Orthodox Metropolia of the Americas
To the beloved Clergy and Orthodox Christians of our Holy Archdiocese,
peace and unwavering hope from Christ the Risen Lord,
and from us Hierarchical Blessings.
“Rejoice!” So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him.
Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren….”
(Matthew 28:9-10).
Most Reverend Fathers, Beloved Faithful,
Christ is risen!
The Day of the Resurrection is a blessed occasion for us to proclaim to one another that Christ, Who accepted sufferings and death for us, was not held by death, but He arose. This news is communicated by the Myrrh-bearing women, the first announcers of the Resurrection, down to us, who believe and confess this wonder.
St. Mark the Evangelist is the one who relates the announcement of the angel to the Myrrhbearers: “Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him. Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen. And they said among themselves, “Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?” But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away—for it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him (Mark 16:1-6).” Some of the Myrrhbearers are mentioned by name in this text, those women who followed Christ during His earthly mission: Mary Magdalene, whom Christ had delivered from the control of demons, Mary the Mother of James, and Salome. These are only a few of those who faithfully followed Christ, listened to His words, saw his divine healing and even life-giving power. These are those who followed Christ even in His sufferings and, together with the Mother of the Lord, saw Him crucified on the Cross. They came early in the morning to carry out the ritual anointing of the dead, which they had not been able to accomplish on Friday evening after He was taken down from the Cross. Because of their love, faithfulness, and courage they were granted this announcement by the angel, and later, to meet with the Risen One.
It is fitting for us to reflect a moment on the experience of these Myrrh-bearers. For their experience of meeting Christ is also our experience, of those of us who are in the Church, baptized and chrismated. The Word of the Gospel that we hear is the word of Christ Himself, which they also heard; the image of Christ that we kiss in the icon is the face that they also met, and, those who came early in the morning had caressed and placed in the grave. Our meeting with Christ God in the Church is also their meeting with Christ, the Incarnate Son of God. The emotion, joy, and hope that result from this meeting with Christ are the same. To them He says, “Rejoice… and fear not.” St. John Chrysostom comments this way on the exhortation to joy: “they had seen something both frightening and wondrous: an empty tomb in which earlier they had seen the Lord placed. Therefore the angel even took them to see the tomb, that they might be witnesses of two facts: that of the tomb and that of the resurrection…. Therefore they both rejoice and wonder, and they receive the reward of their efforts: they are the first to have seen and announced not only what was spoken by the angel, but also what they themselves had seen.” And St. Nikolai Velimirovich invites us as well to rejoice together with the Myrrh-bearers: “Come, brothers, come all you who fear death. Come near the risen Christ, near Christ Who raises you from the dead, and He will heal you of death and of the fear of death… Come all you who seek health, power, beauty and joy. The source of all these is the Risen One! He awaits you all with mercy and does not desire that a one of you should perish.”
This invitation to joy is followed by the call to worship. This same holy father explains this call: “Bow down before Him with your body and soul. Make yourselves one with Him in mind and thought. Embrace him from your whole heart, for you do not embrace a stranger, but the one who is closest to you and your best friend.” It is fitting for us to worship the One who has granted us the joy of the proclamation of the victory of life over death. It is fitting for us to grasp the feet of Him who has crushed the head of the serpent (cf. Genesis 3:15) and has granted us again reconciliation with God. It is fitting for us to embrace the Giver of Life and to receive in our body through communion the One who has shown us the “Way, the Truth, and the Life” (cf. John 14:6).
If we have rejoiced together with the Myrrh-bearing women, if we have worshipped Him, the Risen One, it is fitting that we also receive the call to proclamation. The Myrrh-bearers were those who, after they had met the Risen Christ, proclaimed the Resurrection to the Apostles. In the words of St. John Chrysostom they can be called the apostles to the Apostles. They are the first announcers of the Resurrection with these hope-giving words: Christ is risen! Like them we too receive the power to witness through the joy of meeting and of worshipping. The meeting of the Myrrh-bearers with the Risen Christ reveals to us our own Christian path: of the joy of meeting (the word of the Gospel and the icon), followed by worship (communion with the Body and Blood of the Risen One) and being sent to proclaim the good news.
Most Reverend Fathers, Beloved Faithful,
Our world continues to be troubled by war, even between Orthodox brothers, by persecutions against Christians and the Church, even in countries that are called Orthodox, by the cultivation of a spirit of enmity, and by fear of an economic crisis. A Christian cannot defend himself, his family, and his community, if he does not follow the path described by this wonderful meeting on the morning of the Resurrection. Only the joy of meeting with the Risen Christ in the Church at the Divine Liturgy followed by the proclamation of this meeting to those under the power of the spirit of enmity and of division can conquer the spirits of evil of this world. Only a Christian clothed with the light of the Resurrection can bring light in the darkness of hatred. Only the faith-filled proclamation of the Resurrection, of the victory of life over sin and death can bring back peace and hope to our present troubled times.
I urge you all, priests and faithful, to preserve in your hearts and to share with our brothers during these days of the Resurrection, these few words: rejoice, fear not, go…. May these words be for us a motive for a renewed hope that Christ, the victor over death, will bring peace even to our world.
I embrace you in Christ the Risen Lord and I wish you health and joyous Feast Days!
Truly He is risen!
Your brother in prayer to God,
† Metropolitan NICOLAE
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