Sunday Divine Liturgy Homily
Paschal Homily, Broummana 2015
2015-04-12
If they ask us, "Who are you?" we answer: We are the sons of the Most High.
If they ask us, "How were you born?" we answer: We were born not of the will of flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God were we born.
If they ask us, "Who is your mother?" we answer: Our mother is the Church of the right faith, the New Jerusalem.
If they ask us, "What do you eat?" we answer: We eat the eternal Pascha.
If they ask us, "What do you drink?" we answer: We drink a new drink, the fountain of incorruption.
If they ask us, "Why do you prolong the prayers?" we answer: And does the lover ever weary of the beloved?
If they ask us, "Do you not grieve because Christ was crucified?" and if they do not understand, we add: By the Cross joy came to all the world. Yesterday we were crucified with Christ; yesterday we were buried with Christ; but today we rise with Him in His resurrection.
If they ask us, "Do you not lament because Christ died and was buried?" we answer: O you foolish, Christ has trampled death; for our Lord is the Lord of hosts, the Lord mighty in battle, who has shattered the gates of Hades.
If they ask us, "And why do you rejoice today?" we answer: Because today is the day of the Resurrection; today Christ has brought us over from death to life, and from earth to heaven.
And if they repeat the question, we answer: We keep the feast for the slaying of death, for the destruction of Hades, and for the firstfruits of another life, eternal. We rejoice because the righteous exult before God and delight in gladness.
If they ask us, "Where do you dwell?" we say: We spread out the heavens as our couch wherever we are found, and we cover ourselves with the prayers of the saints, and we sleep to the sound of the murmuring of the angels.
O you foolish, do you not know who we are?
We are the sons of the Kingdom.
We are the brethren of Jesus.
We are those gathered to the bosom of the Father.
We are the salt of the earth.
We are the light of the world.
We are the persecuted in this world, because we are not of the world.
We are the holy people.
We are the royal priesthood.
We are the holy nation.
We are the temples of the Holy Spirit.
We are the dwelling of God.
Who are we?
We are the children of the Resurrection, born from the womb of the empty tomb.
Christ is risen — truly He is risen.
If they ask us, "How were you born?" we answer: We were born not of the will of flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God were we born.
If they ask us, "Who is your mother?" we answer: Our mother is the Church of the right faith, the New Jerusalem.
If they ask us, "What do you eat?" we answer: We eat the eternal Pascha.
If they ask us, "What do you drink?" we answer: We drink a new drink, the fountain of incorruption.
If they ask us, "Why do you prolong the prayers?" we answer: And does the lover ever weary of the beloved?
If they ask us, "Do you not grieve because Christ was crucified?" and if they do not understand, we add: By the Cross joy came to all the world. Yesterday we were crucified with Christ; yesterday we were buried with Christ; but today we rise with Him in His resurrection.
If they ask us, "Do you not lament because Christ died and was buried?" we answer: O you foolish, Christ has trampled death; for our Lord is the Lord of hosts, the Lord mighty in battle, who has shattered the gates of Hades.
If they ask us, "And why do you rejoice today?" we answer: Because today is the day of the Resurrection; today Christ has brought us over from death to life, and from earth to heaven.
And if they repeat the question, we answer: We keep the feast for the slaying of death, for the destruction of Hades, and for the firstfruits of another life, eternal. We rejoice because the righteous exult before God and delight in gladness.
If they ask us, "Where do you dwell?" we say: We spread out the heavens as our couch wherever we are found, and we cover ourselves with the prayers of the saints, and we sleep to the sound of the murmuring of the angels.
O you foolish, do you not know who we are?
We are the sons of the Kingdom.
We are the brethren of Jesus.
We are those gathered to the bosom of the Father.
We are the salt of the earth.
We are the light of the world.
We are the persecuted in this world, because we are not of the world.
We are the holy people.
We are the royal priesthood.
We are the holy nation.
We are the temples of the Holy Spirit.
We are the dwelling of God.
Who are we?
We are the children of the Resurrection, born from the womb of the empty tomb.
Christ is risen — truly He is risen.