To all you in the Western tradition. In the East, on Pascha\/Easter the homily has been the same for over 1500 years. St. John Chrysostom preached this one Pascha morn and it was decided it couldn’t be improved upon. This is what he preached see what y’all think of it:<\/p>\n
If any man be devout and loveth God,
\nLet him enjoy this fair and radiant triumphal feast!
\nIf any man be a wise servant,
\nLet him rejoicing enter into the joy of his Lord.<\/p>\nIf any have laboured long in fasting,
\nLet him how receive his recompense.
\nIf any have wrought from the first hour,
\nLet him today receive his just reward.
\nIf any have come at the third hour,
\nLet him with thankfulness keep the feast.
\nIf any have arrived at the sixth hour,
\nLet him have no misgivings;
\nBecause he shall in nowise be deprived therefore.
\nIf any have delayed until the ninth hour,
\nLet him draw near, fearing nothing.
\nAnd if any have tarried even until the eleventh hour,
\nLet him, also, be not alarmed at his tardiness.
\nFor the Lord, who is jealous of his honour,
\nWill accept the last even as the first.
\nHe giveth rest unto him who cometh at the eleventh hour,
\nEven as unto him who hath wrought from the first hour.
\nAnd He showeth mercy upon the last,
\nAnd careth for the first;
\nAnd to the one He giveth,
\nAnd upon the other He bestoweth gifts.
\nAnd He both accepteth the deeds,
\nAnd welcometh the intention,
\nAnd honoureth the acts and praises the offering.<\/p>\nWherefore, enter ye all into the joy of your Lord;
\nReceive your reward,
\nBoth the first, and likewise the second.
\nYou rich and poor together, hold high festival!
\nYou sober and you heedless, honour the day!
\nRejoice today, both you who have fasted
\nAnd you who have disregarded the fast.
\nThe table is full-laden; feast ye all sumptuously.
\nThe calf is fatted; let no one go hungry away.
\nEnjoy ye all the feast of faith:
\nReceive ye all the riches of loving-kindness.<\/p>\nLet no one bewail his poverty,
\nFor the universal Kingdom has been revealed.
\nLet no one weep for his iniquities,
\nFor pardon has shown forth from the grave.
\nLet no one fear death,
\nFor the Saviour’s death has set us free.
\nHe that was held prisoner of it has annihilated it.
\nBy descending into Hell, He made Hell captive.
\nHe embittered it when it tasted of His flesh.
\nAnd Isaiah, foretelling this, did cry:
\nHell, said he, was embittered
\nWhen it encountered Thee in the lower regions.<\/p>\nIt was embittered, for it was abolished.
\nIt was embittered, for it was mocked.
\nIt was embittered, for it was slain.
\nIt was embittered, for it was overthrown.
\nIt was embittered, for it was fettered in chains.
\nIt took a body, and met God face to face.
\nIt took earth, and encountered Heaven.
\nIt took that which was seen, and fell upon the unseen.<\/p>\nO Death, where is thy sting?
\nO Hell, where is thy victory?
\nChrist is risen, and thou art overthrown!
\nChrist is risen, and the demons are fallen!
\nChrist is risen, and the angels rejoice!
\nChrist is risen, and life reigns!
\nChrist is risen, and not one dead remains in the grave.
\nFor Christ, being risen from the dead,
\nIs become the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep.<\/p>\nTo Him be glory and dominion
\nUnto ages of ages.<\/p>\nAmen.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
To all you in the Western tradition. In the East, on Pascha\/Easter the homily has been the same for over 1500 years. St. John Chrysostom preached this one Pascha morn and it was decided it couldn’t be improved upon. This is what he preached see what y’all think of it: If any man be devout […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31,30,58,62,33,29],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-217","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-catholicism","category-christianity","category-marko","category-orthodox","category-protestantism","category-religion"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t