Resurrection of Christ – Metropolitan of Strumica Nahum
~+~Everything created was performed by God the Father, through Him, in the Holy Spirit – with Their divine energy; and without Him nothing was made that was – out of nothing – brought into being, in time.
In Him was the essential energy of Life; and Life was the only true and unsetting light for the people of this world. And the Light shines in the darkness of sin and despair, and the darkness of apostasy and death did not overwhelm it.
There was a man, whose name was John, sent from God – among those born of women naturally, there has not risen one greater than him; he came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
The co-beginningless – with the Father – Son of God is the true Hypostatic Light, Who with His uncreated light gives light to every man coming into the world – and transfigures him.
He was in the world, as the incarnate Son of God, and the world through Him was made – through His logoi of beings, and received its meaning, but the world – fallen into sin and death – did not know Him.
He came to His own in flesh – as the Son of Man, and His own did not receive Him – they rejected Him and crucified Him on the Cross.
But as many as received the God-Man Jesus Christ, to all who were baptized in the name of the Holy Consubstantial and Indivisible Trinity – the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and to all who with deeds believe in His name, to them He gave the right in the Church – His Body, to become sons of God: who were born not of blood, nor of will of the flesh, but of God – by the grace of the Holy Spirit the Lord.
And the Word became flesh of the Virgin Mary Theotokos and the Holy Spirit – Who unchangeably proceeds from the Father, and dwelt in our nature, full of uncreated grace and truth; and we beheld His glory in the Resurrection from the dead, the glory as of the Only-begotten Son of the Father.
John the Baptist bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of Whom I said, ‘He Who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me!’” – because He is God.
And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace, in the thanksgiving Liturgy of the Church – gathered around our Bishop; partaking catholically of His Body and Blood, and among ourselves. And we have become new creation…
For the law was given to the fallen man – through Moses, but grace and truth of the Kingdom of Heaven came through the God-Man Jesus Christ – our Lord (cf. John 1:1-17), for those who died in Him and were resurrected – and He again in them.
Christ is Risen!
P.S. Nothing from the Divine Dispensation of our salvation would have been fulfilled without the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, without Her consent and without Her cooperation: “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38). That is, without Her yes; and without Her prior devotion to Him.
Metropolitan of Strumica Nahum
