April 13, 2012
Paschal Epistle of His Grace Jerome, Bishop of Manhattan

CHRIST IS RISEN!

Christ is Risen! Truly Risen!
"It is the Day of Resurrection: be enlightened, O ye people!"

As it says in one ancient "ambon prayer" for this day, the church is decorated, not so much with flowers, as with people!

And on the one hand, it is a joyous sight to see the crowds that pack our churches to celebrate the Resurrection of Christ. What can be more wonderful than to see the throngs that come here, instead of to rock concerts, amusements and spectacles, at least on this occasion? The churches can scarcely hold all the worshippers, many of whom have to find places outside, on the steps, in the street, or in the courtyard.

The other side of that joy, however, is the realization that if all these people, whose presence so decorates the Church, were constant in their presence, then the churches would be more numerous, and built with room to accommodate them. It is the absence of these pious crowds the rest of the year that makes them seem to be such a consolation now: at last, for once, they are here!

As we look at the photos of Easter crowds from the past, a pastor’s eye cannot help wondering, not so much where these worshippers are today (many or most have gone to their own resurrection!), but where their posterity might be. In this country, most of the churchgoers are newer arrivals, but there should be many of the second, third and other generations as well. But they have gradually drifted away from the Orthodox Church.

Why? Probably the main reason is that they failed to be enlightened, most of all about what the Resurrection means for each of them.

Holy Pascha is far more than the blessing of Easter baskets and colored eggs, or even of shouting
"Christ is Risen!" We come back every year, to be reminded not only that Christ is risen from the dead, but that each of us must die, rise again, and stand before Judgment – and that our whole purpose in life, is to realize God’s plan for us, so as to enter into the everlasting Resurrection joy prepared from before the world began, for those who love Him.

We get that enlightenment about loving God and finding our special place in His Kingdom, by being true members of the Church, the Body of Christ in this world. For that, we need first and foremost to take part, to be active in the Church, and to love and care for God’s True Church, decorating it by our presence, and by our direct, and active, support.

Today, we see one another together at this celebration of the Resurrection: let us not forget that Great Resurrection, in which we shall once again, all stand together!

+ JEROME
Bishop of Manhattan
Vicar of the Eastern American Diocese

Pascha of our Lord 2012


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