My Beloved,
Christ is risen! Truly, He is risen!
Humanity has triumphantly exited darkness in the glorious resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Victory is ours and Satan is trapped. Hope is the gift of the holy resurrection. The serpent’s head is crushed by the Lord’s bruised heel (Genesis 3:15). The thorns, nails, whips, and spit of hatred, envy, violence, and corruption inflicted pain upon Him unto the tomb, but He endured all these and crushed the brass gates of Hades, released the righteous and faithful, and arose victorious. Life is ours because death lost its power. “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” (1 Corinthians 15:55).
Christ reigned on the cross, and we can reign through the cross. The reign of Christians is not to reign over fellow humans, but to rule over Satan and his demonic desires and goals. Do not wallow in the sorrows of your iniquities at a time before Christ’s great victory was evinced in your life. Live in the hope of the glorious resurrection that shackled captivity captive. Fervent prayer is the fabric of the armour of God (Ephesians 6:10-19). There is no one to fear when you walk with Christ the Lord and there is no one that cannot be loved when you love God, as love is accurately defined by the Apostle Paul (1 Corinthians 13:4-7).
All humanity was in a state of weakness before the cross, but now, we can battle Satan from a triumphant place and can confidently conquer all his evil thoughts and ambitions. Remind yourself of St Paul’s message that these words may be your own: “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). The cross is not an ornament, and it is not a tool to harm or a symbol of shame, but an insignia of faith, a crest of love, a sign of hope, and a treasure of surmounting joy. Humanity was in a weakened state, but now, we are in a place of triumph. It is a choice for you to make, but there are some conditions, which are to keep His commandments of love, repentance, forgiveness, and humility before the Holy Mysteries of the Church.
Some may still be unsure, weak in faith, and make futile efforts by their own might to strive for greatness according to worldly measures. Insecurity produces internal tribulation. No matter how much you achieve, if the Lord Christ is not with you and is not your main goal and objective, then all your achievements are mere vanity. “He who trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like foliage” (Proverbs 11:28). Joseph the chaste (Genesis 37–41) was betrayed by his own brothers even as Christ was betrayed by His closest disciples. Whether in his father’s house where Joseph was favoured, or thrown in a pit by his own jealous brothers, God was his hope. Whether he reigned along Pharaoh as a chief leader or thrown into prison by false accusations, God remained his hope. Thus, whether in hardship or success, hope in God, and this is the secret of finding inner joy.
You are the temple of God and He dwells within you (1 Corinthians 6:19). Let your temple be adorned with prayer, hope, and joy in Christ’s victory and faithfulness to keep all His promises. Dress yourself with attire befitting being in the presence of the great King. Do not gaze at petty glory for that is how Satan disguises himself. Let the praise of God sweeten your lips and soften your hearts. Be thankful, for gratitude is the result of God’s peace in our hearts (Colossians 3:15). Love and serve God so you can love and serve others with all humility, for a humble heart wins God’s favour (Psalm 51:17). From swaddling clothes to a linen cloth, He prepared for us to be clothed in a glorious body at His Second Coming (Philippians 3:20–21). From the hay where He laid His head to the thorns laid upon His head, He crowned us as children and heirs to live in His kingdom forever. From the manger to the tomb, He prepared an indescribable heavenly Jerusalem for eternity with Him.
Let us not lose sight of the many of our fellow humans who are suffering in heart-wrenching, distressing, and inhumane ways. Let us remember their plights as we pray in every Divine Liturgy beseeching the Lord to give joy to the face of the earth.
May the Lord preserve the life of our holy father and patriarch, His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, for many years and peaceful times, and may He bless you and keep you victorious throughout the way into His kingdom.
God bless you all.
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His Eminence Metropolitan Youssef is Metropolitan of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States (suscopts.org).
Watani International
5 May 2024
