The Most Reverend Issam John Darwish BSO DD
by the Mercy of God
Melkite Catholic Eparch of Australia and New Zealand
to the Priests and Deacons, my fellow ministers at the Altar,
to the Religious and to All the Faithful of our Holy Eparchy which is Most Beloved of Christ,
a Pastoral Letter for Holy and Glorious Pascha, 2008
Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Peace be with you.
On this, the Feast of the Resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ, I extend to each of you my fraternal best wishes that, filled with the Divine Light, and, blessed with an abundance of Hope, you may celebrate joyfully this most gladsome Day. I greet each one of you with the words of the Paschal Hymn, “Today is the Day of the Resurrection, O Nations, let us be joyful…Let the heavens rejoice and the earth be glad, let the whole universe rejoice in the Feast, for Christ, our Eternal Joy, has risen from the dead.”
We call Resurrection Day “The Feast of Feasts” because this day unites all other Feasts. It is the very focus and centre of the Liturgical Year. It is a day unlike all other days – it begins but it has no end. Today, in the heart of every Christian who lives the Resurrection of Jesus in every aspect of life, there wells up an unfailing hope. Indeed, as Origen is able to say in the second century, “No day goes by without the Christian celebrating Easter.”
“Come, take light from the Light that never fades, and, glorify Jesus who has arisen from the dead.” With these words, the priest celebrating the Hajmeh in the small hours of Resurrection Sunday, calls the Faithful to approach the Royal Doors to light their candles. Then, holding the Easter light, we assemble outside the Church to proclaim, as one, that Jesus is risen from the dead, having conquered death and overcome its power.
The Mystery of Easter exists within the Mystery of the Light of the Risen Lord. The Star of Bethlehem, that went before us to the manger and which announced the Incarnation of Jesus, was not extinguished. The darkness of the tomb wherein Jesus lay could not overpower the Light, and the very candles that we carry announce that triumph and that victory.
Every time we gather in the Name of Jesus, risen from the dead, we perceive his light – the light that never fades. God does not know the evening time. In him there is no darkness. His light is the light of an everlasting dawn – it is the light of the new day bringing hope and holiness. This is the light with which Jesus enlightens us, entering deep within our souls, drawing us near to him, and, granting us the grace to live his life; and when the day is done and the darkness closes in, we urge him, saying, “Stay with us, because it is almost evening, and, the day is nearly over.” (Lk 24:29) Then the Risen One remains with us. Then he breaks our bread, blesses us and gives to us the Divine Eucharist. Then, at last, our restless hearts rest in him, and, we are at peace.
He says to us, “I am the Light of the world.” (Jn 8:12) Thus, we believe that he comes to us in the darkness of our lives. He comes to us to be our light. “In him was life and the life was the light of all peoples. The light shines in the darkness.” (Jn1:4) Despite our darkness and our fear, the light of the Risen Lord enables us to see his face and to be aware of his love.
St Luke, the Evangelist, concludes his Gospel by saying that the Disciples “returned to Jerusalem filled with happiness, and they were continually in the Temple praising God.” (Lk 24:52) It is true that Jesus had left them and had returned to Heaven, but the Disciples were not afraid, as in the past. The Resurrection of Jesus filled them with joy and happiness, hope and strength. They knew that their mission was to bring Heaven down to earth where we live, work and meet with each other. Their apostolic task was to bring the Risen Jesus to the hearts of the people so that all men and women would be filled with the same happiness that they had experienced.
The joy of the Resurrection opens our hearts to welcome all people and to make happier our encounter with others. Indeed, how happy are they who, every day, delight in the Resurrection! It is they who open Heaven to their brothers and sisters!
I call upon you, my beloved, as we celebrate together the Divine Liturgy of the Resurrection, to contemplate the face of the Risen Lord, Jesus Christ. Implore him to descend from on high into the depths of our souls that our lives may be infused with his light. “From his fullness we have received, grace upon grace.” (Jn 1:16)
Let us raise our prayerful supplications to the Most Holy Theotokos, the Blessed Virgin, and ask her to help our little faith, so we might understand that her Son’s Resurrection is our resurrection, and that through him and with him, we have indeed become children of the Resurrection.
Christ is Risen! He is truly Risen! He is truly Lord!
Your brother and servant in the Lord,
Issam John Darwish, BSO, DD,
Eparch.
From our Eparchy at Greenacre, Holy and Glorious Pascha, 2008.
