| Brothers and Sisters, no matter what kind of mood you are in, how bad of a day you are having, or how many people upset you in the morning rush hour, there is nothing more fulfilling than learning the various “Christ is Risen” melodies…and belting them. If you aren’t comfortable singing it in front of people, go find a field, and make like Julie Andrews from the Sound of Music…and let it go! Second, use the Pascha Greeting with everyone you come into contact with! Write it on your personal emails, say it to your kids, and use it during your before and after prayers at meal time. Don’t say “hello” when answering a call…say “Christ is Risen!” (maybe this will stop the telemarketers and social security thieves from calling!). Say it often brothers and sisters, because there is no greater joy than proclaiming the Greatest Truth the world has ever known to one another! Finally, and this one I can’t stress enough, never forget that Every Sunday is Pascha. The Russian word for Sunday is “Voskresenie”, and that is fitting, since it is at every Sunday Divine Liturgy that we celebrate the Resurrection of Christ. The weekend services are precious to us brothers and sisters…and are absolutely, 100% necessary for us to be able to live as Christians in the midst of a fallen world. Always remember the wonderful lesson that we took from the Gospel Reading on St. Thomas Sunday: When we miss one Sunday…we miss a LOT! May God give us all the strength to continue to expand the love and joy that we receive over these next few weeks. allowing us to spread hope, life and light to a world that is literally thirsting for something as positive, as God rising from the Dead! Tweet Donate Share Code for blog Keeping the Inexplicable and Child-Like Joy of Pascha Fr. Gabriel Bilas Christ is Risen! There are not a lot of good things on social media these days, but one of the positive benefits is being able to instantly see videos of the Paschal Celebrations throughout the world. To see the joy radiating from all Orthodox Christians on that Great and Holy Night is something ... |
