Homily 68 #

On the New Sunday (Antipascha). A word by Kirill the Monk on the renewal of Christ’s Resurrection, the artos bread, and the testing and confirmation of Thomas.

The Church desires a great teacher and a wise speaker to adorn this feast. But we are poor in speech and clouded in mind, lacking the fire of the Holy Spirit to bring forth words that nourish the soul. Yet, for the sake of the love I bear for the brethren who are with me, I will say a little about the renewal of the Resurrection of Christ—and may you listen with diligence.

Last Sunday, the feast of Holy Pascha, was a wonder to the heavens and a terror to the depths: the renewal of creation, the liberation of the world, the destruction of Hades and the trampling down of death, the resurrection of the dead, and the overthrow of the deceiving power of the devil. Through the Resurrection of Christ, salvation came to the human race; the old law was stripped of its strength, the Sabbath made a servant, and the Church of Christ enriched, for Sunday now reigns.

Last Sunday marked a total transformation: the earth became heaven, for it was cleansed by God from the defilements of demons. Angels, together with women, reverently served Christ’s Resurrection.

Creation was renewed—no longer are the elements called gods; no longer the sun, nor fire, nor trees, nor springs. From now on, Hades no longer receives the sacrifices of slaughtered children from the fathers, nor does death receive honor. For idolatry has ceased, and the power of the demons has been destroyed through the mystery of the Cross.

And not only was the human race saved, but it was sanctified by the faith of Christ. The old law has been made obsolete, through the rejection of the blood of calves and the offerings of goats—for Christ alone offered Himself to the Father as a Sacrifice for all.

Therefore, the feast of the Sabbath has ended, and Sunday has been given the grace of the Resurrection; it now reigns over the days, for on that day Christ rose from the dead.

Let us crown the queen of days, brothers, and bring her worthy gifts in faith. Let each one give according to his ability—one may bring almsgiving, kindness, and love; another, virginity, purity, right faith, and sincere humility; another still, psalmody, apostolic teaching, and prayer with heartfelt sighing to God.

For the Lord Himself said through Moses: “Thou shalt not appear before Me empty on the day of My feast.” Let us offer Him these foretold virtues, that we may receive the mercy of God, for He does not withhold good things from those who come to Him in faith. “Them that honour Me I will honour,” saith the Lord.

Let us praise this beautiful new Sunday, on which we celebrate the renewal of the Resurrection of Christ. Today is not the same feast as Pascha, but it is called Antipascha: for Pascha is the deliverance of the world from the tyranny of the devil and the liberation of the dead from the depths of Hades; but Antipascha is the renewal of the Resurrection.

It is a type and figure of the old law, when God, in Egypt, said to Moses: “Behold, I deliver My people from bondage to Pharaoh, and I set them free from the oppression of his overseers. Therefore, renew each year the day of your salvation, on which I overthrew your enemies, O Israel.”

Even so do we now renew that day, celebrating the victorious day of Christ—when He brought salvation to the whole world, triumphing over the prince of the powers of darkness.

For this reason, the artos bread has been kept in the Church from Pascha until this day, and today it is broken upon the priest’s vestments. This corresponds to the unleavened bread which the Levites carried on their shoulders as they came out of Egypt and passed through the wilderness until they crossed the Red Sea. There, they consecrated that bread to the Lord, and eating it, they were made strong and became terrifying to their enemies.

So they, having been delivered from bodily slavery, renewed that feast day with the celebration of the unleavened bread. But we, delivered by the Master from bondage to the spiritual Pharaoh—the devil—renew this victorious day against our enemies, and as we receive this holy bread today, we eat it in the same spirit as they partook of the heavenly bread and the food of angels.

And we keep this bread for every good purpose: for the healing of the body, for the salvation of souls, and for the driving away of all sickness. Today, the old has come to an end, and behold—all things are made new, both visible and invisible.

Now the heavens are filled with light, stripped of the dark clouds like sackcloth, and shine with a radiant air, proclaiming the glory of the Lord. And I do not mean the visible heavens, but the rational ones—the apostles—who, gathered today in Zion, recognized the Lord. Forgetting all sorrow and casting aside the fear of the Jews, they were overshadowed by the Holy Spirit and now clearly proclaim the Resurrection of Christ.

Today, the sun rises in splendor and, rejoicing, warms the earth—for the Sun of Righteousness has risen from the tomb, Christ, who brings salvation to all who believe in Him.

Now the moon, stepping down from her former station, gives honor to the greater light. The old law, according to the Scriptures, has passed away together with its Sabbaths, and the Church now renders honor to the law of Christ and to Sunday.

Now the winter of sin has ended with repentance, and the ice of unbelief has melted by divine understanding. The winter of pagan idolatry has ended through apostolic teaching and the faith of Christ. And the ice of Thomas’s unbelief has melted by the revealing of Christ’s side.

Today spring is in full bloom, reviving the nature of the earth. The turbulent winds now blow gently, swelling the fruits, and the earth, nourishing seeds, brings forth green grass.

Spring, then, is the radiant faith of Christ, which through baptism regenerates human nature. The stormy winds are sinful thoughts which, through repentance, are transformed into virtue, bearing fruits that are beneficial to the soul. The earth, that is, our human nature, having received the seed of the word of God, and trembling with godly fear, gives birth to the spirit of salvation.

Now the newborn lambs and calves run swiftly along their paths, leaping and quickly returning to their mothers, rejoicing; and the shepherds, piping, praise Christ with gladness.

By lambs, I mean the gentle people drawn from the nations; by calves, the former idol-worshippers of unbelieving lands, who, through Christ’s incarnation, apostolic teaching, and miracles, quickly submitted to His law and turned to the Church of Christ. They now suckle the milk of instruction, and becoming shepherds of Christ’s flock, they intercede for all and glorify Christ God, who has gathered both wolves and lambs into one fold.

Today the trees put forth leafy shoots, and fragrant blossoms bloom; already the gardens are offering their sweet aroma, and those who labor in hope call upon Christ the Giver of Fruit. For we were once like wild trees of the forest, without fruit—but now the faith of Christ has been grafted onto our unbelief. Clinging to the root of Jesse, we begin to blossom with the flowers of virtue, and we await, through Christ, a return to the Paradise of old.

So too the bishops and abbots laboring for the Church await their reward from Christ.

Today the laborers of the Word, leading spiritual calves to the yoke, draw the plow of the Cross across the furrows of the mind. They dig the furrow of repentance and scatter the seed of the Spirit, rejoicing in the hope of the good things to come.

This day, all things old have passed away, and behold, all things have become new because of the Resurrection.

Now the apostolic rivers swell with abundance, and the gentile fishes begin to bear fruit. The fishers of God, having searched the depths of the mystery of the Incarnation, now draw in the full net of the Church.

“The earth shall be filled with rivers,” says the prophet, “and the people shall see it and be afraid, and the ungodly shall be troubled.”

Now the industrious bee of the monastic life, revealing her wisdom, astonishes all. Just as those who live in the wilderness on self-sustenance amaze both angels and men, so also do these spiritual bees fly among the blossoms and fashion honeycombs, offering sweetness and necessities to men and to the Church.

Now all the tuneful birds of the ecclesiastical ranks rejoice as they build their nests. For as the prophet says: “The sparrow hath found a house, and the swallow a nest for herself, even Thine altars, O Lord of hosts.”

These birds are the ranks of the Church—bishops, priests, abbots, deacons, and readers—each singing their own song, glorifying the Lord with voices that do not cease.

Today all the ranks of the saints are renewed, receiving new life in Christ: the prophets and patriarchs, who labored, now rest in the life of Paradise; the apostles and hierarchs, who suffered, are glorified in heaven and on earth; the martyrs and confessors, who endured torments for Christ, are crowned with the angels; the faithful kings and princes are saved by hearing the holy books; the virgins and monastics, who have borne their cross with patience.

The virgins and ascetics follow the Firstborn Christ from earth to heaven. Those who fast and dwell in the wilderness, having received their wages for their labors from the hand of the Lord, now rejoice in the heavenly city with the saints.

Today is the feast of the renewal of Christ’s Resurrection for a new people, and all things are brought as new offerings to the Lord: from the nations, faith; from the Christians, sacrifices; from the priests, the Holy Offering; from rulers, godly almsgiving; from nobles, care for the Church; from the righteous, humility; from sinners, true repentance; from the impious, conversion to God; from those who once hated, spiritual love.

Let us also ascend, brothers, in spirit today to the upper room in Zion, for there the apostles gathered, and the Lord Jesus Christ Himself entered among them, though the doors were shut, and said: “Peace be unto you,” and filled them with joy. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. They cast off all bodily sorrow and fear of heart, for a spiritual boldness entered their souls through the knowledge of their Master, who revealed His side to all and showed to Thomas the wounds from the nails in His hands and feet.

Thomas had not been with the other disciples at the Lord’s first appearance. Hearing that He had risen, he did not disbelieve as if dismissing it as a lie, but desired to become an eyewitness to Christ, saying: “Except I shall put my hand into His side, and thrust my finger into the print of the nails, I will not believe.”

And the Lord, not rebuking him, said to him: “Reach hither thy hand, and behold the piercing of My side, and believe, for I am He.”

“For concerning Me,” He said, “the patriarchs and prophets have already inquired and, understanding, believed in My incarnation. Examine first the writings of Isaiah about Me: ‘He was pierced in His side with a spear.’ I was pierced in the side that I might raise up the one who had fallen from Adam’s rib. Shall I then reject you in your doubt?

Touch Me, for I am He—whom Symeon touched, and, believing, asked for peaceful release. Be not faithless like Herod, who, hearing of My birth, said to the magi, ‘Where is He that is born King of the Jews? for I would come and worship Him also,’ while in his heart he planned My murder. Though he killed the infants, he did not find the One he sought. ‘The wicked shall seek Me, and shall not find Me,’ saith the Lord.

Believe in Me, O Thomas, and know Me as Abraham did, to whom I came under the oak with two angels. Recognizing Me, he called Me ‘Lord,’ and prayed that I not destroy Sodom if ten righteous were found within it.

Be not faithless like Balaam, who by the Holy Spirit prophesied peace through My death, but afterward, seduced by a bribe, was destroyed. Believe in Me, O Thomas, for I am He whom Jacob saw at night upon a ladder, and whom he again recognized when wrestling with Me in Mesopotamia—for there I promised to become incarnate from his lineage.

Be not faithless like Nebuchadnezzar, who saw Me in the furnace saving the three children from fire, and called Me truly the Son of God, but later, turning again to his delusions, perished.

Believe in Me, O Thomas, for I am He whom Isaiah saw on a high and exalted throne, surrounded by many angels. I am He who appeared to Ezekiel in the midst of the living creatures in human form. I prefigured you also as the wheels, clinging to and rising with the living creatures. For that living Spirit was in the wheels then, and now I have breathed the Holy Spirit into you.

I am He whom Daniel saw coming with the clouds of heaven in the likeness of the Son of Man, approaching the Ancient of Days. He wrote that authority was given to Me by God the Father—authority and a kingdom, both now and in the age to come, without end.

Bring forth your finger, O Twin, and behold My hands—those with which I opened the eyes of the blind, granted hearing to the deaf, and made the mute speak clearly. See also My feet—those with which I walked before you upon the sea, stepped visibly through the air, descended into the depths and trampled Hades, and walked with Luke and Cleopas on the road to Emmaus. Be not faithless, but believing.”

Then Thomas answered and said: “I believe, Lord, that Thou art truly the Christ, my God, of whom the prophets wrote, foreseeing by the Spirit; whom Moses prefigured in the Law; whom the priests and Pharisees rejected; whom the scribes mocked out of envy; whom Pilate condemned to crucifixion together with Caiaphas; whom God the Father raised from the dead.”

“I see Thy side, from which flowed blood and water—water to cleanse the defilement of the earth, and blood to sanctify human nature. I see Thy hands, which fashioned all creation, planted Paradise, and made man; which blessed the patriarchs, anointed kings, and consecrated the apostles. I see Thy feet, which the sinful woman kissed and received forgiveness of sins; upon which the widow first fell when her son was raised from the dead; which the woman with the issue of blood touched and was healed.”

“And I, O Lord, believe that Thou art my Lord and my God.”

And Jesus said to him: “Because thou hast seen Me, thou hast believed; blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.”

Therefore, brothers, let us believe in Christ our God who was crucified. Let us worship Him and glorify Him who rose again. Let us believe in Him who appeared to the apostles, and sing to Him who showed His side to Thomas. Let us praise Him who came to give us life, proclaim Him who enlightened us, and magnify Him who has poured out upon us the abundance of every good thing.

Let us recognize Him as the One of the Trinity—our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ, to whom be glory with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.