CHRIST IS RISEN--ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ ΑΝΕΣΤΗ

The service last night was incredible. And, as in every other year, St. John Chrysostom's homily cut right to the heart of the matter. This Pascha especially I came to the end of the fast quite disappointed with myself. The Service of the Resurrection, thanks be to God, once again showed to my hardened heart the illimitable mercy of God. Especially the homily.

I love it every year, but this time I'm going to post it. And, because I'm a nerd (and in the Greek-Orthodox Church), I'm going to post it in Greek too. Just to prove that I can (One more note, btw. I do not like the translation below. I will edit it as I have time, but this is the translation I currently possess. Those who can read Greek will easily pick out the problems with it).

THE CATECHETICAL PASCHAL HOMILY OF OUR FATHER AMONTH THE SAINTS JOHN CHRYSOSTOM

If there are devout and God-loving people here, let them enjoy this beautiful, radiant festival. If there are prudent servants, enter joyously into the Lord's joy. Whoever may be spent from fasting, enjoy now your reward. Whoever has toiled from the first hour, receive today your just settlement. If any came after the third hour, celebrate gratefully. If any of you arrived after the sixth, have no misgivings, you have lost nothing. If some have been as late as the ninth, come forward, do not be at a loss. If any of you have arrived only at the eleventh hour, do not be dismayed for being late.

The Master is gracious: He accepts the last even as the first; He gives rest to those of the eleventh as well as to those who have labored from the first; He is lenient with the last while looking after the first; to the one He gives, to the other he gives freely; He accepts the labors and welcomes the effort; honors the deed, but commends the intent. So, all of you, enter into the joy of our Lord: first and second, share the bounty. Rich and poor alike, celebrate together. Sober or heedless, honor the day. Those who fasted and those who did not, rejoice today. The table is full, everyone fare sumptuously. The calf is fatted; no one go away hungry. Everyone, savor the banquet of faith; relish the riches of His goodness.

No one need lament poverty, for the kingdom is seen as universal. No one need grieve over sins; forgiveness has dawned from the tomb. No one need fear death; the Savior's death has freed us from it. While its captive He stifled it. He despoiled Hades as He descended into it; it was vexed when it tasted His flesh. Foreseeing this, Isaiah proclaimed: "Hades," he said, "was vexed when he met You below."

It was vexed because it was abolished. It was vexed because it was mocked. It was vexed because it was slain. It was vexed because it was shackled. It received a body and encountered God. It took earth and came face to face with heaven. It took what it saw and fell by what it could not see.

Death, where is your sting? Hades, where is your victory? Christ is risen and you are overthrown. Christ is risen and demons have fallen. Christ is risen and angels rejoice. Christ is risen and life rules. Christ is risen and not one dead remains in the tomb. For Christ, having risen from the dead, has become the firstfruits of those that slept. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever, Amen.

ΚΑΤΗΧΗΤΙΚΟΣ ΛΟΓΟΣ ΤΟΥ ΕΝ ΑΓΙΩΝ ΠΑΤΡΟΣ ΗΜΩΝ ΙΩΑΝΝΟΥ ΤΟΥ ΧΡΥΣΟΣΤΟΜΟΥ

Εἴ τις εὐσεβὴς καὶ φιλόθεος, ἀπολαυέτω τῆς καλῆς ταύτης καὶ λαμπρᾶς Πανηγύρεως. Εἴ τις δοῦλος εὐγνώμων, εἰσελθέτω χαίρων εἰς τὴν χαρὰν τοῦ Κυρίου αὐτοῦ. Εἴ τις ἔκαμε νηστεύων, ἀπολαυέτω νῦν τὸ δηνάριον. Εἴ τις ἀπὸ τῆς πρώτης ὤρας εἰργάσατο, δεχέσθω σήμερον τὸ δίκαιον ὄφλημα. Εἴ τις μετὰ τὴν τρίτην ἦλθεν, εὐχαρίστως ἑορτασάτω. Εἴ τις μετὰ τὴν ἕκτην ἔφθασε, μηδὲν ἀμφιβαλλέτω· καὶ γὰρ οὐδὲν ζημιοῦται. Εἴ τις ὑστέρησεν εἰς τὴν ἐνάτην, προσελθέτω μηδὲν ἐνδοιάζων. Εἴ τις εἰς μόνην ἔφθασε τὴν ἐνδεκάτην, μὴ φοβηθῇ τὴν βραδύτητα· φιλότιμος γὰρ ὤν ὁ Δεσπότης, δέχεται τὸν ἔσχατον καθάπερ καὶ τὸν πρῶτον· ἀναπαύει τὸν τῆς ἐνδεκάτης ὡς τὸν ἐργασάμενον ἀπὸ τῆς πρώτης· καὶ τὸν ὕστερον ἐλεεῖ καὶ τὸν πρῶτον θεραπεύει· κἀκείνῳ δίδωσι, καὶ τούτου χαρίζεται· καὶ τὰ ἔργα δέχεται καὶ τὴν γνώμην ἀσπάζεται· καὶ τὴν πρᾶξιν τιμᾷ, καὶ τὴν πρόθεσιν ἐπαινεῖ. οὐκοῦν εἰσέλθετε πάντες εἰς τὴν χαρὰν τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν· καὶ πρῶτοι καὶ δεύτεροι τὸν μισθὸν ἀπολαύετε. Πλούσιοι καὶ πένητες μετ᾽ ἀλλήλων χορεύσατε· ἐγκρατεῖς καὶ ῥάθυμοι τὴν ἡμέραν τιμήσατε· νηστεύσαντες καὶ μὴ νηστεύσαντες εὐφράνθητε σήμερον. Ἡ τράπεζα γέμει, τρυφήσατε πάντες. Ὁ μόσχος πολύς, μηδεὶς ἐξέλθῃ πεινῶν. Πάντες ἀπολαύσατε τοῦ συμποσίου τῆς πίστεως· πάντες ἀπολαύσατε τοῦ πλούτου τῆς χρηστότητος. Μηδεὶς θρηνείτω πενίαν· ἐφάνη γὰρ ἡ κοινὴ Βασιλεία. Μηδεὶς ὀδυρέσθω πταίσματα· συγγνώμη ψὰρ ἐκ τοῦ τάφου ἀνέτειλε. Μηδεὶς φοβείσθω θάνατον· ἠλευθέρωσε γὰρ ἡμᾶς ὁ τοῦ Σωτῆρος θάνατος. Ἔσβεσεν αὐτόν ὑπ᾽ αὑτοῦ κατεχόμενος. Ἐσκύλευσε τὸν Ἄδην ὁ κατελθὼν εἰς τὸν Ἄδην. Ἐπίκρανεν αὐτὸν γευσάμενον τῆς σαρκὸς αὐτοῦ. Καὶ τοῦτο προλαβὼν Ἡσαΐας ἐβόησεν. ὁ Ἅδης, φησίν, ἐπικράνθη· συναντήσας σοι κάτω. Ἐπικράνθη· καὶ γὰρ κατηργήθη· Ἐπικράνθη· καὶ γὰρ ἐνεπαύχθη. Ἐπικράνθη· και γὰρ ἐνεκρώθη. Ἐπικράνθη· καὶ γὰρ καθῃρέθη. Ἐπικράνθη· καὶ γὰρ ἐδεσμεύθη. Ἔλαβε σῶμα καὶ Θεῷ περιέτυχεν. Ἔλαβε γῆν καὶ συνήντησεν οὐρανῷ· Ἔλαβεν ὅπερ ἔβλεπε καὶ πέπτωκεν ὅθεν οὐκ ἔβλεπε. Ποῦ σοῦ θάνατε, τὸ κέντρον; ποῦ σοῦ Ἅδη, τὸ νῖκος· ἀνέστη Χριστός, καὶ σύ καταβέβλησαι, Ἀνέστη Χριστός, καὶ παπτώκασι δαίμονες. Ἀνέστη Χριστός, καὶ χαίρουσιν ἄγγελοι. Ἀνέστη Χριστός, καὶ ζωὴ πολιτεύεται. Ἀνέστη Χριστός, καὶ νεκρὸς οὐδεὶς ἐπὶ μνήματος. Χριστὸς γὰρ ἐγερθεὶς ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀπαρχὴ τῶν κεκοιμημένων ἐγένετο. Αὐτῷ ἡ δόξᾳ, καὶ τὸ κράτος, εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.