• Home
  • About
    • Our team
    • Find a Spiritual Director
  • Services
    • Classes
    • Retreats
    • Certificate Programs
    • Workshops & Presentations
  • Areas of Focus
    • Spiritual Formation
      • Certificate in Spiritual Direction
      • Contemplative Journey: A Year in the Christian Spiritual Disciplines
    • Ministerial Support
    • Body Spirituality and Wellness
  • Events
  • Blog
  • Course Catalog
    • Art and Spirituality
    • Benedictine Spirituality, Part 1
    • Benedictine Spirituality, Part 2
    • Contemplative Prayer Practices
    • Communal Spirituality
    • Cultivating Creativity: Art as a Contemplative Practice
    • Held and Loved: On Parenting with God
    • Sacred Dust: Exploring the Relationship between the Body and Faith
    • Silence and Solitude
    • Simplicity: Making Room for God
    • Spirituality of the Body
    • Transformation through Scripture
  • Contact
  • Home »
  • About »
    • Our team »
    • Find a Spiritual Director »
  • Services »
    • Classes »
    • Retreats »
    • Certificate Programs »
    • Workshops & Presentations »
  • Areas of Focus »
    • Spiritual Formation »
      • Certificate in Spiritual Direction »
      • Contemplative Journey: A Year in the Christian Spiritual Disciplines »
    • Ministerial Support »
    • Body Spirituality and Wellness »
  • Events »
  • Blog »
  • Course Catalog »
    • Art and Spirituality »
    • Benedictine Spirituality, Part 1 »
    • Benedictine Spirituality, Part 2 »
    • Contemplative Prayer Practices »
    • Communal Spirituality »
    • Cultivating Creativity: Art as a Contemplative Practice »
    • Held and Loved: On Parenting with God »
    • Sacred Dust: Exploring the Relationship between the Body and Faith »
    • Silence and Solitude »
    • Simplicity: Making Room for God »
    • Spirituality of the Body »
    • Transformation through Scripture »
  • Contact »
 
 
Selah: Center for Spiritual Formation

Center for Spiritual Formation

  • Recent Posts

    • Peace, by Kelli Randolph
    • Spiritual Nourishment
    • Graces Remembered
    • 30-Day Silent Retreat, Part 2 
    • Silent Retreat, Part I
  • Archives

    • December 2022
    • November 2022
    • September 2022
    • May 2022
    • April 2022
    • October 2021
    • May 2021
    • April 2021
    • March 2021
    • February 2021
    • November 2020
    • August 2020
    • July 2020
    • May 2020
    • March 2020
    • December 2019
    • October 2019
    • August 2019
    • July 2019
    • June 2019
    • April 2019
    • March 2019
    • February 2019
    • January 2019
    • December 2018
    • November 2018
    • October 2018
    • September 2018
    • August 2018
    • July 2018
    • June 2018
    • May 2018
    • April 2018
    • March 2018
    • February 2018
    • January 2018
    • December 2017
    • November 2017
    • October 2017
    • September 2017
    • August 2017
    • July 2017
    • June 2017
    • May 2017
    • April 2017
    • March 2017
    • February 2017
    • August 2016
    • July 2016
    • June 2016
    • May 2016
    • April 2016
    • March 2016
    • February 2016
    • January 2016
    • December 2015
    • November 2015
    • October 2015
    • September 2015
    • August 2015
    • July 2015
    • April 2015
  • Categories

    • Body Spirituality and Wellness
    • Course Previews
    • Millennial Spirituality
    • Spiritual Formation
    • Spirituality of Aging
    • TPW
    • Uncategorized

Spiritual Support

Sign up to receive our newsletter

We promise to keep your email safe

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn

An Easter Sermon

Posted by Jackie Halstead | March 26, 2016

2015 JLHThe following sermon is read on Easter Sunday in Orthodox churches around the world. The congregation stands during the reading. John Chrysostom (c. 347-407), Patriarch of Constantinople, wrote the sermon. He was known as the greatest preacher in the early Church and was given the name “Chrysostom” which means “golden mouth.”

Read the text carefully and see which part of it stands out for you. There is so much richness in these few lines.

Sermon Text

If anyone is devout and a lover of God, let him enjoy this beautiful and radiant festival.

If anyone is a wise servant, let him, rejoicing, enter into the joy of his Lord.

If anyone has wearied himself in fasting, let him now receive his recompense.

If anyone has labored from the first hour, let him today receive his just reward. If anyone has come at the third hour, with thanksgiving let him keep the feast. If anyone has arrived at the sixth hour, let him have no misgivings; for he shall suffer no loss. If anyone has delayed until the ninth hour, let him draw near without hesitation. If anyone has arrived even at the eleventh hour, let him not fear on account of his delay. For the Master is gracious and receives the last, even as the first; he gives rest to him that comes at the eleventh hour, just as to him who has labored from the first. He has mercy upon the last and cares for the first; to the one he gives, and to the other he is gracious. He both honors the work and praises the intention.

Enter all of you, therefore, into the joy of our Lord, and, whether first or last, receive your reward. O rich and poor, one with another, dance for joy! O you ascetics and you negligent, celebrate the day! You that have fasted and you that have disregarded the fast, rejoice today! The table is rich-laden; feast royally, all of you! The calf is fatted; let no one go forth hungry!

Let all partake of the feast of faith. Let all receive the riches of goodness.

Let no one lament his poverty, for the universal kingdom has been revealed.

Let no one mourn his transgressions, for pardon has dawned from the grave.

Let no one fear death, for the Saviour’s death has set us free.

He that was taken by death has annihilated it! He descended into hades and took hades captive! He embittered it when it tasted his flesh! And anticipating this Isaiah exclaimed, “Hades was embittered when it encountered thee in the lower regions.” It was embittered, for it was abolished! It was embittered, for it was mocked! It was embittered, for it was purged! It was embittered, for it was despoiled! It was embittered, for it was bound in chains!

It took a body and, face to face, met God! It took earth and encountered heaven! It took what it saw but crumbled before what it had not seen!

“O death, where is thy sting? O hades, where is thy victory?”

Christ is risen, and you are overthrown!

Christ is risen, and the demons are fallen!

Christ is risen, and the angels rejoice!

Christ is risen, and life reigns!

Christ is risen, and not one dead remains in a tomb!

For Christ, being raised from the dead, has become the First-fruits of them that slept.

To him be glory and might unto ages of ages. Amen.

John Chrysostom

May God bless you as we celebrate the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord!

Peace and grace to you,

Jackie

This entry was posted in Spiritual Formation. Bookmark the permalink.
← Previous Post Next Post →
  • Home
  • About Selah
  • Services
  • Areas of Focus
    • Contemplative Journey: A Year in the Christian Spiritual Disciplines
  • Contact Selah
  • Donate

© 2015. Selah: Center for Spiritual Foundation. All rights reserved.

WordPress website theme design and installation by the MightyLittleWebShop.com