ON HOLY AND GREAT SATURDAY

My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ Our Only True Lord, God, and Savior,

CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE

ON HOLY AND GREAT SATURDAY
By Saint Gregory Palamas

“…Man was led into his captivity when he experienced God’s wrath, this wraith being the good God’s just abandonment of man. God had to be reconciled with the human race, for otherwise mankind could NOT BE SET FREE FROM THE SERVITUDE. A sacrifice was needed TO RECONCILE THE Father on high with us and TO SANCTIFY US WHICH BOTH CLEANSED AND WAS CLEAN, AND A PURIFIED, SINLESS PRIEST. We NEEDED A RESURRECTION not just of our souls but of our bodies, and as resurrection. and also the ascension and the everlasting heavenly order, not only had TO BE BESTOWED UPON US BUT ALSO CONFIRMED. And all this was necessary NOT just for those alive at the time and those to come, but also for people born since the beginning of time. In Hades there were far more of such people than there were people to be born later, and far more were to believe and be saved at once. I believe that is why Christ came at the end of the ages. He had to preach the Gospel to those in Hades [cf. 1 Peter 3:19], TO REVEAL HIS GREAT PLAN FOR SALVATION TO THEM AND TO GIVE THEM COMPLETE FREEDOM FROM THE DEMONS WHO HELD THEM CAPTIVE, AS WELL AS SANCTIFICATION AND PROMISES FOR THE FUTURE. IT WAS CLEARLY NECESSARY FOR CHRIST TO DESCEND INTO HADES, BUT ALL THESE THINGS WERE DONE WITH JUSTICE, WITHOUT WHICH GOD DOES NOT ACT… As the Holy Apostle Paul says, “Such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens” (Hebrews 7:26).

For such reasons as these the Logos/Word of God was made flesh and dwelt among us, appearing on earth and living with men. He took upon Himself our human flesh, which was subject to suffering and death, even though it was completely pure, and He used it in His Divine wisdom AS A BAIT TO HOOK THE SERPENT, THE ORIGINATOR OF EVIL, THROUGH THE CROSS, AND SET FREE THE WHOLE HUMAN RACE WHICH HE HAD ENSLAVED. WHEN A TYRANT FALLS, ALL THOSE HE TYRANNIZED ARE LIBERATED. This is what the Lord Himself said in the Gospels, that the strong man was bound and his goods spoiled (cf Matthew 12:29). His possessions were taken as spoil by Christ, and were set free, justified, filled with light and endowed with divine gifts. As David sings, “Thou hast ascended on high,” up on the Cross, or. if you wish, up to heaven, “thou hast led captivity captive thou has given gifts to men” [Ephesians 4:8; Psalm 68:18].

CHRIST OVERTURNED THE DEVIL THROUGH SUFFERING AND HIS FLESH WHICH HE OFFERED AS A SACRIFICE TO GOD THE FATHER, AS A PURE AND ALTOGETHER HOLY VICTIM — HOW GREAT IS HIS GIFT! — AND RECONCILED GOD TO OUR HUMAN RACE. He underwent the passion according to the Father’s will and became for us, who were destroyed through DISOBEDIENCE AND SAVED THROUGH OBEDIENCE, AND EXAMPLE OF HOW OBEDIENT WE SHOULD BE. He showed THAT DEATH WAS FAR MORE PRECIOUS THAN THE DEVIL’S IMMORTALITY, BECAUSE IT PROCURED LIFE THAT WAS TRULY IMMORTAL, LIFE THAT WILL NOT BE SUBJECT TO THE SECOND AND ETERNAL DEATH, TO THE COMING DAMNATION, WHICH IS WORSE THAN TEN THOUSAND DEATHS, BUT STAYS WITH CHRIST IN THE HEAVENLY DWELLINGS. When Christ had RISEN FROM THE DEAD ON THE THIRD DAY AND HAD SHOWN HIMSELF ALIVE TO HIS DISCIPLES, HE ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN. He remained immortal and bestowed on us with complete assurance, resurrection, immortality and truly blessed, eternal, incorruptible life in heaven. By means of the one death and resurrection of His flesh, He HEALED OUR TWOFOLD DEATH AND FREED US FROM OUR DOUBLE CAPTIVITY OF SOUL AND BODY.

When the evil one (Satan) was justly abandoned by the God of True Life BECAUSE OF HIS VOLUNTARY SIN, HE BECAME A DEAD SPIRIT. He was the FULLNESS OF WICKEDNESS, THE CAPTAIN OF ENVY, CRAFTY, AND THE ORIGINATOR OF EVIL, and he could NOT bear man to live in the place of delight, that is to say, IN PARADISE. He beguiled him with deadly advice and MADE HIM SHARE HIS OWN SIN AND SPIRITUAL DEADNESS. Of necessity BODILY DEATH followed this SPIRITUAL DEATH, so the evil one caused OUR DOUBLE DEATH BY HIS SINGLE DEATH…

“…Had the Lord not been human, it would NOT have been possible for Him to suffer; and had He not been God, and remained IMPASSIBLE IN HIS DIVINITY, He could NOT have have suffered death in the flesh for our sake, thereby bestowing upon us resurrection, or rather, rising from the dead and IMMORTALITY… For this reason the Lord patiently endured for our sake a death He was NOT OBLIGED TO UNDERGO, TO REDEEM US, who were obliged to suffer death, from servitude to the devil and death, by which I mean DEATH BOTH OF SOUL AND OF THE BODY, TEMPORARY AND ETERNAL Since He gave His blood, which was SINLESS and therefore GUILTLESS, as a ransom for us who were liable to punishment because of our sins, He REDEEMED US FROM OUR GUILT. HE FORGAVE US OUR SINS, TORE UP THE RECORD OF THEM ON THE CROSS AND DELIVERED US FROM THE DEVIL’S TYRANNY [cf. Colossians 2:14-15]…

“…Christ rightly became our King, after being wrongfully murdered at teh devil’s suggestion, and having mysteriously conquered the originator of evil by righteousness. He clearly demonstrated His Almighty Power BY OVERCOMING BODILY DEATH, RISING FROM THE DEAD ON THE THIRD DAY, ASCENDING INTO HEAVEN AND SITTING ON THE RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER TOGETHER WITH THE FLESH WHICH HE WORE FOR OUR SAKE AND IN WHICH HE DIED. He proved to us that WE WOULD RISE FROM THE DEAD, BE RESTORED TO HEAVEN AND INHERIT THE KINGDOM IF, IMITATING HIM AS FAR AS WE COULD, WE OVERTHREW THE AUTHOR OF SIN THROUGH RIGHTEOUSNESS, BEATING OFF HIS ATTACKS AND HIS INCITEMENT TO EVIL PASSIONS, AND COURAGEOUSLY BEARING HIS TREACHERY.

The Lord has given us REBIRTH THROUGH DIVINE BAPTISM AND SEALED US WITH THE GRACE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT FOR THE DAY OF REDEMPTION (cf. Ephesians 4:30), but He HAS ALLOWED US STILL TO HAVE A BODY WHICH IS MORTAL AND PASSIBLE. Although He has cast out the teacher of evil from the treasure houses of our soul, yet He ALLOWS HIM TO ATTACK FROM WITHOUT. This is SO THAT ANYBODY WHO HAS BEEN RENEWED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE NEW COVENANT, THAT IT TO SAY, THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST, WHO LIVES IN GOOD WORKS AND REPENTANCE, DESPISES THE DELIGHTS OF THIS LIFE, ENDURES SUFFERING AND IS TRAINED IN THE ENEMY’S ASSAULTS, CAN BE MADE READY TO RECEIVE IMMORTALITY AND THE INCORRUPTIBLE GOOD THINGS TO COME IN THE NEW AGE.

(To be continued)

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“Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!”
– Saint John Chrysostomos
+ + +

With sincere agape in His Divine and Glorious Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George