Pascha: The Feast of the Resurrection of our Lord God and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Acts 1:1-8; John 1:1-17.
Read John 1:1-17
Christ is risen! Truly, He is risen!
“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life – the life was made manifest, and we saw it, and testify to it, and proclaim to you the eternal life which was with the Father and was made manifest to us – that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you may have fellowship with us; and our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.”
These words from 1 John 1 convey the apostles’ spiritual eye-opening though the physical experience of Jesus Christ, reflected in today’s Paschal gospel reading. Genesis 1 says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth,” by His spoken word. Having experienced Christ, the apostles were compelled to say that Jesus Christ was and is that Word – with God and God – through whom all things were made. The created light was spoken into being; we can be illumined by the uncreated eternal Light which is “not a light of the senses” (St. Gregory Palamas).
“The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” Some were not open to that compelling illumination and saw only flesh. Those who were open experienced becoming “children of God, born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God,” a new beginning still available to all who receive Him, who believe in His name.