Bright Thursday.
Bright Week. No fasting or abstention from foods.
Acts 2:38-43; John 3:1-15
Read John 3:1-15
Christ is risen! Truly, He is risen!
Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
Nicodemus comes to Jesus by night, that is under the cover of darkness. We can think of this darkness as having a two-fold signification: it is both physical darkness, which hides Nicodemus’ interest in Christ from the eyes of those who would persecute him for it, but it is also a spiritual darkness which hinders his ability to perceive the things which Jesus tries to reveal to him. Nicodemus first comes to Christ with the eyes of the old man (cf. Ephesians 4:22), but Christ invites him to a new way of seeing, a way of seeing all things in the light of the kingdom of God; and the key to this new way of seeing is revealed to be Holy Baptism.
The same invitation is extended to us Christians, we who have been born anew, who have been baptised into the death and resurrection of Christ. This invitation is especially poignant in these days following the radiant feast of Pascha, as we recall over and over again in our prayers, Christ is risen from the dead trampling down death by death and on those in the tombs bestowing life. Because Christ is risen, and we are in Christ, we are invited to see death in a new light – the light of the resurrection. We are encouraged to see Death no longer as a separation from God, but rather as our path to reunion with Him. For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain (Phil. 1:21) No longer will be dominion of death be able to hold humanity, for Christ went down shattering and destroying its power… (Resurrection Kontakion Tone 7).
As many of us go back this week to our jobs and other responsibilities, let us keep in mind that not only are we invited to see death with these new eyes of faith, but all things we encounter and especially the difficulties of daily life. St. Basil the Great exhorts us: Have you been dishonored? Then have regard for the glory which is laid up in Heaven through patient endurance. Have you suffered a loss? Then contemplate the heavenly wealth and treasure which you have laid up for yourself through your good deeds…Unless you have previously trained yourself in this way regarding the eventualities of life, you will never have a calm and tranquil life. But you will easily achieve this if you have dwelling within you the commandment which advises you always to rejoice, dismissing the vexations of the flesh and gathering that which gladdens the soul, transcending the sensation of present realities and extending your mind to the hope of eternal realities, the mere thought of which is sufficient to fill the soul with rejoicing and to make Angelic exultation reside in our hearts; in Christ Jesus our Lord, to Whom be the glory and the dominion, unto the ages. Amen. (St. Basil the Great, On Thanksgiving)