Christ is STILL Risen

What an amazing week we all had together. Even if we were in different cities on different continents, our journey through Holy Week and Pascha was a common journey together in Christ. We fasted together and then we celebrated together. Now, we’re exhausted.

For our lack of sleep and celebration yesterday, Christ is STILL Risen today and forever. If this was your first journey through Great Lent, Holy Week and Pascha, I suspect you are feeling a bit withdrawal right now. No Church services to attend. What do we do next?

This week on the Church calendar is called Renewal Week or also Bright Week. It is a week during which EVERY DAY is the Day of the Resurrection. It is our annual ‘reset’ on the Church calendar. The Lectionary started over yesterday and the Church moves forward.

We are always moving forward, waiting until Christ returns. One thing to remember about Holy Week is the first Christians treated the days of Christ’s Passion ‘remembrance’ as a time of waiting for His return. Since Christ didn’t return this year, we continue to wait.

In those days, the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day’s journey away; and when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaios and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. All these with one accord devoted themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers. In those days Peter stood up among the brethren (the company of persons was in all about a hundred and twenty), and said, “Brethren, the scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David, concerning Judas who was guide to those who arrested Jesus. For he was numbered among us, and was allotted his share in this ministry. “So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us — one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.” And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was surnamed Justos, and Matthias. And they prayed and said, “Lord, who knowest the hearts of all men, show which one of these two thou hast chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside, to go to his own place.” And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was enrolled with the eleven apostles.

Acts 1:12-17, 21-26

Today’s reading from the Book of Acts is a nice expression of that forward thinking of the ancient Church. Judas was dead but the work needed to continue, so the Apostles selected his replacement. Apostolic succession isn’t just about history. It is about always moving forward.

As Orthodox we never move forward without remembering our past. At the same time we never ‘live’ in the past without an eye to the future Kingdom. That is ultimately what Holy Week and Pascha expresses to us.

Today we stand on the threshold between the past and the future Kingdom. While we greet each other with “Christ is Risen” (response Truly His is Risen), we never live as if His Resurrection is in the past. Christ IS Risen. He is STILL Risen. He will ALWAYS be Risen.

If you’re new to Orthodoxy, here’s a few reminders.

• Fasting is forbidden this week. ‘Normal’ Wednesday and Friday fasting will return next week.
• The hymn Christ is Risen replaces the prayer “O Heavenly King” until Ascension.
• The prayer “Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal…” is excluded from our morning and evening prayers until Pentecost.