When the Homily is about Immunology

Meet Joe Black
Imagine Jesus kicking the crud outa Brad Pitt

Finished the lecture series on death. It ended with such a profound crescendo that I was moved nearly, I say nearly (am I just getting hard hearted in my old age, or what?) to tears. Anyway, some of the thoughts which really moved me:

The intimate link between death and sin: re-read the Genesis account of the Fall, but read it with an image of God not being righteously angry and handing down a judgement, but on the contrary grief-stricken and telling his beloved why He felt that way.
Why we Orthodox tend to prefer the term "Pascha" to "Easter": Pascha, the Greek for Passover, clues us in to the emphasis of Orthodox theology in regards to Christ's work. Jesus did not come to be a sort of "sacrificial virgin", but moreso to become a man - subject to death - and then to kick death's ass. His resurrection was not the "haha - told you I was God!" proof that I used to think it was, but was in fact the REAL work of His mission. To "trample down death by death." Unlike so many other things, He did not enter into death in order to transfigure it or redeem it...nope, He destroyed it!

He fixes the great vexing problem that began in the Garden so long ago. The death and sin which plagued His beloved is overcome. His solution is so beautiful. He is the first fruit of our healing that is ongoing and will be perfected.

It received a body and encountered God. It received earth, and met heaven. It received that which it saw, and fell to what it did not see. O death, where is thy sting? O hades, where is thy victory?
-Paschal Homily of St. John Chrysostom


and of course, those wonderful words which nearly (nearly I say!) brought me to my knees the first time I heard them on Holy Saturday:

Today Hades lets out a groan: "Would that I had not received the son of Mary: for when He came upon me He dissolved my power; He shattered the gates of bronze; the souls I had held captive, as God He raised up." Glory, Lord, to Your Cross and Your Resurrection.

Today Hades lets out a groan: "My sovereignty is destroyed. I received Him as a mortal, one among the dead; but this One I am powerless to contain; instead with Him I lose all I had governed. I had held the dead for ages, but behold, He resurrects all." Glory, Lord, to Your Cross and Your Resurrection.

Today Hades lets out a groan: "My might is swallowed up: the shepherd was crucified but raised up Adam. All I ruled over I have lost; all I was able in my power to consume, I have disgorged. The crucified One has emptied the graves. The sway of death is no more." Glory, Lord, to Your Cross and Your Resurrection.

St. Seraphim of Sarov, it is said, used the Paschal greeting year round...for good reason.

Indeed He is Risen!