Let God Arise

Let God Arise - The Paschal Troparion as sung by the congregation of All Saints Orthodox Church

Let God arise! Let his enemies be scattered! Today a sacred Pascha is revealed to us! A new and holy Pascha! A mystical Pascha! A Pascha worthy of veneration! A Pascha which is Christ the redeemer! A blameless Pascha! A great Pascha! A Pascha of the faithful! A Pascha which has opened for us the gates of paradise! A Pascha which sanctifies all the faithful! 

As smoke vanishes so let them vanish! Come from that scene, O women, bearers of glad tidings, and say to Zion: "Receive from us the glad tidings of joy, of Christ's resurrection! 

Exult and be glad, and rejoice, O Jerusalem! seeing Christ the King, who comes forth from the tomb like a bridegroom in procession. So the sinners will perish before the face of God. 

But let the righteous be glad! 

The myrrhbearing women, at the break of dawn, drew near to the tomb of the Life-giver. There they found an angel sitting upon the stone. He greeted them with these words: "Why do you seek the living among the dead? Why do you mourn the incorrupt amid corruption? Go, proclaim the glad tidings to His disciples!" 

This is the day which the Lord has made! Let us rejoice and be glad in it! Pascha of beauty! The Pascha of the Lord! A Pascha worthy of all honor has dawned for us! Pascha! Let us embrace each other joyously! O Pascha, ransom from affliction! For today, as from a bridal chamber Christ has shown forth from the tomb and filled the women with joy saying: "Proclaim the glad tidings to the apostles!"

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. 

This is the day of resurrection! Let us be illumined by the feast! Let us embrace each other! Let us call, "Brothers," even those that hate us and forgive all by the resurrection! And so let us cry: 

Christ is risen from the dead! Trampling down death by death! 

And upon those in the tombs bestowing life! 

Christ is risen from the dead! Trampling death down by death!
And upon those in the tombs bestowing life! 

Christ is risen from the dead! Trampling death down by death!
And upon those in the tombs bestowing life!

~ as recorded by Mihai Ibanescu, member, All Saints Orthodox Church 

Relevant Reading

All Saints Orthodox Church

Paschal Matins 

MihaiIbanescu.net

Today is suspended on a tree He who suspended the earth upon the waters.

Today is suspended on a tree He who suspended the earth upon the waters.
The King of the angels is decked with a crown of thorns.
He who wraps the heavens in clouds is wrapped in the purple of mockery.
He who freed Adam in the Jordan is slapped on the face.
The Bridegroom of the Church is affixed to the Cross with nails.
The Son of the Virgin is pierced by a spear.
We worship Thy passion, O Christ.
We worship Thy passion, O Christ.
We worship Thy passion, O Christ.
Show us also Thy glorious resurrection.
(Hear the Chant)

Today I was not intending to go to church for the Twelve Passion Gospels. It's a very long service, with every one of the the readings of Christ's crucifixion, from the Last Supper, through the Betrayal, Trial, Crucifixion and Death of Our Lord. Our priest and deacon read every one of them. The service is about 3 hours long and frankly, it has been a really long week for me.

I went anyway.

Praise God. The Holy Spirit was truly there and when Father processed through the nave carrying the cross and then hung the icon of Christ on it, my eyes filled with tears for what He had done for me.

Thou wast crucified, O Christ, for my sake, that thou mightest pour forth salvation for me. 

And thy side was pierced with a spear, that it might cause rivers of life to flow in me.

Thou wast fasten with the nails; and so realizing the depth of Thy Passion and

to Thy Crucifixion, O life-giving Savior

Nails and thorns and scourges and spitting and slapping...For the thief on the cross. For the adulterous woman. For the sinful woman. For the Canaanite woman and her daughter.

For me. 

The least I can do is show up.

And be blessed. Oh, so very blessed.

Lord have mercy on me, a sinner.

Relevant Reading
Holy Thursday (List of the Readings of the Twelve Passion Gospels)
Dismas the Penitent Thief
John 12:1-8
Matthew 15:21-27
Mark 14:1-8
Luke 23:39-43
Synaxarion of Great and Holy Wednesday