The Feast of the Resurrection - Easter Day

 

Augustine on Psalm CXIII
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CHRIST our Passover is sacrificed for us: * therefore let us keep the feast, Not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; * but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. 1 Cor. v. 7.

CHRIST being raised from the dead dieth no more; * death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: * but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, * but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Rom. vi. 9.

CHRIST is risen from the dead, * and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, * by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, * even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 1 Cor. xv. 20

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ALMIGHTY God, who through thine only-begotten Son Jesus Christ hast overcome death, and opened unto us the gate of everlasting life; We humbly beseech thee that, as by thy special grace preventing us thou dost put into our minds good desires, so by thy continual help we may bring the same to good effect; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost ever, one God, world without end. Amen.

Source of Collect: Sacramentary of Gelasius [ca 494 AD]. This was changed to reflect the church's fight against the teachings of Pelagius, and monk who traveled and taught that people could do good without God's help.

I Sam ii. 6, Psalm 2, 57, 111 | 113, 116, 117, Colossians iii. 1. St. John xx. 1.
Homily of Augustine on Psalm CXIII

He taketh up the simple out of the dust, and lifteth the poor out of the mire; That he may set him with the princes, even with the princes of his people

 

Grace be unto you, and peace from God the Father and the Risen Lord Jesus Christ.

This is the Feast of the Resurrection, the most important day on the Church calendar. The Resurrection is the foundation and the basis of our faith. As Paul said, if Christ not be raised, your faith is in vain [1 Cor 15:17]

The promise is for the body of Christ too, for all those in Christ shall be raised up on the last day.

Today psalm 113 is examined, and the 7th and 8th verses suggest the resurrection. I have selected for the Old Testament lesson 1st Sam ii. 6ff, which echos these words.

Augustine has treated the verse as referring to our Lord's Resurrection: He wrote

He taketh up the destitute out of the dust, and lifteth the poor out of the mire" (ver. 7); "that He may set Him with the princes, even with the princes of His people" (ver. 8). Let not then the heads of the exalted disdain to be humble, beneath the Lord's right hand. For though the faithful steward of the Lord's money be placed together with the princes of the people of God, although he be destined to sit on the twelve seats, and even to judge angels;  yet he is taken up destitute from the dust, and lifted from out of the mire. Was not he possibly lifted up from the mire, who "served divers lusts and pleasures"?...

However, we may see in this verse our own promise of resurrection. Those in Christ who have been faithful in this life, sacrificing self for the sake of Christ, shall be taken up, lifted from the out of their graves and exalted with the princes of heaven, Our Lord, Archangels, Apostles, and all the saints together in the Kingdom of God.

Alleluia, Christ is Risen, O come let us adore him! Alleluia

Finis
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Legio Christi-Ecclesia Militans
"Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another" [St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans 14:19]

* ORDO CENTURIONUM * IN HOC SIGNO VINCES * TIME DEUM ET OPERARE IUSTITIAM