“Only those chosen by Christ to be the witnesses of His Resurrection can also be the preachers of this miracle. Christ appeared to the myrrh-bearers, the apostles, the disciples and lastly to St. Paul,” writes the Romanian Metropolitan of the two Americas in his Easter Pastoral Letter. “We too are following in the footsteps of those who met the Risen Christ, we who seek salvation in the Church,” he adds.
“We too have received the grace of Holy Baptism, and we are chosen through the Mystery of Chrismation to be witnesses and proclaimers of the Resurrection. And we must labor to work with the grace that is in us, just like St. Paul the Apostle,” points the hierarch.
“This ministry is the purpose of the Christian life. Our faith has as its foundation the Resurrection of Christ and is fulfilled through faith in our own resurrection,” mentions Metropolitan Nicolae.
Our Saviour Jesus Christ offered Himself as a sacrifice to God the Father, restoring our communion with God and thus vanquishing death „as defeat of human living, that is, eternal separation from God, ending in hell.”
“Christ rises from the tomb and brings us all to the life of communion with God, to the eternity of the Kingdom of the Father in the joy of our Lord,” affirms the hierarch.
He also writes about the Christians’ attitude towards life and death: “Christ first conquered, as man, the fear of death in the Garden of Gethsemane, then sin on the Cross, in order to finally conquer death through the Resurrection.”
Thus, he adds, “Our resurrection already in this life refers to victory over all the fears that we find around us, including that of sickness and death, and resurrection with Christ through life in Christ.”
The Romanian Metropolitan of the two Americas has wished the faithful to be strengthened in this belief and to witness it to those who are still frightened and lacking in understanding.
“I urge you through word and deed to bring light and hope to those around you and to those still suffering these days,” concludes the metropolitan.
Photo credit: Basilica.ro (archive)
