“The first thing Christ wishes to share with the Myrrh-bearing Women early in the morning is joy,” writes Bishop Ioan Casian of Canada in his pastoral message for Holy Pascha.
“Joy springs from the encounter with the Son of God, who grants us salvation. It is the shared joy of communion once lost and restored in Christ. It removes sorrow and distress, which are signs of distance from God,” he added.
Resurrection as divine work
In the first part of his message, the bishop underlined that “the beginning of our resurrection is the work of God.”
“The experience of humanity before the coming of Christ was one of profound suffering due to the fragility of human nature, sin and the helplessness man felt amid the vicissitudes of life. The Prophet David summarises this reality in his cry to God: ‘Lord, I have cried unto Thee, hear me; attend to the voice of my supplication when I cry unto Thee’ (Psalm 140:1).”
Human cooperation with God
He went on to explain how human beings participate in this resurrection, which is fundamentally God’s work.
“Faith in God, in the Resurrection of Christ for our salvation, becomes the foundational element and the basis of our new life at every moment,” Bishop Ioan Casian said.
“If before this moment, human life was guided by immediate concerns and fleeting thoughts, by minor preoccupations without any clear perspective of eternity, from the moment of Christ’s Resurrection and faith in Him, life gains a new perspective and strength.”
A new life
Life transfigured through the Resurrection has two defining characteristics: joy and peace. Spiritual joy gives us the strength to find peace amid the world’s turmoil, the bishop explained.
“The consequence of tasting divine joy is the attainment of spiritual rest. Once the central and foundational bond of human existence—the relationship with God—is restored, man finds rest from all his anxieties,” he wrote.
“Worries, concerns, uncertainty and hardships fade, because the awareness of God’s care returns within him through His Son and His Holy Spirit. Christ bears all humanity upon His shoulders, and the Holy Spirit transfigures it through divine grace working in synergy with human will.”
Call to receive Christ’s gifts
Bishop Ioan Casian also referred to the 2026 commemorative year in the Romanian Patriarchate, dedicated to the pastoral care of families and to holy women.
“Let us use this year dedicated to the family and the witness of holy women to strengthen both our families and our personal lives, following the example of those we honour in a special way this year,” he urged.
“In this season illumined by the feast of the Resurrection, we are called to draw closer to Christ, receiving with open hearts the gifts He offers us. Let us live with gratitude the joy of life and salvation that He grants in the Church, and may the light of His Resurrection renew our souls and bring peace, hope and blessing into each of our lives,” the Bishop of Canada concluded.
Photo: Alex Coman
