The Romanian Metropolitan of the Americas explains in his Easter Pastoral Letter what is the meaning of the candle that we lit on the night of Resurrection. He says we can change the world by the inner light of understanding that we, Christians, can bring peace “through clear vision, good deeds, and tolerance towards all, for Christ has risen for all”.
“On this morning of the Lord’s Resurrection, we hold in our hands lighted candles that pierce the darkness, proclaiming the victory of light over darkness, of the life that comes from God over the darkness of hate, injustice, enmity and death,” writes His Eminence Nicolae.
“The candle we hold is not just some liturgical object, but it is the symbol of the truth we proclaim, of the triumph of life over death through our Saviour’s Resurrection. By it we express the experience that the darkness of the human condition has been overcome by the light that shines from the tomb, and that Christ is Risen from the dead, trampling down death by death and granting life to those in the tombs.”
“What is this darkness that seeks to overcome the light? These days we probably understand better than ever that it is the darkness of our own sinfulness, the darkness of our ignorance related to the life of our neighbour, who is also made in the image of God and redeemed by the blood of Christ on the Cross,” the hierarch emphasizes.
“In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind, St. John the Evangelist tells us. And St. John Chrysostom explains: ‘Christ’s word of truth shone upon falsehood and made it disappear. By suffering death He conquered death and brought to life those who had been held by it. Since then, neither death nor falsehood can any longer overcome the light which shines upon all.'”
“The life which was the light of mankind at the beginning of creation conquered death, which appeared to have dominion over all of creation,” mentions the metropolitan, quoting the chants from the morning of the Resurrection and St. John Chrysostom’s saying that “Let no one fear death, for our Saviour’s death has delivered us from death…”
“We can only seek to receive this proclamation and be illumined with the understanding of the fact that our entire Christian life testifies to this light. The enmity, hatred, and fear in our world can only be eliminated through the proclamation of the joy of the Resurrection by each of us, who call ourselves Christians and who understand that changing the world begins within ourselves,” affirms Metropolitan Nicolae.
“We all pray at the Divine Liturgy for peace from above, for the peace of the world, for the stability of the Holy Churches of God, and we add litanies for deliverance from injustice, oppression and persecution, and for the cessation of war. Christians who pray fervently can bring this peace through clear vision, good deeds, and tolerance towards all, for Christ has risen for all.”
The hierarch concludes with a call to pray for peace and to witness our faith in Christ’s Resurrection. “May this good news be for all of us a motive for joy and hope that the trials of the world will not overcome the light that shines from the tomb!”
Photo credit: Facebook / Mănăstirea Putna (archive)
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