Easter Sunday
Sergei Smirnov
undated (2000s?)
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This day is the very centre of our faith. As St Paul put it, plainly and without any fancy frou-frou, “If Christ be not risen from the dead, your faith is in vain”. That’s what it is, straight-up, without any mixer or ice. No other day’s as important or as joyous. It’s why the martyrs faced the lions in the Coliseum. It’s why St Nicholas punched out Arius at the First Council. It’s why St Mark of Ephesus stood tall against the false Florentine union. It’s why the Martyrs of the Butovo Poligon persisted to the end. It’s why Metropolitan Laurus and Patriarch Aleksei embraced and ended the pointless Church war.
Christ is risen from the dead,
Trampling on death by death,
And upon those in the tombs,
Bestowing Life.
That’s it folks. Please, do spare me your pointless theologising, self-centred airy-fairy lecturing, and misquotations from badly-translated editions of the Fathers and canons. To reiterate, Christ rose from the dead. He promises the same to us. All we’ve got to do is to persevere to the end… the older I get, the simpler my faith becomes. Don’t read to me from a book… show me your faith in your life! Keep it focused; keep it tight; keep it to the point. THAT’S what Our Lord expects of us. With God’s help, we’ll make it.
Христос воскресе!
Воистинну воскресе!
My thanks to all of you… you DO keep me going. I bow in respect to you all. Have a WONDERFUL holiday.
BMD
Art and Faith 
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