Easter Paschal Homily – John Chrysostom

This classic Paschal or Easter Sermon is from Saint John Chrysostom, fifth century early church father and one of the greatest preachers of all time. This homily for Holy Pascha exhorts all, even those who have not kept the Lenten fast, to rejoice and enter into the Easter feast of the resurrection.   TO LISTEN TO THIS HOMILY READ BY DR ITALY, CLICK THE ARROW BELOW (5 minute listen)

Let all Pious men and all lovers of God rejoice in the splendor of this feast; let the wise servants blissfully enter into the joy of their Lord; let those who have borne the burden of Lent now receive their pay, and those who have toiled since the first hour, let them now receive their due reward.  Let any who came after the third hour be grateful to join in the feast, and those who may have come after the sixth, let them not be afraid of being too late.

For the Lord is gracious and He receives the last even as the first. He gives rest to him who comes on the eleventh hour as well as to him who has toiled since the first.  Yes, He has pity on the last and He serves the first. He rewards the one and is generous to the other.  He repays the deed and praises the effort.

Come you all: enter into the joy of your Lord. You the first and you the last, receive alike your reward.  You rich and you poor, dance together.  You sober and you weaklings, celebrate the day.  You who have kept the fast and you who have not, rejoice today. The table is richly loaded: enjoy its royal banquet. The calf is a fatted one: let no one go away hungry. All of you enjoy the banquet of faith!  All of you receive the riches of his goodness!

Let no one grieve over his poverty, for the universal kingdom has been revealed.  Let no one weep over his sins, for pardon has shone from the grave.  Let no one fear death, for the death of our Savior has set us free.  He has destroyed it by enduring it. He has despoiled Hades by going down into its kingdom. He has angered it by allowing it to taste of his flesh.

Above/Featured image is a paschal icon of Christ’s resurrection for Holy Pascha by an unknown artist. Public domain.

When Isaiah foresaw all this, he cried out: “O Hades, you have been angered by encountering Him in the nether world.” Hades is angered because it is frustrated, it is angered because it has been mocked, it is angered because it has been destroyed, it is angered because it has been reduced to naught, it is angered because it is now captive. It seized a body, and lo! it discovered God.  It seized earth, and, behold! it encountered heaven.   It seized the visible, and was overcome by the invisible.

O death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory? Christ is risen and life is freed! Christ is risen and the tomb is emptied of the dead!  For Christ, being risen from the dead, has become the Leader and Reviver of those who had fallen asleep.

To Him be glory and power for ever and ever. Amen.

This resurrection sermon or paschal Easter homily is from St. John Chrysostom, archbishop of Constantinople in the early 5th century.

For more paschal resources for the Easter Season, see the EASTER section of the Crossroads Initiative Library.

For more on Palm Sunday and Holy Week, see the Resurrection section of the Crossroads Initiative Library.

For more resources from St. John Chrysostom including homilies and sermons, visit the John Chrysostom section of the Crossroads Initiative Library.

Banner paschal image of Easter eggs for Holy Pascha by Annie Spratt on Unsplash. Public domain.