This prayer weaves together the Cross and Resurrection...

 

Dear Parish Faithful,

GREAT LENT: The Twenty-Fourth Day

 

 

In this week of the Cross, we can turn to one of our most powerful prayers, one openly chanted immediately after we commune with the life-giving Mystery of the Eucharist. This prayer weaves together the Cross and Resurrection as two movements within the one paschal mystery of "life out of death." At times, we can take our beautiful prayers from the Divine Liturgy for granted. Yet, here is a prayer we never want to treat in that manner, and one we can pray outside of its liturgical context as we meditate on the cross and its unity with the resurrection of Christ. This prayer reads like an extended commentary on the paschal troparion, "Christ is Risen!" This prayer is a hymn that we chant with great conviction during the Matins of Pascha.

Having beheld the Resurrection of Christ, let us worship the holy Lord Jesus, the only sinless One. We venerate Thy Cross, O Christ, and we praise and glorify Thy holy Resurrection. For Thou art our God and we know no other than Thee, we call on Thy name. Come, O you faithful, let us venerate Christ's holy Resurrection, for behold through the Cross, joy has come into the world. Let us ever bless the Lord, praising His holy Resurrection, for through the Cross He has destroyed death by death.