A Publication of the ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN LAITY
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| Volume 6 Number 15 - Tuesday, April 13th, 2004 |
A Publication of the ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN LAITY |
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The Orthodox Christian News Service |
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Pascha Ellinon Pascha! Easter of the Greeks, Easter! Once again we stop everything—if only for a few days—to reflect upon issues more important than careers, money, egos, and pride. We stop to reflect on life, what it’s all about, who we are, and even what we might expect in the sweet hereafter. And what better place to look for answers than in mom’s house—if we are lucky enough to have her around—with the whole family and friends gathered around, and our Greek Orthodox Church nearby. These days offer us a chance to escape from many of society’s pressures into the sanctuary of our homes and our churches, where we take part in the traditions passed down to us by our parents and grandparents. Many of our rituals, which we imported from the old country, may seem almost alien to some of our non-Greek neighbors. But that doesn’t deter us from following our beliefs with our hearts and our minds. It’s still an amazing site each year to arrive in church on Easter eve and to see so many fellow Greeks gathered in one spot. Sometimes there appear to be so many, it’s hard to believe they all live in the same area. It’s certainly not the impression one gets when going to church on an average Sunday. But this is no ordinary night. This is Anastasi, the Resurrection of Christ, the moment all evil is defeated, the moment when our hearts become as pure as a newborn. The Resurrection is the signal and the hope we are all waiting for. To know that, yes, death is beaten, and that, yes, there is life after death. If only we can manage to be humble and just, and to love others as we do ourselves; to treat them as we would like them to treat us. Thus, it is the time to celebrate the rebirth of hope, the force deep inside us that keeps us going. And this is the time to get together, and through our traditions, to celebrate the common Greek heritage we share.
Kalo Pascha!!! |
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