MGOCSM Devotionals :Christ is Risen, Indeed He is Risen!
M’shiho qom! Shariroyth qom! Christ is Risen, Indeed He is Risen!
If there was an award for “most prone to get sick”, I would definitely be considered as a recipient for that award. Hospitals, doctors, medication; its all I ever saw and continue to see. In a physical sense, I’d only be “considered” as a recipient of that award. However in a spiritual sense, because I’m sick with sin, there is no doubt in my mind I would be taking it home with ease. This is why I spend every Sunday at the hospital we all know as “Church”. In the church, the Resurrection of Christ is central, especially in worship. Every Sunday, we commemorate the death and resurrection of Christ, and it is through this that we are made well again. Christ died on the cross and resurrected from the dead not because He saw our sins as an offense, but rather as a sickness. And because He alone is the great healer, the great physician, and all merciful, He did what He did so that people like us, sick with sin, will not remain in the fallen state eternally. “Let no one weep for his iniquities, for pardon has shone forth from the grave. Let no one fear death, for the Savior’s death has set us free.” – St John Chrysostom
Time and time again, I’m so amazed by how much God really loves us. No matter what we do, He is still gracious and merciful, and still gives us the promise and the hope of eternal life. That one day, we too may be resurrected from the dead and join our Father in paradise; that is, if we believe in Him. “The hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear His voice and come forth, those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgement” (John, 5: 28-29). Since we share in Christ's Resurrection, the Church teaches that we shall also rise from the dead at the Final Judgment. However, the people of Corinth were questioning this teaching and can see this in the reflection passage for today, taken from 1 Corinthians 15:1-19
In the beginning of the passage, we see Paul reminding the people of Corinth about what was taught to them, about what they built their faith upon, about the truth they stood for. Paul was sharing his testimony of all the events that took place; and he does this right before he addresses the problem stated in verse twelve. Paul brings up a great point; he’s telling the people of Corinth that if you can believe everything that happened thus far, if you can believe these extraordinary events to be true, then how in the world can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? The people of Corinth had no trouble accepting the fact that Christ can resurrect from the dead, but regular people like them resurrecting from the dead? The idea seems a little too outrageous. But Paul wanted them to see the implications of what they’re saying. If the dead cannot be raised at all, then Jesus wasn’t raised from the dead. If you take away the resurrection, then Jesus remains in the grave. If Jesus didn’t rise from the dead, then sin won. Without the resurrection, the good news would be bad news and there would be nothing worth preaching. Without the resurrection, the gospel would be a bunch of nonsense. Everything that took place would have been for nothing
“…Christ is risen, and the demons are fallen. Christ is risen, and the Angels rejoice. Christ is risen, and life reigns. Christ is risen, and not one dead remains in the grave. For Christ, being risen from the dead, has become the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep.” – St John Chrysostom
+Glory to God for all things.
Reflection Questions
1) In John 5:28-29, it states that “those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment. If the judgment happened today, where do you see yourself standing? If not in the place you want to be, what is stopping you from changing?
2) How do you picture eternal life?