Christ is Risen! 

 Several years ago, I took a tour of the Alcatraz Island prison located near San Francisco.  As we explored the jail and looked at all the metal, all the bars, all the ugly isolated cells, the eating area, I couldn’t help but think about the broken and hurt men who stayed there like caged animals, with no hope of getting out.  It was like hell, and Alcatraz was their residence for life.

We passed by the solitary confinement area, and the tour guide asked if anyone wanted to experience the darkness and emptiness of solitary confinement.  Out of fifty tourists, I was the only crazy one to raise a hand.  The guide invited me to step into a cold, creepy, dark, four-walled chamber. 

He said he would close the door and promised to let me out after a minute. I looked out at the forty-nine others as I stepped hesitantly into the dark pit.  I remember the feeling of being swallowed up by the darkness as the door slammed shut with a loud thump.

Never have I experienced darkness like that.  Never!  Everything was black.  No light.  I couldn’t see my hand in front of me.  I couldn’t hear anything on the outside.  Inside this tiny walled chamber of darkness, I could hear the sound of my feet shuffling as I tried to make noise which I hoped would bring comfort.  Within this claustrophobic chamber, I began to panic and felt my heart race.  I was frightened and wanted to kick the doors open so I could come back to see the light, breathe, and feel peace.

As promised, the guide opened the door, and I quickly walked out of the dark “hell hole” into the light.  What a relief!

As I look back on this experience, I can’t help but reflect on our inherent need for light, freedom, and relationships.  Through Christ’s miracles, death, and Holy Resurrection, we are freed from the bonds of hell and brought out of darkness into the light. 

Every year, we have the opportunity to relive the life and resurrection of Christ through the 40-day fast, Holy Week, and Pascha.  Jesus Christ extends His hands on the cross, breaks the bonds of darkness and death, smashes the doors of hell, defeats the devil, and offers us His Light!  And as Jesus promised, “I will suffer and die, but on the third day I will rise from the grave.”

We, too, will rise out of the sealed tombs of our darkened soul and step into the light. As the Pascha hymn boldly states, “Today is the day of Resurrection!” Not tomorrow, not yesterday, not an idea or philosophy but a real experience of our True God offering you, me, and the world His Light today!

Christ is Risen, and He wants to break any chain, open any door, conquer any darkness that keeps you from changing your life.  Christ will take whatever keeps your heart captive and imprisons your spirit and give you the gift of light.

Christ is Risen so you can cease to be chained to anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language coming from your lips.  You will not lie to each other.  The Risen Lord will help you step out of the dark parts of your world and give you strength to put on the new self, centered in Christ, being renewed in the knowledge of our Creator.

Christ is Risen, and when you walk in the light, you can put to death whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed.  Indeed, Christ is Risen, and we can now extend His love, compassion, and generosity to others.

Christ is Risen, and He will pull you from anxiety and crisis and clothe you with compassion, patience, humility, and love.  Our Lord will give you the strength to bear one another’s burdens and forgive each other, allowing the peace of Christ to rule in your hearts!

Each one of us chooses whether or not to enter into a relationship with our Resurrected Lord.  We choose either darkness or light. We choose either to be alone or to be amidst the community of believers.  We choose eternal darkness or life eternal.   Let us choose to boldly live out and proclaim, “Christ is Risen!”  The door handle is on your side!  Open it! 

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.” - Revelation 3:20

Christ is Risen!

Fr. Tom