Letter 37 The meaning of the words: : “Our God is in heaven and on earth; all things soever He hath willed, He hath done” (Psa. 113:11).

Christ is Risen! Christ is Risen! Christ is Risen!

Brethren in the Lord and Mothers and Sisters!
Through the mercy and long-suffering of God we again are vouchsafed to meet the all-radiant feast of the Resurrection of Christ. I congratulate all of you with this great and notable Christian celebration of celebrations. My soul’s desire is that it will enlighten you with peace and spiritual comfort. As is my custom, for the benefit of your souls, I set forth for your consideration the words of the Psalmist: “Our God is in heaven and on earth; all things soever He hath willed, He hath done” (Psa. 113:11).

God has done more on earth than in heaven. In heaven God created the angels, bodiless spirits. Intellectually perfect but not yet totally established in good and they were left to have their willingness tested which is shown by their submission or rejection in relation to God. One third of the angels fell away from God, being enticed by the foremost of the angels who became proud and wanted to become equal to God, thinking to himself: “I will establish my throne above the heavenly stars and will be like the most high” (Isaiah 14:13-14). For this pride and audacity, this light bearing angel became transformed into a serpent–dragon, about which it is said in the Revelation of John the Theologian that “with his tail he tore away one third of the heavenly stars”(Rev. 12:4)–that is angels. The fallen angels along with their evil leader were thrown down from heaven and left with their evil will until the terrible judgment for their due recompense.

On earth God created man, Adam in the flesh, by taking dust from the earth and breathed into his face the breath of life, that is, the reasoning and immortal soul. God created man in the flesh firstly, so that he will humble himself, remembering that his body is made of the earth and must return to dust again. Secondly, that a man in the flesh could receive mercy as one being weak. God also created a helper for Adam from his rib, and settled those first created in the paradise of sweetness and into blessed living commanding them not to eat from one tree. But the same serpent, who was formerly the prime angel, because of jealousy, seduced our forefathers. He convinced them that once they would eat of the fruit of the tree they will become like gods who know “good and evil” (Gen. 3:5) Deceived, our forbearers, even though they were exiled for disobedience and transgression from paradise, they were not totally abandoned by God as were the fallen angels. The all-good and merciful Lord promised to send to them a Deliverer, saying, that “the seed of woman will crush the head of the serpent” (Gen. 3:15). But since the promised Deliverer did not immediately come on earth, Adam and Eve and their progeny were compelled to live only with faith in the coming Deliverer or Messiah. Therefore, they had to languish, first in the life of various labors, sorrows, and sicknesses and after death, in the prisons of hell during some 5,500 years and more.

Finally, God fulfilled His promise and sent the Deliverer in the person of His only-begotten Son, Who, as an infant, was born from the most holy Virgin by the action of the Holy Spirit. He lived with man, increased in stature, and preached the word of God. Then He suffered and died on the Cross and resurrected in three days in order to deliver man from the forcible dominion and tyranny of the devil, the seven-headed serpent and Satan. As it is said by the Evangelist Saint John: “God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son so that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

God did more on earth than in heaven, especially in reference to the incarnation of His only-begotten Son, Who united Himself with human nature and became God-man. And after sufferings and death on the Cross, He took human nature up to heaven and sat down on the throne of His kingdom, of which the angelic nature was not deemed worthy. The greatly merciful Lord was well pleased to deify all mankind; but this is hindered by disbelief, or heresies, or impious living, or generally, neglect and earthly cares. For this, the Lord reproaches us through the Prophet David, “I said: Ye are gods, and all of you sons of the Most High. But like men ye die, and like one of the rulers do ye fall” (Psa. 816-7).
Being made worthy of such great mercy from God, we must by all means begin to take heed to ourselves. And if we cannot live as it is demanded by the Word of God, at least let us have sincere and humble repentance for our faults and sins and try to correct ourselves as best we can, otherwise, at the terrible judgment we might find ourselves among unrepentant sinners, of whom the Holy Gospel says: “and these shall go into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels” (Mat. 25:41). These words of the Gospel show that men willfully, in their folly and lack of repentance go to torments, which are prepared not for them, but for the fallen angels.

May He Who became incarnate for us, and Who voluntarily suffered upon the Cross, and Who resurrected on the third day, Christ-Jesus our Lord have mercy on all of us and all who seek salvation! Amen, amen, amen!