Christ is Risen!
Father Gerasimos Makris, May 12, 2006

Dear Students,

Christ is risen!! I contemplate on these words often. These are the words that would always be on the lips of St. Seraphim of Sarov. We have read and studied the theological meanings of the death and resurrection of Christ in our classes and we use the message of "Christ is risen" as the cliche answer to life`s problems.

I fear however that the we do not fully understand the significance of these words because many of us have not lived or experienced death. How can we know what the resurrection of our Christ and its significance in our lives without knowing what death is. Yes we are all dying because of our sinfulness but do we know this. We live our lives without true repentance, therefore we try to live the holy day of the Resurrection without having gone through Holy Friday and the crucifixion. Tragedies, illness, lost of loved ones ususally bring us closer to God, because they allow us to experience the cross, they humble us. It is this latter, i.e. humility, that brings us to true repentance and to death of our selfish ways, it is this humility and death to oneself that ultimately brings also the resurrection in our lives.

St. Seraphim had found the answer of humility and therefore for him each and every day was a day of resurrection. My prayer for you is that you remain humble in the presence of God and in the presence of your fellow schoolmates so that you may truly say with heartfelt conviction Christ is risen!

I too, humbly ask for your forgiveness during this holy period and pardon for all my shortcomings both now and in the past.

Christ is risen! Truly He is risen!
Yours in Christ,
Fr. Gerasimos