Easter Rejoicing

From St. John Chrysostom:

Let all pious men and lovers of God rejoice in the splendor of this feast. Let the wise servants blissfully enter into the joy of their Lord. Let those who have borne the burden of Lent now receive their pay, and those who have toiled since the first hour, let them now receive their due reward.

Let any who came after the third hour be grateful to join the feast, and those who may have come after the sixth, let them not be afraid of being late, for the Lord is gracious and He receives the last even as the first. He gives rest to him who comes at the eleventh hour as well as to him who has toiled since the first.

Yes, He has pity on the last and He serves the first. He rewards the one and is generous to the other. He repays the deeds and praises the effort.

Come you all: enter into the joy of your Lord! You the first and you the last, receive alike your reward. You rich and you poor, dance together! You sober and you the weak, celebrate the day! You who have kept the fast and you who have not, rejoice today!

The table is richly loaded; enjoy its royal banquet. The calf is a fattened one; let no one go away hungry. All of you enjoy the banquet of faith. All of you receive the riches of His goodness. Let no one grieve over his poverty, for the universal kingdom has been revealed. Let no one weep over his sins, for pardon has shone from the grave!

Let no one fear death, for the death of our Savior has set us free. He has destroyed it by enduring it! He has despoiled Hades by going down into its kingdom. He has vexed it by allowing it to taste of His flesh. When Isaiah foresaw all this, he cried out: "O Hades, you have been vexed by encountering Him in the nether world!"

Hades is vexed, because it is frustrated!
It is vexed, because it is now captive!
It seized a body, and lo! It discovered God!
It seized earth, and behold! It encountered Heaven! It seized the visible and was overcome by the invisible!
Oh death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?

Christ is risen, and you are abolished!
Christ is risen, and the demons are cast down!
Christ is risen, and the angels rejoice!
Christ is risen, and life is freed!
Christ is risen, and the tomb is emptied of the dead!

For Christ, being risen from the dead, has become the Leader and the Reviver of those who have fallen asleep. To Him be glory and power, for ever and ever! Amen.