Yesterday I was Crucified with Thee

by Newnameelizabeth

Turtle Mom has posted helpful direction about not slacking off during Bright Week. Her post prompted me to look at the St. Seraphim Cathedral schedule and indeed they had Paschal Liturgies yesterday and today. The Hours are waiting for me to get back to them, though I have kept up with the Kathisma scedule, and the Morning Prayers from the Jordanville Prayer Book and the daily Bible lectionary that we do as a family.

The title is from the Troparian to the 3rd Paschal Ode,

Now all things are filled with light, heaven, and all things beneath the earth. Then let all creation keep festival for Christ’s arising, in which it is established. Yesterday, O Christ, with Thee I was entombed. Today, with Thee arising, I arise. Yesterday I was crucified with Thee: glorify me together with Thyself, O Saviour, in Thy kingdom. (more on the hymns here.)

It is hard to get into the mindset of the Orthodox Calendar. We are invited to participate in the events that are commemorated each day in a way that transcends the time and distance, including that of relationship, separating us from them. We aren’t dramatizing or recreating, but actually participating. I have had a habit of viewing history as that which happened to someone else a long time ago, and all it is to me is a sometimes interesting story or partial explanation of why I’m here now under different circumstances. But the Calendar is meant to bridge the gap of detachment. Through the services, daily readings, and lives of the Saints we are invited to actually time travel and be there. We aren’t to use our imaginations, which is tempting, but to enter in by faith.

If yesterday I was crucified with Christ and today I am risen with Him, then the other circumstances of my day aren’t going to seem so important, not that they are to be neglected. Our perspective changes. Christ our God was crucified last Friday, and then Sunday it was revealed that He is Risen! And He defeated sin and death by His death! The graves were emptied just 2 days ago! We are to await the coming of the Holy Spirit in the city of our God.

We watched Galaxy Quest last night and the nerd fan totally believed that the TV show astronauts were actually fighting for the salvation of the universe and that they needed his help, but still he took out the trash for his mother. That was my favorite part.