Christians worldwide celebrate Easter. I’d like to sincerely condole the families of the martyrs of Tanta and Alexandria, beseeching God to grant them comfort and patience during these holy days.
Resurrection: the Immortality Bell
Resurrection is humanity’s destiny after crossing the bridge of death. Christ speaks of it, after some people had attempted to deny it, saying, “But about the resurrection of the dead—have you not read what God said to you, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead but of the living.” Thus, resurrection rings a bell that declares that man’s life does not end in death, but lasts forever, and that he has to get prepared for resurrection and immortality. Ancient civilizations demonstrated the eternal life which man will lead after going through carnal death. We read through history how humans have attempted to get prepared for the afterlife through mummifying bodies, building pyramids, or the teachings that were offered man to get spiritually ready for doomsday. Likewise, religions have promoted resurrection and man’s immortality in their teachings.
Resurrection: the Justice Bell
Resurrection is also a bell that declares God’s justice. On doomsday, every man will bring over the record of his deeds and God will judge each one according to his deeds: be they good or evil.
Thus, resurrection becomes a source of rest, joy, and peace for the good, loving, and merciful wherever they are, especially if they had behaved this way expecting nothing in return. That is why Christ says, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
Only God knows humans’ hearts, their good or evil, unlike those who only judge by appearances. I do like a sage’s words, “I feel quite comfortable when I know that we will be judged at doomsday by God, not by humans: for some humans are quite cruel in the manners and judgment.”
Resurrection will also be a joy to whoever experienced pain or injustice, without committing any sin, throughout his lifetime: for during eternal life, God will recompense him his pains and tribulations. We read, “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
As for the evil, resurrection fills them with fear and trouble: for they will reap their mercilessness toward their fellows. So much so, that they will fear standing before God and ask mountains to cover them in fear of the Just God! In the Parable of the rich man and Lazarus, the beggar, we read that Lazarus was a poor, sick man lying at the rich man’s gate. The latter used to wear the best clothes and lead an extravagant life. Lazarus used to crave the crumbs falling from the rich man’s table, but the latter showed him no mercy. When both men died, angels carried Lazarus to patriarch Abraham’s bosom, while the rich man was cast in the pit where he was tortured. From thence, he saw Abraham and Lazarus with him. So, he cried out, “Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’ “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.”
The rich man’s prime fault was that he showed the poor man no mercy. Neither did he sustain him through his miserable life. Thus, he did not reap mercy in eternal life: whatever man sows he will reap.
Also, those who will tremble at doomsday are the ones who behaved unjustly, gave an unjust judgment, or hurt people by any means: for the cruel and unjust are rewarded with equal cruelty and injustice.
God sees and knows everything; He knows what humans’ hearts conceal. He is the Omniscient who allows all good to His children, though human minds might not understand it. Yet, the time will come when every man gets to know what was for his welfare. God’s justice starts during our life on earth. He sends peace and comfort to troubled souls. He will never leave any cruel or unjust person unpunished. Here I recall the story of a butcher. One day, as he was driving back home, he saw a woman lying unconscious on the road. So, he stopped to help her, only to find that she was slaughtered with a knife!
At that time, someone saw him and thought he had murdered her. So, he called the police who arrested him. During the interrogation, the man disclosed a secret: when he was young, he used to work on a boat. He had killed a woman and her son, without being seen. Several years elapsed without the secret getting revealed. Then, this accident happened in which he was accused of a murder he did not perpetrate. God is just. He will not wait long on injustice alighting on anybody.
Here I recall a poem written by reposed Pope Shenouda III:
The Universe had a God
To Him only is reverence
He is root of life
He is the origin of existence
To Him, people bow with awe
To Him, we bow our heads
As we worship and prostrate
As we pray and supplicate
In His love, the heart does find
Whatever it pleases
What I yearn to is
To spend my life in His affection
Though He’s in our minds
Heaven is His abode
Yet, a mind cannot encompass Him
It knows not His limit
He is the Creator and Protector
And our Guardian
He is the God of Creation
And the Care-taker of all
Resurrection: the Bell of Attention
Humans are preoccupied with working for their earthly life, which strays them from caring for their eternal life. This is neither wrong nor rejected. Yet, it is wrong to sway from whatever benefits your spiritual life and eternity. Thus, with Easter, we pose this question: What have you done so far for your eternal life? So, make sure to fill your forthcoming days, hours, and minutes with work of love, mercy, and giving for every man, remembering that this the true treasure which accompanies you to eternal life. Money and power can be temporarily useful: as they make our lives a bit easy. Yet, our deeds will accompany us before God’s throne.
We beseech God to fill Egypt with love and peace that they might spread amongst Egyptians. Likewise, we ask Him to fill the Middle East and the whole world with peace. Such prayers will never end in Beautiful Egypt.
General Bishop
Head of the Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center
