The
Lord’s Descent into the Underworld
Something
strange is happening – there is a great silence on earth today, a great silence
and stillness. The whole earth keeps silence because the King is asleep. The
earth trembled and is still because God has fallen asleep in the flesh and he
has raised up all who have slept ever since the world began. God has died in
the flesh and hell trembles with fear.
He
has gone to search for our first parent, as for a lost sheep. Greatly desiring
to visit those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, he has gone to
free from sorrow the captives Adam and Eve, he who is both God and the son of
Eve. The Lord approached them bearing the cross, the weapon that had won him
the victory. At the sight of him Adam, the first man he had created, struck his
breast in terror and cried out to everyone: “My Lord be with you all.” Christ
answered him: “And with your spirit.” He took him by the hand and raised him
up, saying: “Awake, O sleeper, and rise from the dead, and Christ will give you
light.”
I am your God, who for your sake have become
your son. Out of love for you and for your descendants I now by my own
authority command all who are held in bondage to come forth, all who are in
darkness to be enlightened, all who are sleeping to arise. I order you, O
sleeper, to awake. I did not create you to be held a prisoner in hell. Rise
from the dead, for I am the life of the dead. Rise up, work of my hands, you
who were created in my image. Rise, let us leave this place, for you are in me
and I am in you; together we form only one person and we cannot be separated.
For your sake I, your God, became your son; I, the Lord, took the form of a
slave; I, whose home is above the heavens, descended to the earth and beneath
the earth. For your sake, for the sake of man, I became like a man without
help, free among the dead. For the sake of you, who left a garden, I was
betrayed to the Jews in a garden, and I was crucified in a garden.
See
on my face the spittle I received in order to restore to you the life I once
breathed into you. See there the marks of the blows I received in order to
refashion your warped nature in my image. On my back see the marks of the
scourging I endured to remove the burden of sin that weighs upon your back. See
my hands, nailed firmly to a tree, for you who once wickedly stretched out your
hand to a tree.
I
slept on the cross and a sword pierced my side for you who slept in paradise
and brought forth Eve from your side. My side has healed the pain in yours. My
sleep will rouse you from your sleep in hell. The sword that pierced me has
sheathed the sword that was turned against you.
Rise,
let us leave this place. The enemy led you out of the earthly paradise. I will
not restore you to that paradise, but I will enthrone you in heaven. I forbade
you the tree that was only a symbol of life, but see, I who am life itself am
now one with you. I appointed cherubim to guard you as slaves are guarded, but
now I make them worship you as God. The throne formed by cherubim awaits you,
its bearers swift and eager. The bridal chamber is adorned, the banquet is
ready, the eternal dwelling places are prepared, the treasure houses of all
good things lie open. The kingdom of heaven has been prepared for you from all
eternity.
From an ancient homily for Holy
Saturday (Holy Saturday – DO)
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