Reflections in the time of the resurrection
Dr. Michel E. Abs
Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches
Today we are in the time of resurrection, the time in which the Master's divinity was manifested in its splendor, when He triumphed over annihilation and gave hope to humankind.
The little creature, immersed in sin and eager for interests, who is ready to eliminate the other, nay, the others, for the sake of his interests and the satisfaction of his selfishness, has learned the meaning of redemption.
Learn how the Son of Man, the Incarnated, the stronger than sin and the vanquisher of annihilation, sacrificed Himself for the sake of creatures that, since the beginning of their existence, had practiced nothing but reprehensible things, with the exception of a few in history, who had the same fate of the Master, but without the lessons that He provided us with in His Dignity.
Here He comes among us, with great humility that has no equal, and grew among us, like any ordinary person, carried out His message to the fullest, without being asked for from anyone, without oppressing anyone, but with all willingness and love, which culminated in self-sacrifice.
On the human level, the purest of testimonies is the testimony of blood, and here the incarnate shed His blood as a ransom for us, for the New Testament.
Yes, it is the New Testament. It is announcing the end of the era before it, the old one, and the dawning of its era, the new one.
In all His path on earth, and in His life among people, He charted a new path for humanity.
He endured humiliation, mockery, and flogging, carried His cross all the way to Calvary, accepted the thick nails that gnawed at His holy body, accepted the stab of the spear penetrating His earthly being, drank vinegar instead of water... and has forgiven.
At the crowning of His passion, as He was about giving His last breath, He forgave.
Those present did not believe what they saw, and did not understand anything of what they were watching, because their minds, filled with sin, were unable to comprehend all this steadfastness, all this forgiveness, and all this love.
It is an extraterrestrial, non-human, non-earth event.
It's a heavenly event, a divine one.
Woe to the oppressor from the silence of the oppressed.
Woe to tyrants from the patience of the downtrodden.
Woe to him who does not understand the signs of the times and persists in his ignorance.
The Lord placed human civilization on new rules based on love, which was embodied in the forgiveness of the one who was bleeding on the cross for those who were drawing His blood.
The Incarnate understood the human soul and explored the depths of the human very being, so He came to them with the recovery after which there is no cure. Forgiveness, based on love.
He said His word, which only a few understood at the time, and He walked, and this elite of opposition followed Him, followed His guidance, preaching to all nations and baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Neither the predators frightened them, nor the means of torture dissuaded them from their faith, nor the intimidation pushed them to retreat, but rather they sacrificed one martyr after another, countless martyrs, until the Master, through them, conquered the world.
They followed His path, giving society a new face, giving social values an unfamiliar turn, and pushing forward human civilization, until it reached its actual status.
He humbled Himself, exalted the humble, and said to the deserving, “Blessed are you,” so that they may know what towards what they were coming.
He knew in advance that we would be persecutes for His name, and we remained on the new faith, in which there is no righteousness but with it.
We are living today, in many parts of the world, the persecution of the first times, where the Lord is crucified every day!
In many places in the world, ingratitude struck the system of values, so people disavowed the faith of the Incarnate that formed the basis of their civilization.
They crucify Him every day, every moment, and they also don't know what to do.
Today, after two millennia, we see humanity at a crossroads, standing bewildered between the good that guarantees its life, and the evil that tries to lure it with various temptations.
O Incarnate Master, who is stronger than annihilation, humanity today is lost and it is groping its way while a part of it fell into darkness.
Arise, O Lord, and rule the earth, for the sons of men are walking slowly towards the slope.
Your light, Sir, still shines on the world, but a part of it has lost its sight.
How much they need your guidance, how much they need the light of your resurrection!