My beloved spiritual children in Our Risen Lord Jesus Christ Our Only True God and Our Only True Savior,
CHRIST IS RISEN! TRULY HE IS RISEN!
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THE DIVINE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD
By His Eminence Metropolitan of Nafpaktos HIEROTHEOS
At His Ascension, Christ had the wounds of the Cross on His Body and he is on the Throne of the Father with these. Saint Nikodemos the Hagiorite collected Patristic passages in which one can see why Christ after His Resurrection left on His Body the wounds made by the nails and the spear, while He could have healed them. He gave five reasons. First, to adorn and beautify His body. Just as the windows in houses are a decoration, because they transmit the light of the sun, so it is too with the Body of Christ (Saint Gregory Palamas). Second, He left the wounds open for Thomas to feel them and to theologize about the Resurrection, to confess that He is God and man. Third, to show the great love which He has for man because He suffered and in fact boasts about these marks of the Cross. Fourth, He left the holes open so that we may take shelter in them in time of trial and be covered, just as the pigeon runs to its nest when it is pursued by a hawk. Fifth, He left the wounds for the Jews to see and recognize on the Day of Judgment. In the Book of Revelation, it says characteristically: "Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him" (Revelation 1:7).
To this question of the Angels Christ answers: I speak of righteousness and saving judgment...I am full of trodden grape, and of the nations, there is not a man with Me; I trampled them in My fury, and dashed them in pieces as earth, and brought down their blood to the earth" (Isaiah 63:1-3).
The preaching of the Gospel is righteousness, and the way of salvation is saving judgment. Christ further assures the Angels that He alone has conquered death and the devil, without the help of anyone else. Clearly here the Divinity of Christ is also being pointed out, among other things, because as God He shattered death and by His blood gave life to men. (Source: The Feasts of the Lord)
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"Glory Be To GOD For All Things!" - Saint John Chrysostomos
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With sincere agape in Our Risen Savior Jesus Christ,
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+Father George
