The day of joy and the fitting response

This is a day of joy and gladness, beloved, a day of exultation and salvation, a day of illumination and sanctification, a day of peace and reconciliation. It is a day for the remolding and renewal of our souls, a day that is truly great, wondrous, and glorious. On this day Christ raised us up together, we who had been cast down by sin. On this day Christ made us alive together, we who had been put to death by our transgressions. On this day he opened paradise so that we might enjoy the tree of life, which is his precious and life-giving body and blood. Through these we are purified, sanctified, illuminated, and made new.

For Christ gave himself as a ransom for us all. He brought us out of death into life, out of darkness into light, out of slavery into freedom, out of enmity into genuine friendship. He bought us out from the curse and from sin by becoming a curse for us, so that we might receive adoption, so that we might no longer be slaves but free, no longer subject to passion but free from passion, no longer lovers of the world but lovers of God, no longer walking according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

He sanctified us and glorified us in the Holy Spirit, so that we might walk in newness of life. And what shall we give back to the Lord for all these things that he has given back to us? What shall we give back that could equal his surpassing gift and grace? Let us give thanks and fall down before the Lord and worship him. Let us offer perfumes and hymns as gifts with fear and reverence, for the Master loves humanity and loves goodness, and he accepts everything we bring to him, even if what we offer is small and worthless.

Let us also love, my brothers and sisters, the one who loved us by grace. Let us die for the one who died for us freely. Let us walk in the way of his holy commandments. Let us purify ourselves from every defilement of flesh and spirit. Let us offer to our God good deeds: faith, love, hope, and endurance; contrition of heart; the gift of compunction; a cleansed conscience; and the putting to death of our earthly members—sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed. Let us serve the Lord with understanding, steadfastness, perseverance, and endurance. Let us embrace the love of the true God and our Savior. Let us sing to him a new song. Let us all sing, clap our hands, and shout to God with a voice of exultation, for the Lord most high is awesome, a great king over all the earth (Psalm 46:3 LXX, Psalm 47:2 Hebrew). Great is the Lord, and his greatness has no limit (Psalm 144:3 LXX, Psalm 145:3 Hebrew). Great is the Lord, and great is his strength (Psalm 146:5 LXX, Psalm 147:5 Hebrew). He has abolished and struck down our boastful and arrogant enemy, the devil. He has trampled death underfoot and raised up all people, granting us eternal life.