Consecrating An Illustrious Life, Dear to God

“For they did not at all accept the Savior of all; they never stopped insulting him, practicing every kind of wickedness in their cruelty. Their insanity reached such a degree that they nailed to a cross the Author of life, and thought they could conquer by death the one who is greater than death. For he came back to life on the third day, having emptied hell (Cf. 1 Pt 3.19), and, having opened the gate of death to the spirits below and become way, gate, and first-fruits for human nature unto incorruptibility (Cf. 1Cor 15.20-21), he ascended to God the Father in heaven (Cf. Acts 2.33), and is enthroned with him, and with him rules all things. He will come in due time “that he may judge the earth in justice (Ps 9.8),” as is written. Since, then, as Paul says in his supreme wisdom, “we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive good or evil, according to what one has done in the body (2 Cor 5.10),” let us fast in purity, rejecting every manner of sin, and dismissing every kind of impurity from our thoughts. Let us in addition be good, mutually affectionate, and merciful; let us take pity on orphans, defend widows (Cf. James 1.27), help in treating the infirm, suffer with those in prison (Cf. Mt 25.43), and in a word be eager to practice every kind of virtuousness. For thus it is, thus indeed, that, in distinguishing ourselves by an illustrious life, dear to God, we will celebrate the feast in purity.

St. Cyril of Alexandria, Festal Letter 18, Chapter 5.

Let us take the time of this fasting in order that we may become as He is. Let us become illustrious for He has conquered death and left the tomb empty. Let us come to the feast manifesting the truth of Christ’s conquest of death in our lives. If death is dead then we should act like it.