Orthodox priest and blogger Fr. Stephen Freeman has a beautiful reflection on what it means to live on “Pascha time” on his blog.
He talks about the rigorous service schedule of the Orthodox church during Holy Week and how it disrupts his sleep patterns, and then goes on to write:
For some days to come, I am sure that my internal clock will operate on “Pascha time.” I only hope and pray that the rest of me will remain forever set to that event – that might life become a Pascha for everyone around me. St. Seraphim of Sarov, regardless of the time of year, greated everyone with, “Christ is risen!” For those who met him – they met Pascha in the form of humbled, bent-over Russian staretz. May Pascha greet you in a hundred ways today and may others who meet you encounter Pascha as well.
Christ is risen!
What would it mean if our lives were “forever set” to Easter, if we were always living on “Pascha time”? Reading this, I was reminded of a poster I had in my bedroom as a teenager, it was of a beautiful waterfall and forest glade with a cloud of butterflies filling the sky. The quote on the poster was “We are an Easter people and Alleluia is our song!” May we find much to exclaim “Alleluia!” about today and may we be eager to look for how Christ’s resurrection is changing our life and our world!
Listen: Sing Alleluia (Jennifer Knapp & Mac Powell, from City on a Hill – Sing Alleluia, 2002) (I don’t think it’s available at iTunes, unfortunately, this is from my personal collection).
