For Easter, many different cultures have many different ways of greeting one another. In the English culture we say «Happy Easter!». In the Portuguese culture it’s «Felizes Páscoas!». In the Russian Orthodox culture they say: «He Is Risen!» and the answer to that is «He Is Risen Indeed!
Many years ago Nikolai Ivanovich Bukharin was one of the most powerful men on earth. A Russian Communist leader, he took part in the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917. He was the editor of the Soviet newspaper Pravda and was a full member of the Politburo. His works on economics and political science are still read today.
There is a story told about a journey he took from Moscow to Kiev in 1930 to address a huge assembly of Communists. The subject was atheism.
Addressing the crowd, he attacked Christianity, hurling insults and arguments against it. When he had finished, he looked out at the audience: “Are there any questions?” he demanded.
Deafening silence filled the auditorium.
Then one man stood up, approached the platform and mounted the lectern. After surveying the crowd, he shouted the ancient greeting of the Russian Orthodox Church:
– “CHRIST IS RISEN!”
The crowd stood up and shouted in a thundering voice:
– “HE IS RISEN INDEED!”
Amazed and dejected, Bukharin left the stage in silence. Finally, he had learned the lesson that Faith in Christ’s Resurrection was deeply rooted in his Russian Orthodox Communist followers!
HAPPY EASTER… FELIZES PÁSCOAS… JESUS IS RISEN…