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Office Of Readings | Friday, Lent Week 4 | A Reading From The Easter Letters Of Saint Athanasius
‘The Easter mystery makes those who are separated in the body spiritually close.’
A Reading From The Easter Letters Of Saint Athanasius
This reading is drawn from one of the Festal Letters of Saint Athanasius of Alexandria (c. 296–373). Each year, the bishop of Alexandria would issue a letter announcing the date of Easter and offering reflections on its theological and spiritual meaning. These letters were deeply pastoral in tone and also rich in doctrinal teaching, reinforcing central truths of Christian faith.
This particular letter invites believers into the heart of the Paschal mystery, not as an isolated historical remembrance, but as a living, ever-present reality—one that unites believers across space and time in a single act of worship, renewal, and communion with Christ.
From Festival To Festival | Life As Liturgical Pilgrimage
‘How fine a thing it is to move from festival to festival, from prayer to prayer, from holy day to holy day.’
Athanasius begins with a vision of Christian life as a pilgrimage of sacred time, punctuated by festivals that orient the soul toward God. In his theology, time is not empty or secular, but charged with divine meaning. Every feast becomes a step on a greater journey into the mystery of Christ, especially toward the celebration of Pascha (Easter), the ‘feast of feasts’.
This pattern reflects the liturgical year as a school of holiness: each season—Advent, Lent, Easter—trains the heart, shaping desire and deepening love for Christ. The passage from ‘festival to festival’ suggests spiritual growth through the rhythm of worship, where the Paschal feast stands as the high point.
Ever-Present Mystery Of The Pascha
‘The grace of the feast is not restricted to one occasion. Its rays of glory never set.’
For Athanasius, Easter is not merely a date to be observed, but an eternal light that continually illumines the Church. This reflects the early Church’s understanding of the Paschal mystery as the source and summit of Christian life. The resurrection is not confined to the past; it radiates through all time, renewing souls who turn toward Christ.
In this vision, the Eucharist becomes central: the faithful feed on Christ, ‘as on the food of life’, and are constantly refreshed. This language echoes the Gospel of John, where Jesus calls himself the bread of life and living water. Athanasius, drawing from Johannine tradition, sees the Eucharist as Christ’s enduring presence—his invitation to every soul who thirsts.
Easter As Invitation And Transformation
‘If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.’
Quoting Christ’s words from John 7:37, Athanasius underscores that the Paschal celebration is not exclusive to a few, but a divine invitation to all. The thirst is spiritual—desire for truth, meaning, and communion with God—and Christ satisfies it by giving himself.
But the transformation goes further. The Paschal feast is not simply nourishment—it is illumination. Those who meditate on the Scriptures, who turn away from ‘the counsel of the wicked’, become like the blessed man of Psalm 1. They are planted beside flowing waters, sustained by grace.
This union of Scripture and Sacrament, contemplation and communion, lies at the heart of Athanasius’ spirituality. He sees the believer as someone formed in the rhythm of Word and Table, purified by fasting, enlightened by Scripture, and vivified by Christ’s body and blood.
Easter As Annual Renewal Of Unity And Salvation
‘The God who first established this feast for us allows us to celebrate it each year.’
Athanasius interprets Easter not only as a remembrance of Christ’s death and resurrection, but as a gift from the Father. Just as God gave his Son, so he gives the feast—and through it, a share in salvation.
More importantly, the feast gathers the Church into a single body. Athanasius, himself a pastor during times of persecution, exile, and doctrinal conflict, sees the Paschal celebration as a sign of unity: ‘He gathers to this feast those who are far apart, and brings together in unity of faith those who may be physically separated.’
Here the bishop speaks to a dispersed Church. Christians may be divided by geography or circumstance, but in their shared participation in the one Paschal mystery—through prayer, Eucharist, and faith—they are bound together. This is a profound statement about the nature of the Church as catholic: not merely a local assembly, but the one body of Christ spread across the world and throughout time.
The Eternal Now Of Pascha
In Lent, we prepare not merely to celebrate a historical event, but to enter again into the power of Easter. We are invited not just to recall, but to receive—to drink, to feed, to rise.
As Athanasius would insist elsewhere in his writings, ‘God became man so that man might become god’—a bold summary of salvation. And Pascha, for Athanasius, is the liturgical moment where this truth is most clearly seen, most powerfully experienced, and most joyfully proclaimed.
A Reading From The Easter Letters Of Saint Athanasius
Brethren, how fine a thing it is to move from festival to festival, from prayer to prayer, from holy day to holy day. The time is now at hand when we enter on a new beginning: the proclamation of the blessed Passover, in which the Lord was sacrificed. We feed as on the food of life, we constantly refresh our souls with his precious blood, as from a fountain. Yet we are always thirsting, burning to be satisfied. But he himself is present for those who thirst and in his goodness invites them to the feast day. Our Saviour repeats his words: If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.
He quenched the thirst not only of those who came to him then. Whenever anyone seeks him he is freely admitted to the presence of the Saviour. The grace of the feast is not restricted to one occasion. Its rays of glory never set. It is always at hand to enlighten the mind of those who desire it. Its power is always there for those whose minds have been enlightened and who meditate day and night on the holy Scriptures, like the one who is called blessed in the holy psalm: Blessed is the man who has not followed the counsel of the wicked, or stood where sinners stand, or sat in the seat of the scornful, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.
Moreover, my friends, the God who first established this feast for us allows us to celebrate it each year. He who gave up his Son to death for our salvation, from the same motive gives us this feast, which is commemorated every year. This feast guides us through the trials that meet us in this world. God now gives us the joy of salvation that shines out from this feast, as he brings us together to form one assembly, uniting us all in spirit in every place, allowing us to pray together and to offer common thanksgiving, as is our duty on the feast. Such is the wonder of his love: he gathers to this feast those who are far apart, and brings together in unity of faith those who may be physically separated from each other.
King James Audio Bible | KJV | King James Version King Herod There were several individuals named Herod who played significant roles in ancient history, particularly in the history of the Roman Empire and the region of Palestine. Here is a brief overview of the most notable Herods: Herod the Great: Also known as Herod I, he was a Roman client king of Judea, ruling from 37 BC to 4 BC. He is perhaps most famous for his role in the biblical story of the birth of Jesus, in which it is said that he ordered the slaughter of all male children in Bethlehem under the age of two in an attempt to kill the newborn Jesus. Herod Antipas: Also known as Herod II, he was the son of Herod the Great and ruled over Galilee and Perea, two regions in Palestine, from 4 BC to 39 AD. He is mentioned in the New Testament as the ruler who imprisoned John the Baptist and later had him beheaded. Herod Agrippa I: Also known as Herod III, he was the grandson of Herod the Great and ruled over Judea from 41 to 44 AD. He is mentioned in the New Testament as the ruler who imprisoned the apostle Paul. Herod Agrippa II: Also known as Herod IV, he was the great-grandson of Herod the Great and ruled over parts of Palestine and Syria from 50 to 100 AD. He is mentioned in the New Testament as the ruler who heard Paul’s defence before the Roman governor Festus. These rulers, who were known as the Herodian dynasty, were not Jewish but rather descended from a Greek family that had converted to Judaism. Despite this, they were appointed as rulers by the Roman Empire and were generally unpopular among the Jewish population due to their collaboration with the Roman occupation and their often brutal methods of rule. Herod The Great Herod the Great, also known as Herod I, was a Roman client king of Judea who ruled from 37 BC to 4 BC. He was born in 73 BC in Idumea, a region in southern Palestine, and was the son of Antipater the Idumean, an Edomite who had been appointed as a governor of Judea by the Roman general Pompey. Herod rose to power after the Roman general Julius Caesar appointed him as king of Judea in 40 BC. He consolidated his power over the next few years by defeating his rivals and establishing himself as the undisputed ruler of the region. As king, Herod embarked on a massive building program that included the expansion and renovation of the Temple in Jerusalem, the construction of the port city of Caesarea Maritima, and the fortification of several cities in Judea. He also commissioned the construction of a number of palaces and other buildings, including the famous Herodium, a palace-fortress located south of Jerusalem. Despite his many accomplishments, Herod was a controversial figure who was known for his harsh rule and his willingness to use violence to maintain his power. He was married several times and had a large number of children, several of whom he had executed when they posed a threat to his rule. One of the most famous stories associated with Herod is the biblical account of the birth of Jesus, in which it is said that he ordered the slaughter of all male children in Bethlehem under the age of two in an attempt to kill the newborn Jesus. According to the New Testament, Jesus was saved by his parents, who fled to Egypt, and later returned to Palestine after Herod’s death. Herod died in 4 BC at the age of 70, leaving a legacy as one of the most significant rulers in the history of ancient Palestine. Herod Antipas Herod Antipas, also known as Herod II, was the son of Herod the Great and ruled over Galilee and Perea, two regions in Palestine, from 4 BC to 39 AD. He was born in 20 BC and was named after his father’s patron, the Roman emperor Augustus. Like his father, Herod Antipas was known for his ambitious building projects, including the construction of the city of Tiberias on the Sea of Galilee and the expansion of the Temple in Jerusalem. He was also known for his political cunning and his ability to navigate the complex political landscape of the Roman Empire. Herod Antipas is mentioned in the New Testament as the ruler who imprisoned John the Baptist, a prominent religious figure who criticized Herod’s marriage to his sister-in-law, Herodias. According to the New Testament, John was eventually beheaded at the request of Herodias’ daughter, Salome, who danced for Herod and his guests at a banquet. Herod Antipas is also mentioned in the New Testament as the ruler who oversaw the trial and execution of Jesus. Although he initially wanted to release Jesus, he ultimately handed him over to the Roman authorities at the urging of the Jewish religious leaders. Herod Antipas’ rule came to an end in 39 AD when the Roman emperor Caligula exiled him to Gaul, modern-day France. He died in exile a few years later. Herod Agrippa I Herod Agrippa I, also known as Herod III, was the grandson of Herod the Great and ruled over Judea from 41 to 44 AD. He was born in 10 BC and was the son of Aristobulus and Bernice, two of Herod the Great’s children. Herod Agrippa I was well-educated and fluent in both Greek and Hebrew, and he was highly regarded by the Roman authorities for his loyalty and his ability to maintain order in Judea. He was appointed as king of Judea in 41 AD by the Roman emperor Claudius, who was impressed by his abilities and saw him as a reliable ally in the region. As king, Herod Agrippa I continued the building projects of his grandfather and expanded the Temple in Jerusalem. He also implemented a number of reforms aimed at improving the lives of the […]
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For the first Christian communities, almost all of them Jewish, the Benedictus would have been a song of joy, thanking God for His fulfilment of the promise of ages: God has visited his people and redeemed them. The faith of those early Christians is strong as they look back along the road they have travelled since Abraham, and forward to a time of peace, light, salvation [ … ]
