Christ is Risen! With these words we testify before the whole world that the murdered Jesus Christ rose from the dead, never to die again. But aren’t we taking on too much? After all, they testify to what they saw themselves. The apostles, when they had to accept among the twelve someone instead of Judas the traitor, firmly knew that it must certainly be one of those who was with them. “Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus was living among us, beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us." And they testify not only with words, but with their whole lives, and sometimes the very appearance of a witness most powerfully proves the truth of his words. Today we read about the greatest witness of the coming of Christ. “There was a man sent from God; His name is John.” “He was not the light, but was sent to testify of the light” (John 1:6, 8). And how does he testify? – And he endlessly repeats: “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!” (Matthew 3:2) If danger threatens, they shout: “Beware!” So John the Baptist endlessly repeats: “Repent,” correct yourself, put yourself in proper form, for the Lord has drawn near. And then suddenly “the Jews sent to ask him: who are you?” – But how difficult it is for someone standing before God to look at himself! And the first thing John immediately answers, knowing who he might be mistaken for: “I am not Christ!” The messengers asked again: “What? Are you Elijah? He said no. Are you the Prophet? He answered: no." But people don’t lag behind: “Who are you? So that we can give an answer to those who sent us: what do you say about yourself? And then, finally, John says: “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness.” How? After all, this is just an instantaneous shaking of the air, like ripples on the water from a thrown stone. And when did the voice sound? “Make straight the way of the Lord,” as the prophet Isaiah said, who lived several hundred years ago! Here is the one about whom the Lord said that “of those born of women there is not a single prophet greater than John the Baptist.” So, he himself considers himself only a voice that sounded for a moment according to the will of God. A true witness of God's greatness simultaneously testifies to his own human insignificance. And you and I, when we say: “Christ is risen!”, we declare ourselves to be witnesses not only of the coming of Christ, but also of His Cross and His glorious Resurrection. And God help us, so that when we say this Easter greeting, people would see on our face that heavenly joy with which the myrrh-bearing women fled from the empty tomb! Christ is Risen! | 
