Lent with the Early Church Fathers Day 6

Day 6

Lent with the Early Church Fathers

A daily post from Tom Bandy 

Based on Day by Day with the Early Church Fathers (Eds. Christopher D. Hudson, J. Alan Sharrer, and Lindsay Vanker: Hendrickson Press, 1999) 

Trampling Death 

Athanasius 

Death is destroyed. The cross triumphed over it. It no longer has any power but is truly dead. This is why all of Christ’s disciples despise death and no longer fear it. They take the offensive against it. And by the sign of the cross and by faith in Christ they trample it down as dead.  

Before the Savior came, death was terrible to the saints. Everyone wept for the dead as though they perished. But now that the Savior has risen, death isn’t terrible anymore. For everyone who believes in Christ tramples over death. They would rather die than deny their faith in Christ. For they know that when they die, they are not destroyed, but actually begin to live. Through the resurrection they become incorruptible. The devil who once maliciously rejoiced in death, is the only one truly dead now that we are relieved of death’s pains.  

As proof of this, people are cowards and terrified of death before the believe Christ. But when they have turned to Christ’s faith and teaching, they despise death so much that they even eagerly rush up to it. They testify of Christ victorious resurrection. 

TGB: The pandemic has shattered our uncritical faith in human progress, and our naïve confidence in the absolute power of science. There is a great fear of death sweeping the world among both the ignorant and the educated. Christians may fear dying, but not death itself. Their confidence is in the promise of resurrection.