Synopsis: The Orthodox dogma about the cross is often displayed in the Sunday hymns for Vespers and Matins. Many or even most who identify with Christianity and are not Orthodox only have a legal view of what happened on the cross. For us Orthodox, what happened on the cross was the destruction of death, and our healing. We have a relational view. What good is it to be forgiven and not also healed? Two hymns from the Sunday Octoechos help illustrate a part of our understanding of the significance of the cross:
"By Thy cross, O Christ our Savior, the dominion of death hath been destroyed, and the deception of the devil hath been abolished; and the race of man, having been saved by faith, doth ever offer praise to Thee" (Lord I have cried, Sunday Octoechos, Tone 3)
"Thy precious cross do we worship O Christ, and Thy resurrection do we praise and glorify, for by Thy wounding are we all healed." (Lord I have cried, Sunday Octoechos, Tone 3)
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That's beautiful, Father Seraphim. So we are forgiven AND healed!!! Very therapeutic!!! I love that. What a loving God!!!
I wrote the second hymn down on a piece of paper and taped it up on my wall at work. I love that prayer.
I have found in the past that the hymns from the Matins service are extremely healing and helpful to me. You're absolutely right, Father Seraphim, you've said that we should all attend the Matins services. I've been struggling to attend for several years now. (Sometimes I go late, sometimes I miss it.) But I really mean it when I say that the prayers and hymns in the Matins have been so therapeutic to my soul, so helpful to me. It's so definitely worth lose an hour of sleep to attend the Matins. Besides, I think one of the Church Fathers have said that when you're praying instead of sleeping, it is just as beneficial to the health of your body.