Sermon on Our Lord       The Deacon St. Ephrem the Syrian (306-373) has a wonderful (and lengthy) sermon simply called Sermon on Our Lord . In St. Ephrem's poetic and imaginative language, he describes the Easter victory of Christ Jesus over death, which he personifies as a contest between the Lord and Death. Note that "Sheol" is the Biblical term for the place of the dead.       "Our Lord was trampled on by Death; and in His turn trod out a way over Death.       "This is He Who made Himself subject to and endured death of His own will, that He might cast down death against its will.       "For our Lord bare His cross and went forth according to the will of Death: but He with a loud cry upon the cross [Mt 27:50] brought forth the dead from within Sheol [Mt 27:53] against the will of Death.       "In that very body by which Death had slain Him, in that as a weapon,...