Joyous Feast of the Palms!

Today for most of the Orthodox world begins the final leg of Christ’s journey to Golgotha. I know that many of my friends, especially Ukrainians and Russians, are struggling with the idea of the Paschal celebrations this year. But I think this year in particular we can be sustained by the knowledge that the cross that Christ is carrying is all our pain, all our suffering, all our doubts, all the tears, and all the horror of the victims of the Russian atrocities. And He is carrying it to His own pain and suffering, to torture, to the horrible, excruciating death - all to extinguish death once and for all.

This year, Orthodox Palm Sunday coincides with Western Easter. And for all my gripes about the calendar difference, there is theological beauty in this overlap of the final days of Christ’s journey to the cross with the already-happening Resurrection. It is a reminder that the Via Cruce that Christ is walking is the way to the final victory which is decisive, which means that even though we continue to suffer and die, God suffers and dies with us every step of the way so that we do not perish forever, but have everlasting life in Him. Christ is risen and life reigns!