We are the people of the Resurrection

Christ is risen, dear Ukrainians!

In the morning silence of the first Easter day, when women with tears rushed to the grave of Jesus, they sought the dead, but found the living. Their eyes, yesterday full of pain and darkness of Calvary, first saw the light of the resurrection. This experience – turns everything. What was to become a mourning farewell becomes the beginning of the greatest hope. And this hope today glows in the eyes of Ukrainians.

More than three years of a full -scale war. The eleventh year of efforts to destroy our freedom. But in the same way – We are alive. We fight. We resurrected. Our hearts pulse through the life of the risen.

Advertising:

The whole world looks at the Ukrainians: where do they have the strength, where does this indomitability come from? And we know: from the empty tomb of Christ. From the light that could not extinguish the cross. Hope does not disappear where there is love. And it is love – to our neighbor, to the truth, to the Motherland – leads us through the darkness to the light.

Today, hope has Ukrainian faces. It shines in the eyes of our defenders, who have been proving the world for the eleventh year in a row: the numerically dominant Russian invaders can be – and it is necessary – it is necessary – to stop. Hope lives in every wounded warrior who, overcoming the pain, finds the strength to smile and say, “I will return to the front.”

Hope – in the tired hands of doctors and rescuers who do not ask “why?” But rescue after each arrival. Teachers and parents who teach children to believe in the midst of explosions. In young people, who, despite fatigue and loss, dreams, marries, gives birth to children and builds the future.

Hope – in women who keep their shoulders, wait for their loved ones from the front, and sometimes become warriors themselves. Hope – in children who draw not the war, but the peace that will necessarily come.

Hope is not a lack of pain. It is trust that the last word is not by pain. That Easter comes after Holy Friday. And we, the people who pass our Calvary, are already becoming the people of the resurrection.

Our wounds are not a sign of defeat, but a sign of love that even death has not overcome. Because Christ is raising today in anyone who loves, who believes who holds the system, who serves, who does not give up.

Easter joy is special. It is born not from naivety, but from victory. It does not come instead of pain, but because of it. That is why no one can take away this joy, even when our cities are destroying and our loved ones are killed. Because we know: “Death is absorbed by victory. Where is your death, victory? Where is your, death, sting?” (1 Cor. 15:54).

This anniversary year, when the whole Catholic world goes on a pilgrimage of hope, Ukraine has already passed most of this road. We carry the light we want to share. We are not silent. Let us speak to the world the truth – about the suffering and the power of love that wins them. It should be evidenced that in the dark of despair, hope will not be ashamed.

In this Easter, I especially pray for those who are occupied or captive, who is at the front or hospital, who is far from their home. We are all one family in Christ the Risen. And together we build our victory – the victory of life over death, light over darkness, truth over lies.

May this light resurrection be a moment when every Ukrainian feels: Christ is risen not only for me, He is risen in me. And we, his people, are already resurrected with him, because we are the people of the resurrection!

Christ is risen! Truly risen!

† Svyatoslav
Father and Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church

A column is a material that reflects the author’s point of view. The text of the column does not claim the objectivity and comprehensive coverage of the topic that rises in it. The editorial board of “Ukrainian Truth” is not responsible for the accuracy and interpretation of the information provided and plays only the role of the carrier. The point of view of the UP editorial board may not coincide with the point of view of the author of the column.