For all of Putin’s crimes, the worst is that he is trying to steal God’s gift of freedom to the people and possess it himself. The Ukrainians will fight Putin and his cronies to the end and beyond. We mourn the dead. In death, they have defeated Putin – because they remain free, and they refused to sell God’s gift to the impostor. They will always be God’s people, never Putin’s – because Christ has shown us that death has become nothing more than a passage to new, eternal life with God.

The living have purpose. Their lives of the present are meaningful. In spite of threats and bombs – not only in Ukraine, but throughout the world, too – Christians will continue to gather on this feast of feasts and holy days of holy days to perform the most important liturgical act of all – to receive God’s gift of freedom and amnesty, of restoration and return to Paradise, with joy and thanksgiving. Yes, receiving God’s gift is the true Paschal liturgy.

On this day of Orthodox Easter – no matter what happens – the tyrant trying to steal from God is overthrown. God’s people are free. And God’s gift to us tells us everything we need to know about this God – God sets us free and receives us completely because God is love. Love does not intimidate or compel. Love does not possess and bear false witness. Love does not bomb innocents and rape their women. The one who loves accepts and embraces you AS YOU ARE.

Thank you, God, for your love. Give us strength and meekness to love the least of your brothers and sisters as you have loved us.

Христос воскрес! Воістину воскрес!
Christ is risen! Indeed, He is risen!
Christos anesti. Alithos anesti!