What is the proper greeting for Good Friday? I honestly don’t know. It’s a day of mourning and reflection, traditional greetings all fail to encompass what this day is in my opinion.
This is my first Good Friday in Ukraine and I can feel the weight of this day more than I ever have before. A sacrifice of life out of love for humanity. It’s a notion that is all too common here.
Today I sit and think about the pain of Mary, Mother of God, Protector of Ukraine. How must she have felt that day? What thoughts were in her mind? Was she angry? Scared? Sad? Did she fully trust or did she have doubts?
Today I took a walk past Saint Sofia’s Cathedral and Saint Michael’s Monastery and thought of all the suffering in this country I’ve begun to call home. All the mothers that have lost children. Mothers that know a similar pain to the Mother of God.
There is a display outside of Saint Sofia’s with children’s drawings. Children who have relatives, often fathers, in Russian captivity. I think of their mothers today as well. The pain they must carry.
I think back to Mary and her role in redemption. On this Good Friday I think of her pain and heartbreak as the Son of God was crucified. But I also know that on Sunday we will celebrate the resurrection and the victory of life over death and light over dark.
Today my prayer is for this country that I love. That Ukrainian mothers will feel the presence and protection of the Mother of God. That victory of freedom over tyranny will be soon. That God will deliver His people from evil.
While I know the Easter holidays were last week for Catholics and Protestants, I hope you will spend some time on this Good Friday and reflect on Ukraine and the fight this amazing country has found itself in. Say a prayer for victory, for protection, for liberation.
Our God conquered death, I believe He will save this country and these people too. He will see that all Ukrainians are free. When it seems desolate, I choose to put my faith in God. On this Good Friday, I am reminded that God’s plan is not always easy, even the Mother of God knew pain. But God will deliver His people. Just have faith.