Easter greeting of NSDC Secretary of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchynov
Today Ukraine celebrates the Day of the Resurrection of Jesus! I congratulate you, dear friends, on this great holiday!
When Christ was entering Jerusalem a week before Easter, a crowd of thousands was welcoming him. The people were waving palm branches, tearing off their clothes, throwing them to His feet, screaming out loudly: "Hosanna!". There were good reasons for such a joyful greeting. The citizens of Jerusalem heard that Jesus could feed a large number of people for free, having only a few loaves of bread and fishes; that He heals the sick and can even turn the dead back to life. People were hoping to see many other miracles, which He did in other cities.
But the Lord did not come to Jerusalem to amaze and entertain the crowds. He came to put his hands under the rusty nails instead of us. He came to give His holy life for our sins. He came to give salvation and the Kingdom of Heaven to those who choose the Good, Truth and Love not because of fear, not of convenience, but conscientiously, from a pure heart. He came to open the way to God to us.
Having seen no miracles and gratuitous food, that same crowd in a few days was screaming: "Crucify Him, crucify!", and after fiendish tortures He met His death on the Calvary cross. But the evil, no matter how convincing, powerful and cruel it may be, is still doomed. It has no chance! Because Christ has Risen!
Christ has Risen!
Indeed He has Risen!