Via Dolorosa

This week the Church in the West has the solemn privilege to commemorate the events that won our salvation. As we have been shocked by world events of brutality unseen before on our television and computer screens, such evil should remind us that such evils put Jesus on that cross. What has been even more shocking is that these are two nations both which claim to be ostensibly followers of Jesus! Clearly this is not what we are seeing and some Orthodox leaders and congregants have voiced their disapproval of these actions. What is more disturbing is the lack of the Russian Church hierarchy speaking out against these actions against the innocent Ukrainians. How our Lord's heart is grieved because Ukraine is one of the most Christian countries in Europe and prayers are ascending from the population, many of whom have of late said they have seen angels keeping watch over differing places in Ukraine as well as many hearing the inner still voice of God telling them to leave a place that shortly thereafter would be destroyed. What a Lent this has been both for the Ukrainian Orthodox who account for 78% and the Catholics who account for 10% and Evangelicals at 2%. Let us pray for Ukraine. The Via Dolorosa is the street in Jerusalem down which Jesus carried his cross to Calvary and as we voice our sorrows for our personal sins for which he carried that cross, let us also remember the suffering: Ukrainians, Russians (many who did not want to fight in his incursion) and now add Shanghai as well under a military lockdown supposedly for CoVid. For us, for the sick and suffering and for all those most in need of our prayers: Lord have mercy!

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