The priest stands in the no-man's-land between...
heaven and earth,
war and peace,
life and death,
the eternal and the passing
belief and unbelief,
light and dark,
humanity and divinity,
gift and mystery,
sin and forgiveness,
guilt and redemption,
what is and what is possible
what is and what ought to be,
what is and what shall become.
Priestly ministry while standing in the midst of these dueling realities can be a dangerous place to be, for it is the place first and best occupied by the Lord himself. He binds up all creation in himself; he gathers those who have been lost and scattered across the great expanse of space and time to bring their voices into one song of praise before the Father. He is the Eternal Word who became flesh to dwell among us and to show us the Glory of the Father.
The image of these priests standing together and clinging to the cross in the midst of chaos is an inspiration and reminder to me of what it's all about. I stand from afar in solidarity with my sacerdotal brothers (no doubt of the orthodox persuasion) to pray for the deliverance of Kiev. I pray that our own nation not be put to the same test in the crucible of revolution and violence among our own people, but that God may show his mercy and provide deliverance. May many holy priests and people of good faith have the courage to cling to that cross for the salvation of our nation and world.
