Easter is a really big deal here in Ecuador – as it should be. On Palm Sunday, I happened to be in Quito with my nephew and we decided to visit one of our favorite places, the Basílica del Voto Nacional. It’s listed as the largest cathedral in the Americas, a truly awe inspiring work of art and devotion. As we walked up, a parade was about to start. We of course bought some palm branches and joined in the procession. Like the first Palm Sunday parade, it started as a celebration with colorful costumes, music, and everyone waving palm branches. And like the first Palm Sunday, it didn’t occur to me at that moment that this parade would end up as a “Via Dolorosa” mourning march right down the center aisle of the cathedral. The culmination of the procession was Jesus holding baby Jesus. Unfortunately it was just a statue, although I believe He really was there.
Some folks didn’t seem to realize it was a statue. They caressed the babies foot with such love, devotion, and respect. An ancient grandma with tears in her ears, pressed in with her baby grandson, together they touched His foot – a photo too awesome to take with a mortal camera. Thoughts and emotions overwhelmed me. With a family of strangers, I drank in the sacred moment, shared in the mourning – and prayed…
Prayed for a divine understanding of who Jesus is – for myself, for those in that cathedral, and for those around the world who are seeking Him and also for those who are still crucifying Him. Easter is the pivot point, the door of eternity, the intersection of all mankind. The consequences of missing it for a parade, a statue, an egg hunt or any other billion reasons is impossible to comprehend. The only description would be the absence of life. If you’ve ever seen someone in the throws of depression – where they can’t talk or eat or see any sign of hope, that’s close. Easter is the opposite – life conquering death, eternal hope – Jesus, the resurrection and the life. It really is as simple as John 11:25. We’ve muddied it up with our man-made ways, but this Easter, let’s just sit down with our Savior, let’s press in together and touch His feet.