We have reached the summit of the hill, we have reached Calvary. Today
this is the roof of the church of the Holy Sepulchre, and is set in the heart
of the Christian Quarter of the Walled City of Jerusalem. Today the
pathway is a dead end leading to houses or directly into churches and the
chapels of the Coptic Patriarch's office.
In the days of Jesus we would now be far outside the city wall, high on the hill of execution
overlooking the temple and the city. A public execution and a different kind of dead end, the
apparent dead end of crucifixion. As Jesus fell for a third time, fell under the weight of the wood,
fell through tiredness and hunger, fell through weakness from torture and mockery, fell through
fear of the agony he had yet to endure, he knew that he must rise and be about his Father's
business.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is
now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
