Post by Fr David Neuhaus SJ | 4 April 2026
Almond tree’s blossoming flowers by Salaam Halila
Easter and Passover greetings
The almond blossoms mark the beginning of spring. New life emerges as the darkness of winter recedes. Passover and Easter are celebrated just at this time, a passage from slavery to freedom, from darkness to light, from death to life.
This year, in very sad circumstances, Muslims, Jews and Christians have marked their holy days. Muslims marked Id al-Fitr about ten days ago, ending the holy month of Ramadan, unable to access the Haram al-Sharif in Jerusalem, unable to be joyful in this time of war. Jews are now marking the feast of Passover, with restrictions on gatherings and a grim atmosphere as the missiles continue to fall and continue to be dropped. Christians are celebrating Easter… or at least trying. Our challenge remains to be witnesses to the victory over death that Jesus has gained, even in the midst of the death and destruction that surrounds us!
This is the greeting for Passover I send my Jewish friends:
Happy Passover! May we be freed from the slavery that binds us to violence and greed, from the Pharaohs that believe that God is on their side when they go to war, from the bitterness of hatred and the conviction that might is right. May we be free and work so that all others can live in freedom too.
This is the greeting I send my Christian friends:
Christ is Risen! In a world of darkness, violence and destruction, we are called to be witnesses to the resurrection. Our challenge is to be transformed by the encounter with Christ risen from the dead. Let us pray that like the disciples going away from Jerusalem to Emmaus, despondent and despairing, we may encounter him on the way. May our ears be attentive to his words, may our eyes be opened to see him, may our hearts be emboldened to go out and proclaim that death has been vanquished and life has been given to those in the valley of death!