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Peaceful message of Easter
Whether or not his call falls on deaf ears, the pope is representing the world’s hopes and optimism that peace will prevail.
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Internally displaced people arrive at a centre for the displaced persons in Zaporizhzhia, some 200 kilometres (124 miles) northwest of Mariupol on April 6, 2022. NATO chief said that, after withdrawing most of its troops from northern Ukraine, Russia aims to capture the (AFP/Bulent Kilic)
T
he Russian invasion of Ukraine may have turned the true message of Easter upside down, especially for the 6 million people who have fled their homes for safety or the tens of millions of others in Africa and the Middle East who are facing dire food insecurity because of the war.
People around the world have been watching a tragedy of mankind unfold ever since Russia launched its “special military operation” in Ukraine on Feb. 24, which President Vladimir Putin said was intended to defend the people in the Donbas region, whose independence is recognized by the Russian Federation.
The gravity of the deepening crisis, which has started to affect the people of Russia as a result of international economic sanctions, has given rise to calls for peace. Some world leaders have taken the initiative by brokering peace talks, but compromise may not be reachable anytime soon.
Pope Francis has joined the fray with his push for a permanent “Easter truce” on Palm Sunday.
“But today, there is a war. Why does one want to win like this, according to the way of the world?” Francis said. “This is only the way to lose. Why not allow Him to win? Christ bore his cross to free us from the dominion of evil. He died so that life, love, peace might reign”.
Whether his call will fall on deaf ears or not, the pope is representing the world’s hopes and optimism that peace will prevail. In the eyes of the pope, nothing is impossible, including an end to the war in Ukraine, as long as people hold on to their belief in divine intervention.
On Easter, Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ three days after his death on the cross. The holiday serves as a testament to Christian faith, but in a broader sense it epitomizes the human conviction about the victory of good over evil, compassion over hatred and hope over desperation as the prevailing laws of nature.
But as the Bible speaks much about the path of the cross Jesus had to go down to complete his mission of salvation, in today’s life people across the world have to negotiate a multitude of challenges to reach justice and well-being. In the history of humankind, nations have had to fight for their freedom and rights in a competitive, most of the time unjust, world.
Easter is not an official holiday in predominantly Muslim Indonesia, but it speaks volumes of the need for sacrifice that every religion, including Islam, teaches and promotes. It is just a coincidence that this year’s Passover, as the climax of the holy week in the Christian tradition, comes as Muslims fast and exercise denial against the temptation of the flesh – in other words sacrifice.
In the Indonesian context, Easter is a reminder for leaders to show humility and passion to serve in order to win the hearts and minds of their people. Rather than the use of power, compassion and willingness to listen to grievances are a testament to true leadership.
From Ukraine to Indonesia, hopefully love and peace will reign on Easter.
