Message Board

Dear Friends in the Lord,

“Peace be with you” are the first words of the Risen Lord to His disciples; spoken not in a moment of calm, but in a time of fear and uncertainty. Today, our war-stricken world desperately needs this same greeting. Yes, Resurrection of Christ proclaims with quiet but unshakable power: peace is still possible amidst the global turmoil and destruction. In the Resurrection, Jesus’ love conquered hatred, enmity, suffering and ultimately death itself. The empty tomb is the loud proclamation of victory over hatred, vengeance, suffering and death. As A.W. Tozer observed: “If man had his way, the plan of redemption would be an endless and bloody conflict. In reality, salvation was bought not by Jesus’ fist, but by His nail-pierced hands; not by muscle but by love; not by vengeance but by forgiveness; not by force but by sacrifice. Jesus Christ our Lord surrendered in order that He might win; He destroyed His enemies by dying for them and conquered death by allowing death to conquer Him.” Let not the war cry of the despotic leaders douse the simmering hope for peace and harmony.

Our reflection on the resurrection invites us to ponder over what lies at the root of hatred, conflicts and wars that wound our world? At its core, is the ‘ego’ that hungers for power and dominance.  In one form or another, ego rises within every human heart and drives him/her to resort to ways of dominating others and treating the other as enemy. The ego that says, “I am great,” soon becomes, “I alone am great.” It resents the growth of others and seeks ways to pull them down or destroy them. Just as personal ego breaks relationships, caste pride, ethnic divisions and hunger for power destroy the harmony of the society. On the global stage, economic arrogance and the pride of powerful nations threaten the well-being of the entire human family. The ego of power ultimately leads to division, conflict, and destruction.

Pope St. John Paul II reminds us: “We are an Easter people, and Alleluia is our song.” St. Paul exhorts us: “If you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above.” (Colossians 3:1). As people of the Resurrection, dear Friends, we are called not to live in selfishness, pride, dominance and seek positions and privileges. We are called to be compassionate, humble and be at the service of others. True greatness lies in our capacity to care for others. Our own spiritual heritage echoes this truth beautifully. Thayumanavar prayed that all may live in happiness, and Thirumoolar proclaimed, “May the whole world attain the bliss that I have attained.” True Easter joy is never to be enjoyed individually, but is meant to be shared with all.

Let us, therefore, live not merely worldly lives, but lives rooted in divine values. Let all forms of egoistic behaviour give way to serving the least and the last. Let the Cross give strength to fight all forms of division, hatred and dominance. In doing so, we will experience the fullness of God’s grace. May the Risen Lord’s greeting resound in our hearts and reflect in our mission: “Peace be with you!” May this peace begin within us and radiate to the whole world.

Fr. Thomas Amirtham, S.J.,

Provincial, The Jesuit Madurai Province